Shakespeare Scholar Comments

Irene Dash, author of the brilliant new book, Shakespeare and the American Musical (Indiana University Press, 2010), recently spent a snowbound Manhattan afternoon watching Ariel’s Way. She even watched the DVD twice! Ms. Dash’s background equips her to be an ideal audience for the play, and her response to it is more than just satisfying to me. I hope (as does she) that her endorsement might encourage others to make room in their busy lives for Ariel’s Way.

Dear Jim Henderson,
Thank you so much for sending me the video of Ariel’s Way. I tremendously enjoyed the great variety in your songs and the way they helped define character. Ariel was captivating. Her song, "I’m on my way. . . . My job is done and my dues are paid" was beautiful. Clearly she was eagerly anticipating leaving Prospero, here called Victor.
I liked the way you took her line from late in Shakespeare’s play, about her feeling sorry for Prospero’s victims ("I would, were I human") and used it near the close of Ariel’s Way. It opened up the possibility for Prospero’s changing. Also I liked your decision to translate Caliban into an actual child of Prospero’s, rather than just a metaphor for the evil in all of us. You gave a literal meaning to Shakespeare’s line, "This thing of darkness I acknowledge mine." It worked well.
Of course one of the astounding things you do is your handling of the storm visually. How exciting and wondrous–all created by Prospero in his studio.
Good luck on this brave new adventure.
Warmly,
Irene Dash