Shakespeare & Company to Offer Open-Captioned, Sensory-Friendly HAMLET Shows
Accessible performances and community events will take place during Massachusetts school vacation week.
To celebrate Shakespeare's birthday and school vacation week, Shakespeare & Company will present a series of accessible performances and accompanying events April 23 through 25.
Performed by the Northeast Regional Tour of Shakespeare, Hamlet, directed by Kevin G. Coleman and Victoria Rhoades, will be staged at the Tina Packer Playhouse on April 23 through 25, during the Massachusetts public school vacation. Three open-captioned performances featuring "supertitles," which display the actors' spoken text in real time to create a more accessible experience for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members, will be held on Thursday, April 23 at 6 p.m., Friday, April 24 at 2 p.m., and Saturday, April 25 at 6 p.m.
In addition, a sensory-friendly performance will be held on Saturday, April 25, at 2 p.m. These performances are adapted to reduce sensory stimuli and create a relaxed, welcoming environment for individuals who may benefit from a more flexible theater experience, including people who are neurodivergent, those with cognitive or physical challenges, and others with sensory sensitivities. An optional theater walk-through will be held on Friday, April 24, at 1 p.m.
Two youth workshops will be led by Shakespeare & Company's Education Artists, featuring members of the tour cast, from 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. on April 23 and 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. on April 24, and Shakespeare scholar Ann Berman will host two free Behind the Curtain talks exploring various themes in Hamlet at 4 p.m. on April 23 and 25. These free talks feature members of the tour production's creative team, which is currently traveling throughout New England, New York, and Pennsylvania to bring professional Shakespeare productions directly to communities across the region.
April 23 also marks Shakespeare & Company's Annual Giving Day, coinciding with Shakespeare's birthday; to celebrate, a reception and cake-cutting will be held at 5 p.m., before the 6 p.m. show. This year, Annual Giving Day benefits the Tina Packer Legacy Fund in honor of Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer, who passed away on January 9, 2026.
Giving Day aims to collect 38 individual donations, representing each of Shakespeare's plays - all of which Tina Packer directed. Each donation, in the order they are received, will be matched with a play. Throughout the day, match challenges will be announced that could double any gift made.
Patrons, friends, and supporters are also invited to share stories, photos, or videos of how Tina Packer and Shakespeare & Company have affected their lives by emailing rememberingtina@shakespeare.org, or tagging @shakeandco on Instagram or Facebook.
Tickets and additional information, including accessibility details and performance schedules, are available at shakespeare.org, by calling the Box Office at 413.637.3353, or emailing boxoffice@shakespeare.org.
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