Inky Cloak, Inc. presents Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, directed by John Henry Davis. Opening night is Saturday, April 24th, at the Hudson Guild Theatre, 441 West 26th Street. Inky Cloak's production of Hamlet revels in the ambiguity of time and space, focuses on the elusive nature of perception and strives to reveal the internal drama and epic themes that have made this play one of the most hotly debated works of all time. The vibrant cast conjures their art through a fully staged production in an intimate theatre, drawing the audience into the intensely complicated relationships that dominate the play. As the director notes, Hamlet is a young man who longs to live up to the father he has admired and lost. The intellectual and passionate Hamlet stands at the brink of a changing world, torn between the old beliefs of duty and the new faith in reason.
As Shakespeare's stage was evocative of many different times and places, so is the setting that Mr. Davis and his design team have chosen. His vision of Hamlet materializes with Karen Flood's both ancient and timeless costumes, lighting by Jeff Nash, set by Jane Stein, composition and soundscape by Dan Dolan, and fight direction by Dan Renkin.
The cast of Hamlet is: Byron Anthony, Jocelyn Catasus, Michael Durkin*, Michael Henrici, John Holloway, Madeleine James, Jermaine McClure, Lisa Milinazzo*, David Nash, Mick O'Brien*, Bennett Pologe, Franz Maria Quitt, Declan Sammon, Aaron Sholomenko, Anna Stromberg, Howard Thoresen*, and Liam Torres*. The production is an Equity Showcase.
John Henry Davis has directed productions of plays, musicals and operas at Playwrights Horizons, The Mark Taper Forum, the Kennedy Center and The Dallas Theatre Center. In January he directed a workshop of Conrad Cumming's new opera The Golden Gate at the Rose Studio at Lincoln Center, and in December directed the operetta Babes in Toyland for Avery Fisher Hall. He directed the premiere productions of Papa and Mountain, starring Len Cariou, for tour and Off-Broadway, and Daughters, at the Westside Arts, with Marisa Tomei. He has long been associated with Theatreworks USA, where he directed the long running Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe. In television and film, Mr. Davis directed Oz for HBO, The Sarah Jones Show for Bravo, and the award-winning feature film Ordinary Sinner.
Running through May 15th, Hamlet will be performed at the Hudson Guild Theatre, located at 441 West 26th Street (between 9th & 10th Avenues). Show times are Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30pm, with a Sunday, March 9th show beginning at 3pm. Tickets: Thursday-Saturday $16.00, Wednesday and Sunday: $10.00. Reservations: 1-800-838-3006 or https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/104924.
Additional information about Inky Cloak, Inc. and this production is available at http://www.inkycloaktheatre.com/.
* - denotes a member of Actors' Equity
