Shakespeare & Company in Hamlet

Shakespeare & Company in Hamlet

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – For more than three decades, Shakespeare & Company has been a fixture in the culturally-rich Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. While the company has toured regionally in New England, it will embark on its first national tour of the United States this year. The company makes its U.S. Tour Debut with Hamlet at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Florida in Gainesville on Tuesday, September 23.

Jason Asprey as Hamlet

The national tour is based on the company’s highly successful 2006-07 Season production which marked the first time onstage together for real-life mother and son duo Tina Packer (as Gertrude) and Jason Asprey (as Hamlet). Both Ms. Packer and Mr. Asprey will reprise their roles for the tour as will Ms. Packer’s husband, Dennis Krausnick (as Polonius). The production, which was directed by Eleanor Holdridge, also includes Johnny Lee Davenport (Ghost, Gravedigger, Player-King), Nigel Gore (Claudius), Jacob H Knoll (Guildenstern/Osric), Kevin O’Donnell (Laertes), Elizabeth Raetz (Ophelia), Alex Sovronsky (Rosencrantz) and Jake Waid (Horatio).

Set in 13th century Denmark, Hamlet follows the story of the young Prince of Denmark, who is racked with grief over the recent death of his father. Feeling betrayed by his mother, Queen Gertrude, who married Hamlet’s Uncle Claudius shortly after his father’s death, Hamlet is thrown into dual turmoil. Not only does the marriage prevent Hamlet from becoming king himself, it also thrusts his father’s brother into the role of surrogate father and king. Complicating familial relations even further, Hamlet’s father’s ghost makes an appearance to tell his son that he was murdered by Claudius, inciting his son to revenge his death and prove his uncle a killer. Feigning madness, Hamlet is determined to show Claudius’ guilt. When a troupe of actors arrives at the castle, Hamlet uses them to stage a reenactment of the murder for the entire court to witness.

Meanwhile, the beautiful Ophelia, for whom Hamlet has proclaimed his love, is suddenly shunned by the prince, and her father Polonius, who has discovered the romance and disapproves, forbids her to see Hamlet. Complicating the lovers’ relationship, Hamlet mistakenly kills Polonius during an encounter with his mother. Claudius, suspicious of his nephew, forms a plan to send Hamlet to England where he will be killed. On the way, Hamlet is captured by pirates and returns to Denmark to find that Ophelia, driven mad by both Hamlet’s rejection and Polonius’ death, has drowned herself. Ophelia’s brother Laertes seeks revenge on Hamlet for his father’s death. Hoping to be rid of Hamlet once and for all, Claudius stages a dual between Hamlet and Laertes – a move that proves to be fatal not only for Hamlet, but for himself, Laertes and Gertrude as well.

Ticket Prices: $20-35 To Purchase tickets, call the Phillips Center Box Office at 352-392-ARTS (2787) or 800-905-ARTS (toll-free within Florida) or call Ticketmaster at 800-277-1700 (toll-free). Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Phillips Center Box Office, the University Box Office at the University of Florida Reitz Union or from any Ticketmaster outlet, or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/. Cash, checks, MasterCard and Visa are accepted.

The Phillips Center consists of a 1,700-seat proscenium hall and a 200-seat Black Box Theatre. It is located in the University of Florida Cultural Plaza near the intersection of 34th Street and Hull Road with convenient access from I-75 at the Archer Road and Newberry Road exits.