The Utah Shakespeare Festival will be presenting one performance of “Hamlet” Thursday Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in Montezuma-Cortez High School’s Ralph E. Vavak Memorial Auditorium.
Tickets will be $8 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and under 5 are free.
Shakespeare-in-the-Schools is a touring production visiting schools, community centers and correctional facilities in Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado and Arizona with over 65 performances for more than 120 schools.
In its 22nd year, this educational outreach program features a 75-minute version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, including costumes, sets, and theatrical lighting. Also included is a 15-minute post-show discussion with the actors and optional workshops in Stage Combat, Performing Shakespeare’s Text, Technical Theatre and Developing Character through Improvisation.
Directing this year is Frank Honts, who has been at the Festival the past three seasons as a Flachmann Fellow in Dramaturgy.
“Hamlet is my favorite piece of literature, my favorite play, my favorite story,” said Honts. “And when I think about what young people living in the United States in 2016 are experiencing, I think that Hamlet’s story isn’t so far away from theirs and that it will have resonance and currency to them.”
Ten professionals from all over the country are coming together to bring this production to students. The company consists of seven actors, a company manager, a stage manager and a technical director.
Three cast members were seen in this past 2015 season at the Festival: Allie Babich (Hamlet) was Ensign Nellie Forbush in “South Pacific,” Ela Delahay in “Charley’s Aunt,” and Vixen in Dracula.” Kelly Rogers (Gertrude/Ghost/Gravedigger) appeared as Cordelia in “King Lear,” Amy Spettigue in “Charley’s Aunt,” and Mina in “Dracula.” Marco Antonio Vega (Laertes/Rosencrantz/Player King) appeared as Bardolph in “Henry IV, Part Two,” King of Burgundy in “King Lear,” and in various roles in “The Taming of the Shrew.”
