Directed by Assistant Professor of Theater Emily K. Harrison, Theater at Woodshill’s production brought together five Hamilton students, three recent alumni, and a team of professional artists. Four of the students — Claudia Timmins ’28, Jaine Buck ’28, Roman Padera ’28, and Sophie Piatkowski ’28 — participated through a Levitt Center summer research project with Harrison, while Collin Morales ’27 served as a lighting designer intern. Del Gonzales ’25, Jules Henderson ’26, and Benjamin White ’26 were hired as professional artists.
The group spent the first part of the summer conducting dramaturgical research before moving into Woodshill’s barn for a two-week rehearsal period. The show ran from July 23 to August 2 at the Sauquoit, N.Y., theater.
“We rehearsed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, and I wouldn’t say there’s a way to describe a ‘typical’ day — it really varies,” Harrison said. “Obviously we’re working every day getting the show up on its feet.”
That work ranged from examining the text and exploring relationships between characters to figuring out how to make the most of Woodshill’s unconventional performance space. With limited technical resources, the production incorporated movement and handheld objects to create the play’s magical world.
Padera, who played Stephano, shared that working alongside professional actors has offered a perspective that is difficult to replicate in a college production. “Being able to just watch these professionals in the theatre industry work has been a blessing, and has taught me a ridiculous amount about performing,” he said.
Timmins, who played Iris and a Spirit, found that the experience also changed the way she thinks about Shakespeare. Performing in her first Shakespeare production, she noted the research she completed before rehearsals helped her approach the play with a deeper understanding. “I understand the versatility and power of Shakespeare better,” she said. “It’s best when it’s not preserved exactly as it was done in the 1500s, but rather adapted to relate to the world it’s being performed in now.”
That idea is central to Harrison’s approach. While The Tempest explores questions of colonization, power, revenge, and forgiveness, she did not want the production to simply preserve Shakespeare exactly as it was performed centuries ago. “What I hope people take away is that many of the issues Shakespeare was exploring hundreds of years ago are still issues we struggle with today,” she said.
“ ... many of the issues Shakespeare was exploring hundreds of years ago are still issues we struggle with today.”
Her version brings those questions into the present while maintaining a sense of playfulness. The production included contemporary choices, moments of humor, and even a couple of dance breaks.
The production also gave Hamilton alumni an opportunity to reconnect with the theater community that helped shape them. Gonzales, who played Ariel, returned to Clinton after pursuing acting work primarily in film. For him, the production was an opportunity to reconnect with The Bard after completing a Shakespeare Intensive at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
“Reconnecting with my theater roots has really highlighted the difference between acting for the camera and acting for a live audience,” Gonzales said.
For Harrison, those connections are part of what makes the experience valuable. She hopes students leave with a better understanding of what professional theater can be. “I want students to understand that theater can happen anywhere if we get creative about how to use space that’s available to us,” she said.
That spirit of experimentation connects the experiences at Woodshill. Together, Hamilton students and alumni put their skills to work alongside professionals, discovering new ways to approach Shakespeare and new possibilities for where theater can take them.
Posted August 24, 2026
