The Naked Tempest – NYC Shakespeare in the Park

…YES, they are actually completely naked in these photos, and they are beautiful. So if you aren’t ready to accept women’s bodies as art, then please don’t continue reading.

When a very good friend of mine told me she was going to be part of a Shakespeare play in Central Park, I was excited to go and support her. When she told me it was an all female cast, I got even more excited since I know how poorly women are typically represented in many of The Bard’s pieces. When she told me that all the actors would be completely nude, in the hopes of allowing women’s bodies to be appreciated as an art form instead of being sexualized and criticized, I knew this would be an experience I couldn’t miss.

It always takes me about ten to fifteen minutes to adjust my ears to the Shakespearean language, and honestly,  by the time I was fully understanding the verse, I had gotten past the initial awkwardness of seeing boobs and bushes frolicking through the park in front of me. I began focusing on the quality of acting, and seeing their naked bodies solely as a tool they were using to portray this art.

I fully support "freeing the nipple" and empowering women to feel confident in their naked skin. Doing so in the form of a piece that was written in such a misogynistic era was so, so genius.

This performance was produced by the OCTPFAS Theater Company. If you would like to find out more about  all the lovely people involved click here:http://www.thefreetempest.com/cast-and-creative-1/