With the exception of disputed pro football coin tosses and extreme debate clubs, the stage remains the only venue where arguments are regularly settled with a sword fight. Behold a dramatic settling of differences with this deal to see The Tempest presented by the Tennessee Shakespeare Company in the Wooden “O” Amphitheater at Shelby Farms Park. For $12, you get one general-admission ticket (a $29 value). All shows begin at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Choose from the following performances:

• Friday, April 13 (Opening Night)
• Saturday, April 14
• Friday, April 20
• Saturday, April 21
  
  

The mysticism of Shakespeare’s dramaturgical finale, The Tempest is perfectly suited for a performance among the billowing pines and wildlife of Shelby Farms Park. A fantastic comedy, the play opens on an island as Prospero, an exiled Duke and aging sorcerer, thrashes the seas to cast a ship full of his past usurpers ashore. As mystical creatures and villainous characters find themselves at the center of Prospero’s magical revenge, Shakespeare weaves several plotlines over the island terrain, such as a romance that blooms between the protagonist’s daughter Miranda and a marooned prince from the ship. Ultimately, though, the play hinges on the fate of Prospero, played by veteran Shakespearean actor Johnny Lee Davenport from Chicago. Will Prospero remain a man on an island or will he rejoin society with its hang-ups about work and pants?

In the ensemble’s first season at the recently restored Wooden “O” Amphitheater, Tennessee Shakespeare Company creative director Dan McCleary says they could partner with the park for many years to come. During an interview with the Memphis Daily News, McCleary described the shows as “a real fun experience for people who might otherwise think Shakespeare is not for them.”