Shelby Farms Park Outdoor Wooden O Ampitheatre
Memphis, Tenn.
April 11 – 22, 2012
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Dan McCleary
Role: Prospero
As Prospero, wielding his magic to create the tempest (PHOTO: Tennessee Shakespeare)
“Johnny Lee Davenport, a thunder-voiced actor who has portrayed Othello and Oberon for the company, takes on another big, temperamental character. His raging Prospero conjures the tempest that brings his enemies to the island where he’s lived since his exile from Milan. As always, Davenport has terrific command of the language and a fiery intensity. . . . Ultimately, the theme of The Tempest makes a strong final impression as Prospero reluctantly forgives those who have wronged him—a moment that Davenport renders with great sensitivity.”
—Christopher Blank, gomemphis.com (April 19, 2012)
“Johnny Lee Davenport has a lot of presence . . . He knows where the jokes are and what Prospero wants is always clear.”
—Chris Davis, Memphis Flyer (April 19, 2012)
Aaron: I thought they did a great job! What did you think of it? I’m so impressed that Memphis has a Shakespeare theater company of that caliber! Well done.
Felicia: It was great! I particularly liked the audience interaction. I saw on the playbill that we (the audience) were spirits.
—Audience Members, meetup.com, (April 22, 2012)