Christina Show: May 2016

Poster for Shakespeare on the Sound's Hamlet

I welcomed the members of Shakepeare on the Sound responsible for this summer's

production of Hamlet in Pinkney Park in Rowayton CT. We chatted about this year's

challenging production. Claire Kelly, artistic director, Brian Prather, set designer,

Grier Colman, costume designer, and Jamie Roderick, lighting designer, are combining their talents to create a wonderful run of Shakespeare evenings in the park this summer. We taped two programs. In the first program artistic director Claire Kelly and set designer Brian Prather discussed the themes of the play, the challenges inherent in this

most famous of Shakespeare's play, and the process of developing the set and creating

a world that can transport the audience in the park to Denmark in winter.

The play is set in the time period right after World War II.

Claire Kelly talked about her focus on a strong theme of fear throughout the interpretation

of Shakespeare's most famous theatrical work. I mentioned the how in my research the

I discovered that Shakespeare wrote the play after the death of his eleven year old son Hamnet and just before the death of his father. Harvard professor Stephen Greenblatt attributes the death of Hamnet and Shakespeare's grief to the complexity and depth of

the play that has made it so renowned.

Actor Joey Santia to play Hamlet and Artistic Director Claire Kelly

Ms. Kelly has cast the role of Hamlet with the young actor, 21-year-old Joey Santia. She chose him at the age, and the stage of life, that Shakespeare may have envisioned for the character of Hamlet. Casting somebody of Santia's age in the famous role contrasts with

some of the noteworthy Hamlets of the professional theatre. Ms. Kelly feels that the
authenticity of the actor youthful emotions and confusion will be worth the departure
from the conventional casting. To match the youthfulness of Hamlet, the rest of the
cast is younger as well.

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2004/10/21/the-death-of-hamnet-and-the-making-of-hamlet/

The interviews will be broadcast on Cablevision's Channel 88 Ct on Tuesday May 31st at 9pm and Thursday June 2nd at 5:30pm. It will repeat on subsequent Tuesdays and Thursdays at the above times until the July 7th.

Claire Kelly Artistic Director Shakespeare on the Sound

Brian Prather Set Designer

Set Designer Brian Prather talked about the challenges and opportunities of creating a set in Pinkney Park.His design will reflect the dynamics the traditions of the Kings court and the more renaissance spirit of the educated and traveled young Hamlet. His set will reflect both these worlds. The stage will be both a proscenium arch yet have structures that reach out into the audience to create more intimacy with the play's viewers.

In the second show I talked with costume Designer Grier Coleman. She explained the

costume designer's process from sketch to finished wardrobe in creating costumes that will

illustrate the world of the play.

Grier Coleman Costurme Designer

Jamie Roderick, lighting designer, joined our behind the scenes conversation. He emphasized the importance of lighting and it's ability to create the right mood to

underscore the dramatic action and help with audience in imagining the court of Denmark.He described some of the challenges in countering the elements of an outdoor production, for example when the ghost scene in the play which would normal be depicted in darkness of night and yet in reality the production is still in daylight.

Jamie Roderick Lighting Desinger

View of the Five Mile River that leads to the Sound from Pinkney Park

Shakespeare on the Sound takes place at Pinkney Historic Park, which is located at 177 Rowayton Avenue, Rowayton, CT, and adjacent to Pinkney House. Visitors can enjoy fine views of the Five Mile River and then a walk through the village of Rowayton which is lined with shops and eateries. From June 16 - July 3, 2016, this will be the home of this year's production of "Hamlet

Hamlet will run from Thursday, June 16 - Sunday, July 3, 2016, Mondays are dark

Apprentice Program

Shakespeare on the Sound, the award winning outdoor Shakespeare Theater based in Norwalk, CT, is seeking applicants for the 2016 Apprentice Company. Opportunities exist in the following disciplines: acting, directing, stage management, education, playwriting, technical design, costume design, marketing and social media, and production/company management. Shakespeare on the Sound is searching for early career/emerging artists and administrators. Successful candidates will be self-motivated, dedicated, inquisitive, collaborative, enthusiastic, and capable of working in a fast-paced, challenging, multi-faceted environment. Apprentices function as an integral part of the organization and will have the opportunity to work directly with the accomplished and professional artists creating the main stage production. Additionally, apprentices will be expected to attend master classes and create/organize the annual Budding Bards new play event. Requirements: applicants must be between 18-25, in college or recent graduates. Time commitment for most apprentices is early May through the second week in July. Some apprenticeships may begin earlier. The position is unpaid. Travel compensation to and from NYC rehearsal space and CT will be provided. Housing is not available. Application forms and apprenticeship descriptions are available on the Shakespeare on the Sound website, www.shakespeareonthesound.org. Deadline to apply is March 1, 2016 to be considered for the 2016 Apprentice Company. Send completed application to Claire Kelly, Artistic Director and Director of Education at claire@shakespeareonthesound.org .
The apprentice company will consist of up to fifteen selected applicants of diverse backgrounds, ages 18 to 25, with a passion for and commitment to the theater, and especially those who are interested in pursuing theater careers. Major duties will take place May thru early July.

Play Summary.

This drama is one of the great tragedy-themed plays by William Shakespeare. The themes of the plot include indecision, revenge, retribution, deception, ambition, loyalty and fate. Prince Hamlet mourns the death of this father, and the remarriage of his mother, Queen Gertrude, to Claudius. The ghost of Hamlet's father appears to him and tells him that Claudius has poisoned him, to which Hamlet swears revenge. He kills the eavesdropping Polonius, the court chamberlain. Polonius' son, Laertes, returns to Denmark to avenge his father's death. Polonius' daughter, Ophelia, loves the Prince, but his behavior drives her to madness. A duel takes place and ends with the death of many...

Themes of the Play :Fear, Mortality, Grief, Madness, Impossibility of Certainty, Complexity of Action, Guilt, Shame

History of the Play. In Shakespeare time there were already revenge Plays about Hamlet.
Shakespeare may have been drawn to write a play about Hamlet since the name of his
son a twin was Hamnet Shakespeare who died and was buried 11 August 1596) was the only son of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway, and the fraternal twin of Judith Shakespeare. Shakespeare write Hamlet around 1600 and create a much more complex and deeper version of the revenge play. There is a theory that Shakepeare's grief about his
sons death and his father's old age and passing a year after the play may have inspired the depth of the play.

Some famous actors who played Hamlet