Rough Magic

Middlesex College’s Visual, Performing, and Media Arts Department presents Rough Magic across two weekends at the Studio Theatre in Edison.

Transplanting characters from Shakespeare’s The Tempest to present-day New York, Rough Magic is an action-adventure-fantasy in the tradition of Harry Potter and The X-Men that conjures a mythical, magical meta-universe in which the evil sorcerer Prospero is willing to do anything to recover his stolen book of magic—even if it means Manhattan’s destruction.

New York’s defenders include a quartet of unlikely heroes: Melanie Porter, a plucky, raven-haired dramaturg with the ability to free characters from plays; Caliban, Prospero’s hunky (though not-too-bright) son; Tisiphone, a revenge-seeking Fury from Ancient Greece; and a 17-year-old lifeguard from Coney Island named Chet.

Performances take place March 27, 28, 29 and April 3, 4, 5 at 7 pm; and March 28 and April 4 at 11 am.

The play is 90 minutes.

Tickets in advance are $10 for adults, $5 for veterans/seniors, and free for students with ID. Tickets can be purchased at the door with cash only.