University of Redlands
Adapted & Directed by Chris Beach
BIG BROTHER HAMLET takes the themes of “omniscience” found in Shakespeare’s script - - God, the Supernatural, King and Kingdom - - and connects them with today’s most “omniscient entity,” surveillance technology. Set in the future, the kingdom of Elsinore is destabilized by corrupt leadership, and though surveillance technology gives the illusion of control, paranoia abounds. Throughout the play young Hamlet struggles to know the difference between information and truth.
BIG BROTHER HAMLET'S principle scenic element is computer projection mapping: a drone appears on stage and projects live audience images, onstage programmers take shifts at a laptop during the show, the projected ghost of Hamlet’s father moves and changes throughout the space, Hamlet’s journey to England is tracked as a blue dot on a map, and more.
Live and prerecorded projections, cell phones and cameras, even puppets lend the play its appearance of facts, evidence and knowledge. But some things are simply beyond our knowing.
March 31, April 1, 7 & 8, 2017 at 8:00 pm
April 2 & 8, 2017 at 2:00 pm
In the Frederick Loewe Theatre
| Director | Chris Beach |
| Scenic Design | Doug Hammett |
| Costume Design | Deborah Bradford |
| Lighting Design | Trevor Norton |
| Sound Design | Anthony Suter |
| Fight Choreography | Dr. Terry Donovan Smith |
| Assistant Director | Alyssa Reamy |
| Stage Management | Jennifer Thurman |
The Cast
| Cladudius | Chris Beach |
| Gertrude | Dr. Heather King |
| Polonius & Grave Digger | Dr. Steve Morics |
| Hamlet | Alex Bueermann #Brandon Leavitt |
| Ophelia | Marinda Convis #Caroline Boyll |
| Horatio | Sean Dunnington |
| Rosencrantz | Allison Torrance #Anna Klein |
| Guildenstorm Gildenstern |
Emily Wright #Peter Morics |
| Laertes & Voice of Ghost | Tommy Stanley |
| First Player | Alyssa Reamy |
| Player Prologue & Grave Digger II |
Peter Morics #Emily Wright |
| Cornelius & Player Queen | Lise Bryn #Meriam Shams |
| Osric | Thomas Cone #Lise Bryn |
| Player Queen & Priest | Leigh Kilgus #Angie Petschek |
| Onstage Computer Analyst & Marcellus |
Angie Petschek #Leigh Kilgus |
| Regina & Lucianus | Anna Klein #Allison Torrance |
| Messenger | Meriam Shams |
| Ensemble | Brandon Leavitt #Alex Bueermann #Thomas Cone |
Roles will be played by cast members with # beside their names on the April 1st (evening) & April 8th (matinee) performances
