Alaska's Theatre in the Rough inaugurates the University of Alaska Southeast's new theatre Aug. 5 with David Hunsaker's Prospero and the Killer Whales.

Hunsaker has combined the tales of Shakespeare's The Tempest and "Keet Shagoon," a story of the Killer Whale clan as told by the Tlingit people. Both stories, told here with puppets, masks and three actors, involve powerful men stranded on an island endowed with supernatural powers that help him revenge himself on his enemies. Hunsaker's other writing credits include Twelve Tales of Ossian and Fires on the Water.

Lonna Stevens and Theatre in the Rough artistic directors Katie Jensen and Aaron Elmore star. All three are veteran Theatre in the Rough and AK's Perseverance Theatre performers.

The new theatre space Prospero debuts in was inspired by Shakespeare's Globe in England. Set on the UAS campus in a round clearing of trees, the open air space will be lit by fire light and covered in case of rain. It will be used in future for a summer Shakespeare festival.

Tickets ($12-$7) to Prospero and the Killer Whales are available by calling (907) 364-3858. Theatre in the Rough is on the web at http://www.theatreintherough.org. -- By Christine Ehren