Storms rage wild in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, a gorgeous romantic comedy that just may have been the great Bard’s last play. At the center of the story is one of Shakespeare’s most compelling characters — Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, who uses his wizard powers to conjure hurricane winds that blow his seafaring enemies to the island where he’s been stuck for more than ten long years. Where’s the romance in that, you might ask? Patience is a virtue with great books, and so it goes with this windy tale. As Prospero and his magical, mischief-making helpmate Ariel plot to punish the evildoers who landed him on the lonely island, Prospero’s lovely daughter Miranda falls in love with the handsome Ferdinand. It’s a complicated tale of revenge and love, but in the end all is well, especially since this whimsical tale comes to us from Classical Theatre, with Houston’s own favorite local actor Philip Lehl in the title role. See The Tempest today at 7:30 p.m. Through April 29. Obsidian Art Space, 3522 White Oak. For information, call 713-963-9665 or visit www.classicaltheatre.org. $18.
Thursdays-Sundays. Starts: April 12. Continues through April 29, 2012