Tony nominee John Douglas Thompson (Jitney, King Lear) will star as Prospero in Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's 25th anniversary production of Free Shakespeare on the Common: William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Directed by Steven Maler, the free performances will be presented July 22–August 9 on the Boston Common, near the Parkman Bandstand.

Joining Thompson on stage will be Remo Airaldi as Antonio, Nora Eschenheimer as Miranda, John Kuntz as Trinculo, Nael Nacer as Caliban, Richard Noble as Alonso, Fred Sullivan, Jr. as Stephano, and Michael Underhill as Ferdinand.

The production will also have scenic design by Tony winner Clint Ramos and Jeffrey Petersen, costume design by Nancy Leary, lighting design by Eric Southern, and sound design by David Reiffel.

CSC has also announced a commitment to paying the artists and artisans involved with the company, even if COVID-19 restrictions require a postponement of the production. The theatre company is working closely with the city of Boston on the planning, to ensure the safety of its company and the audience.

In partnership with Google, CSC has also created a Virtual Reality experience of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, entitled Hamlet 360: Thy Father’s Spirit, released in partnership with WGBH. It can be viewed on the WGBH YouTube channel.

For more information visit CommShakes.org.