Prologue Summary

As the actors enter individually and choose masks leisurely, the Master of Ceremonies instructs them to choose their masks according to their characters because "it takes all kinds to make a world" (page 7). He states that these are not the worst characters and there is no problem with the juvenile leads or the villains, but he nearly forgets the gods. The Master of Ceremonies assigns actors to the major roles of Prospero, Ariel, Caliban, Stephano, Trinculo, Miranda, Ferdinand, Antonio, Alonso and Eshu, telling the other actors that they can decide for themselves who plays the roles of the other characters; however, he must choose one actor himself for the part of the Tempest because he needs a very large person to act as the wind. The play begins with the winds, rain and lightning as the Master of Ceremonies instructs the actors to...