Shakespeare as you’ll like it

Transformed on stage into a traveling tent show, William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” takes on a new life at South Coast Repertory with its magic, music and acrobatics exploring the drama of spirits, monsters, witches and lovers.

And “Tempest” choreographer Matt Kent is certain about one thing: “If a student sees this, they will never be able to utter the words, ‘Shakespeare stinks.’”

With its run starting on Aug. 29 and ending Sept. 28, “The Tempest” is produced in association with the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University and The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas. Songwriter Tom Waits, who has worked as a composer for movies and musical plays, worked on “The Tempest” songs with wife and songwriter Kathleen Brennan.

Kent was first approached by Teller of the illusionists Penn and Teller. Kent, who is associate artistic director of Pilobolus, a Connecticut-based company of choreographers and dancer-athletes who work with outside groups, has worked on projects from choreographing zombies for AMC’s hit series “The Walking Dead” to working with Duncan Sheik’s “Spring Awakening” rock musical.

Teller visited the dance company in rural Connecticut and brought director Aaron Posner, who has adapted more than 20 plays, to meet with Kent and discuss the vision of the play. The three would spend half a day working on dance movements and exploring Caliban, a major character who is a complex figure and is referred to as a monster by other characters.

“We found out very quickly that it was going to be cool,” said Kent. “It was an irresistible project.”

To create a theatrical graphic, Caliban would be played by two men simultaneously, representing the character’s conflicting personalities.

The role would have its challenges as actor Zachary Eisenstat and dancer Manelich Minniefee had to create a dramatically and physically cohesive character while performing gymnastic moves. They’d spend hours sitting in a room working on each line, practicing where to take breaths and learning how to enunciate words.

“We prepared for it by working vigorously on the movement and speech,” Eisenstat said.

The duo said that to prepare for the role, they talked to each other about who they thought Caliban was.

“It was a whole new process about how to get into character,” Minniefee said. “It helped listening to other characters and understanding how the other characters reacted to Caliban. We spent so much time, just talking, talking, talking about who the character is. I don’t see him as a villain,” he added. “He’s very childish. I see him as a misbehaved child going through teen angst. It’s not his intention to be an outcast.”

Throughout the process, Minniefee said, the physical connectivity of being Caliban with Eisenstat helped bring them to a place where they could read each other’s next move and react accordingly.

“I could tell that when Zach was taking a bigger breath, that meant he was giving more emphasis. We could sense each other and follow each other,” he said.

During rehearsals, they found they would say the same exact thing at the same exact time. During one, they both started reciting the wrong monologue and both jumped into the correct monologue at the same time without saying anything to each other. “People were like, ‘What just happened?’” Minniefee said with a laugh.

Eisenstat said that when the show first opened the movements felt rigid, but after more performances, he and Minniefee noticed a significant difference in terms of synchronicity.

“It could have been a train wreck but instead they really became this one character,” Kent said. “We wanted it to be relentlessly entertaining.”

Kent had creative constraints as he had to limit how far he could go with choreographing movements without leaving Shakespeare behind. The challenge for him was working with a diverse group of directors, actors and dancers who showcased a rich amount of creativity.

But there were lively moments during rehearsals. Kent named a movement in the first scene with Caliban “The Posner” because the director was so involved in the process. He said “The Tempest” had to be illuminated with physical movements and not read like a script.

“It’s my first time working with Shakespeare and I’d love to work with the Bard again,” Kent said. “He’s pretty good.”

Where: South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 and 7:30 Sundays from Aug. 29 through Sept. 28

Cost: $23-$64

Information: (714) 708-5555 and scr.org