PEAK Performances at Montclair State University presents Why Not Theater's Prince Hamlet in the Alexander Kasser Theater September 22-25. The Toronto-based theatre company re-imagines the Shakespeare tragedy for a gender-bent production performed bilingually in spoken English and with visual/American Sign Language translation.
The cast stars Eli Pauley as Hamlet, Dawn Jani Birley as Horatio, Miriam Fernandes as Rosencrantz/Player King/Gravedigger, Jeff Ho as Ophelia, Hannah Miller as Guildenstern/Player Queen, Rick Roberts as Claudius, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah as Laertes, Karen Robinson as Gertrude, and Maria Vacratsis as Polonius.
Director Ravi Jain, who founded and serves as co-artistic director of Why Not Theater, adapted the work. The production features set and costume design by Lorenzo Savoini, sound design by Thomas Ryder Payne, and lighting design by Andre du Toit. Neha Ross serves as production stage manager, with Tamara Protic as assistant stage manager.
Prince Hamlet received five nominations in the 2017 Dora Awards, including Best Ensemble Performance in a Play, Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Production, and Best Lighting Design. Dawn Jani Birley won the 2017 Theatre Critics Award for Best Female Performance in a Play.
For tickets and more information, visit PeakPerfs.org.
