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StageOne, Kentucky Shakespeare Team Up For Modern Take On 'Hamlet'

Hannah Wemitt, Stage One

StageOne Family Theater and Kentucky Shakespeare have teamed up to perform a modern-day version of “Hamlet,” the Bard’s classic revenge tragedy in which the Prince of Denmark finds out his father was murdered by his uncle in order to take the throne.

Matt Wallace is the producing artistic director of Kentucky Shakespeare. He said this production differs from Shakespeare in the Park's 2014 production of "Hamlet.”

“That was a traditionally-set production,” Wallace said. “This production is a contemporary take on it, set in this rotting castle, but it’s set in 2018. So that’s one of the most notable differences.”

There are some familiar faces in this production, including Jon Huffman who's reprising his role of Claudius, and Jon Patrick O'Brien, who played Hamlet in the 2014 production.

Crystian Wiltshire will play Hamlet in this version, while Alisha Espinosa has the role of Ophelia.

This production is geared towards students ages 11 and up, but Wallace said the text was not modernized.

“Kentucky Shakespeare always uses Shakespeare’s original language when we are doing a play," Wallace said. "It is 100 percent Shakespeare’s text. It is an edited production, though. To stay within the school guidelines for field trips, it is an 80-minute production.”

But, Wallace said, this production contains all of the audience-favorite monologues.

“Hamlet” will play at the Kentucky Center through February 3. More information is available here.

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