Hamlet
by Trinity University
Nov. 08 - Nov. 16
In this classic tale of treachery, murder, and succession, Hamlet begins with a prince’s vow to avenge his father and save Denmark from collapse and a looming war. With craft, caustic wit, and an “antic disposition,” Hamlet the Dane vies with dark forces for the soul of his kingdom, while his meditations on love, honor, and sacrifice make Hamlet Shakespeare’s most profound play, a moving exploration of grief and loss.
This is the first time that Trinity Theatre is producing HAMLET, with an undergraduate cast of 29 students.
HAMLET is directed by Dr. Stacey Connelly, with scenic design by Martha Peñaranda, costumes by Kellie Grengs, and lighting by Carlos R. Nine.
Directed by Dr. Stacey Connelly
Director Stacey Connelly writes:
Premiering at the Globe Playhouse in 1601, Hamlet coincided with the turn of the century, anticipating a new regime. Elizabeth I was in declining health, with no heir, and competing factions began to vie for power. Protestants vs. Catholics, Puritans vs. Royalists. France and Spain were ongoing threats. As theatre historian Lee Jacobus writes, “Until the very moment of [the Queen’s] death, the succession was in doubt…the new age was in many ways more complicated, more ambiguous, and more democratic than the old. It was also more dangerous because it was more uncertain.” The instability and anxiety of the age—from the political to the personal—inform every aspect of Hamlet and continue to resonate.
The new age was also more ambivalent about matters of faith. Hamlet’s intellect makes him a doubter, even a cynic, and his ethics make him grapple with the gravity of taking a human life. It’s his grief, though, that moves him toward a dawning spirituality. That his father comes to him from beyond the grave helps him realize that love transcends death and that a crime can be so heinous that it will cry out for justice. The prince’s anguish over his father’s torments in Purgatory connects him to a spiritual realm that puts his famous speeches into focus, whether he’s pondering human existence or yearning to know that “undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns.”
Every undergraduate should experience the thrill of Shakespeare—not just on the page, but on the stage. Thus it came as a surprise to our production team that, in reviewing our seasons past, all the way back to the founding of this program in 1968, the Dane was conspicuously absent. As Shakespeare’s most profound play, Hamlet presents a depth of character and language unmatched in the western canon. It is also the Bard’s longest play, featuring the largest role among his works. Yet what are these obstacles to eager, quick-witted, and hard-working students? Trinity Theatre is proud to take up the challenge of Hamlet; in times good or bad, certain or uncertain, we know that great art remains—lifting us up, changing lives, and reminding us of our shared humanity.
Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
Trinity University
November 8 - 16, 2024
All evening performances of HAMLET begin at 7 pm, in the Stieren Theatre. The Sunday matinee, on Nov. 10, begins at 2:30 pm.
Reservations can be made here.
Stieren Theatre, Trinity University, San Antonio
