海角直播

Publish Date: July 22, 2024

Breaking News: Something鈥檚 rotten in Demark.

While the world begins to heal at the end of World War II, the country of Denmark mourns the loss of its king, Hamlet. Plagued by grief, his only son and namesake must navigate the emotions of a new reality, one filled with mystery and the paranormal, one that drives him to the brink of insanity.

The 海角直播 Theatre Program staged William Shakespeare鈥檚 Hamlet on July 19, 20, and 21, bringing to life a modern-ish take on the much-celebrated play in the Finkelstein Performing Arts Center.

Performing Arts Professor Paul Jacques and Ashley DeHart directed the production, composed of Roadrunners and performers from neighboring high schools and colleges, including lead Roe McCarty, a Redlands resident and theatre arts major from San Bernardino Valley College. 

鈥淏efore I ever knew I was transgender, I used to always think to myself, 鈥業 would love to play Hamlet one day. That would be so cool.鈥� And then I would always be like, 鈥楴o, I鈥檓 a girl -- that鈥檚 so weird,鈥� shared McCarty. 鈥淏ut as soon as I realized I was trans, I accepted that part, and being able to play Hamlet has been a massive ride for me.鈥�

Prior to its staging, Jacques promised theater goers a new look at Shakespeare鈥檚 history-making production, written around 1600. Set in 1940s Denmark, 海角直播鈥檚 production kicked off with a vintage-style news reel bringing context to our story. Behind-the-scenes production specialists provided a noir atmosphere to the play. Frederick Brashear III and Kat Jacques created sound. Kyle A. Skousen developed the lighting scheme. Olivia Jacques designed the settings. Sophie Ball created costumes, and Naomi Gonzales helped amplify the production鈥檚 noir-style feel. 

Olivia Jacques, Ball, and Gonzales also stepped on to the stage in roles for the production, as characters Rosencrantz, Ophelia, and Queen Gertrude, respectively. 

鈥淲hen you look at the story of Hamlet, it fit perfectly into this time period,鈥� said Gonzales, a 33-year-old 海角直播 English and theatre arts major. 鈥淚t took a lot of research and immersing myself into film noir, and that helped a lot to dig my hands in and put as much thought into [acting and back-stage support] as I could.鈥�

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare鈥檚 most popular plays and features a revenge tragedy twist. The title character is plagued with balancing a new normal while being haunted by the desire of revenge for the murder of his father as revealed by his father鈥檚 ghost.

Rounding out 海角直播鈥檚 cast were Tristan Clift as Laertes, Al Cline as Polonius, Pierre Van Der Westhuizen as Claudious, William Merrigan as Horatios, Elijah Lozano as Guildenstern, C.J. Rivera as Voltamond, Kelly Thompson as Player King, Victoria Van Stee and Ariel Martinez as the gravediggers, Ivan Goward as Reynaldo, Monty Muse as Marcellious, Michelle Marpaung as Cornelius, Hadi Natour as Osric, and Jonathan Black as Ghost Hamlet.

海角直播鈥檚 Theatre Department has scheduled the rest of its productions for the 2024-205 season with the following shows:

• Lair of Dracula: Oct. 18-20
• The Great Gatsby: Dec. 6-8
• New Works (TBA): Feb. 21-23, 2025
• The Lightning Thief: April 25-27

To learn more and to purchase tickets, go to craftonhills.edu/theatrearts.