Tennessee Stage Company: Shakespeare Off the Square

7:30 PM Thursday-Sunday

The Tennessee Stage Company presents its 31st summer Shakespeare festival featuring the comedies Twelfth Night and The Tempest. This season is produced in partnership with Ijams Nature Center. In order to be best prepared for the ever-changing landscape of 2021, we will play this season in the open field in front of the Visitors Center of Ijams Nature Center, located at 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920, just a short drive from downtown. Matinee performances to be announced.

Twelfth Night: Love triangles, practical jokes, & mistaken identities run rampant in Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, Twelfth Night. Shipwrecked & separated, Violia & her brother Sebastian, think each other drowned. Viola disguises herself as a boy, Cesario, to take a job as a servant to Duke Orsino. Orsino sends Viola to woo Countess Olivia, Olivia falls for Violia (well, Cesario), but Olivia’s butler, Malvolio, loves Olivia, & then Sebastian shows up. Turns out, Viola’s twin is not dead. Hilarity ensues.
“If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction.”

The Tempest: Lightning strikes! Magic Abounds! Betrayal & romance swirl in the storm that is Shakespeare’s The Temptest. After living in exile for 12 years, the former Duke of Milan, Prospero, has a chance at revenge when his magical storm strands his usurpers & enemies on the island. Prospero uses magical creatures to secretly control them so he can reclaim his title. Murderous plots, love at first sight, supernatural beings, & perhaps forgiveness…will everyone find safe passage home?
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on.”

Reservations and in-person ticket cost will be $15 and will be available in the future at
www.Ijams.org/shakespeare. Up to three students (K-12) may attend for one penny with paying adult!