Accompanying the faithful Gonzalo and the grieving Alonso, who believes his only son, Ferdinand, to have drowned, we have the despicable duo of Sebastian and Antonio, played by Scott Guzzo and the Snidely Whiplash-like Frank Blauer. Antonio is Prospero's brother and the agent of his undoing some dozen years prior. Remaining a provocateur, Antonio works on Sebastian to kill his brother, Alonso, so he might be king. Fortunately, they are foiled at every turn!

Comic relief is rife in Shakespeare and Stephano, played by Paul Diverio, and Trinculo, played by Kate Daly, become the would-be Master and Foil, respectively, for Caliban's twisted plans of revenge and domination. This duo, however, is mostly defined, and defied by, the acquisition of drink, which makes for comic relief in this otherwise dark tale of betrayal.

Penny Paul's deft direction, and use both of space and the kinetic talents of her light-footed cast illuminate this production. Ariel's light singing rings out whispery and bell-like and her flute playing, from her accustomed perch on a ladder-cum-branch, is as light as a dream. Caliban's wiles and meandering mind, evident in his vocalise delivery, and Prospero's physical domination of the scene are heightened to impressive artistic effect.

Philip Rogers' production and set design are magic in themselves. Prospero moved so fluidly around a column onstage that at first I wasn't certain whether that reflected the actor's own movement, or if there was a subtle mechanical device in play. I'll let you determine for yourself. The atmospheric lighting and primitive Druid-esque, New Age flavor of the incidental music underscores the wildness of the terrain both physically and emotionally where we find ourselves washed ashore. Gloria Mui also designed costumes beautifully. Leyda Torres is the Stage Manager. The gift of community theatre is in playing various roles both behind and in front of the curtain, even when there is no curtain.

Great seats at $15 are still available for this run, which began on November 7 and runs Friday and Saturday evenings at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm through November 22. Tickets are available at the box office or via www.nutleylittletheatre.com. Don't miss "The Tempest!"