by Philomath Films
Update on the Cast of The Tempest
*Fourteen of the eighteen Tempest cast have been released from prison. Two cast members died while incarcerated and one cast member died post incarceration.
*Hal (Prospero) made his 5th trip to the parole board in July, 2025 and received five more years. He continues in his 30th year with the SBB program as the grand maestro of the program. His next parole hearing will be in 2030. He has received many awards from the Pen Prison Writing Program in multiple genres: https://pen.org/profile/hal-cobb/
*Big G (Caliban) after 37 years, 11 months, and 16 days, JJ served out his prison sentence and returned home to his mother. He married Georgie, his Australian sweetheart, on the Central Park stage of Kentucky Shakespeare July 30th, 2025. Curt L. Tofteland performed the ceremony attended by friends and family, including his mom and SBB alumni. He works with the re-entry program at Goodwill, assisting returned citizens find their way after being released from prison.
*Raymond (Anthonio #3) was transferred to another prison. He is serving a Life Sentence Without Parole.
*Leonard (Anthonio #1) went up for parole in 2008 and got ten more years. He went into a deep depression, took a leave of absence from SBB, and then transferred to another prison. After fighting several bouts with cancer, Leonard died in November, 2016.
*Rick (Anthonio #2) spent 30 days in the hole before he was transferred to another prison. Seven months later, he took the shoe laces out of his tennis shoes, tied them together, and used them to hang himself in his cell. He died in prison.
*Greg (Ceres) received parole, got married, worked as a civil engineer, published poetry online. After fighting a serious bout with cancer, Greg died a free man in June, 2017.
*Sammie (Trinculo) got into trouble with computer fraud. He was transferred to two other prisons. After serving thrity-one consecutive years in prison, he was paroled on August 1, 2014. He continues to make a positive life for himself outside the razor-wire working as a facilitator/counselor for Goodwill Industries. He re-married his ex-wife Barbara in Nashville, TN. The ceremony was performed by Curt L. Tofteland. Since, 2011, Sammie has worked with Curt on his one person memoir play, Othello’s Tribunal. The production tours around the country performing at professional Shakespeare Theatres, colleges, universities, and adult prisons and juvenile detention centers. Sammie works as a life coach and mentor to young people at the Spot, a Goodwill program in Louisville, KY.
*DeMond (Stephano) was transferred to two other prisons. His case was taken on by the Innocence Project. He was paroled in November, 2014. His parole has been twice revoked/reinstated and then deferred. His next visit to the parole board will be in 2026.
*Ron (Ferdinand) after 25 consecutive years of incarceration, Ron was paroled in April, 2016. He continues to make a life for himself outside the razor-wire. Ron works as a life coach and mentor to young people at the Spot, a Goodwill program in Louisville, KY.
*Red (Miranda) received parole in 2008. In 2010, he returned to prison on a new conviction and parole violation. He was paroled in 2019.
*Bulldog (Ariel) served out. He continues to make a life for himself outside the razor-wire.
*Vaughn (Gonzalo) went up for parole in 2009 and got five more years. He served out in 2013.
*Charlie (Francisco) received parole. He works in the heavy construction industry.
*Howard (Adrian) served out in 2012. He returned to the bosom of his family and works in the janitorial industry.
*Richard (Sebastian) received parole in 2009. He continues to make a life for himself outside the razor-wire.
*Harvey (King Alonso) received parole in 2003. He continues to live successfully on the outside.
*Kenneth (Ires) was transferred to another prison. He was paroled in November, 2014.
*Boris (Juno) was transferred to another prison. He works as a legal aide. He was paroled in 2022 after serving twenty-seven consecutive years in prison.
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*Warden Larry Chandler transferred to another prison as warden before retiring from the KY DOC. He served several terms on the Kentucky Parole Board and retired as Chairperson. He came out of retirement during the COVID epidemic to work as a warden in two different Kentucky prisons before retiring for a second time in September, 2022. He was called back into active service working the Kentucky Department Juvenile Justice rising to the position of Commissioner. He retired a third time but continues to work as a consultant on matters related to corrections. He’s particularly interested in reform of the Parole Board.
*Curt L. Tofteland (Founder & Producing Artistic Director) retired from Kentucky Shakespeare Festival after 20 years of service. He moved to Western Michigan where he continues to work in adult and juvenile justice. He maintains his relationship with the Shakespeare Behind Bars program in Michigan, Kentucky, and Illinois. He writes and publishes about the transformational power of the Shakespeare Behind Bars program.
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