Greetings! I’m Allie—here to play the part of Ariel. Thanks for stopping by to learn more about our production of The Tempest. Delving into Shakespeare’s text and discussing his characters always results in rich and rewarding discoveries. Welcome to the conversation—may many a spirited dialogue emerge from this blog and all the other opportunities PSIP provides for audience/artistic team interaction.
Ariel, our spirit in service to Prospero, is often described as delicate. What a lovely adjective! In terms of Ariel, to be delicate is to possess a nature sensitive enough to absorb the subtleties of the world around you. For much of the play, this spirit is “no tongue, all eyes” (4.1.60). Through conscientious observation, the shipwrecked are always kept safe and led carefully through the plot laid out by Prospero.
Ariel, being so in tune with nature, senses right from wrong on a universal level. Long ago, a fear of Sycorax’s wrath could not sway this spirit’s moral stronghold. Prospero reminds us of this in Act 1, “thou wast a spirit too delicate/ To act her earthy and abhorr’d commands,/ Refusing her grand hests” (1.2.272-74).
Let it be a lesson to us all that a delicate spirit should not be confused with weakness. Great strength lies in staying connected to your intuition and attempting to keep others safe from harm. Therefore, we must never underestimate those who “do their spiriting gently” (abridged 1.2.299).
Oh and I’m supposed to say a little bit about myself in this post, too… Fine 🙂
I’m a mover. Born to run, jump, tumble, twist, twirl, climb and paddle my way through this life. Perpetual motion propels me through the week to Chatham University (Adjunct Lecturer: Yoga & Relaxation, Creative Movement), University of Pittsburgh (Production Manager: Shakespeare-in-the-Schools), Schoolhouse Yoga, X Shadyside, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and PNC YMCA (Yoga Teacher). All this so I can spend as many weekends as possible back home with those who mean the most: the Wagners, Breslins, and Maddens of Duncansville, PA.
pittsburghshakespeare 
Allie’s not kidding about being a mover. In rehearsals so far, her Ariel is indeed in constant motion – as befits a spirit of the air.