The Jungle Theater Presents HAMLET, Opens August 26

The King of Denmark is dead. Consumed with grief, Prince Hamlet (Hugh Kennedy in his Jungle debut) seeks to avenge his father's murder--with devastating consequences for his family and the Kingdom. The Jungle Theater presents a full-throttle contemporary production of Hamlet, Shakespeare's disturbing and psychologically rich masterpiece, opening August 26 and running through October 9 at the theater located at 2951 Lyndale Ave. So., Minneapolis. Artistic Director Bain Boehlke directs this seminal conspiracy play as a parable for our time.

"Hamlet is to theater makers what Mount Everest is to mountain climbers," said Boehlke. "Now that the Jungle has ‘come of age,' and is celebrating its 21st year, it seems to me that this theater has accumulated the experience and perhaps the wisdom to stage Shakespeare's most produced and challenging tragedy."

The Jungle's present-day version was inspired by a Michael Almeryda film (Hamlet, 2000) starring Ethan Hawke, according to Boehlke. "Almeryda's film presents a contemporary take on the Shakespeare play that is at once convincing and compelling. I find something inherently modern about Hamlet-perhaps it is the ephemeral notion of ‘consciousness' in the text that suits our times to a ‘T.' This perspective is brilliantly realized in the film and inspired me to go for the climb," he explained.

Hamlet also stars Michelle Barber as Gertrude, Gary Briggle as Polonius, Bradley Greenwald as Claudius, Erin Johnson as Ophelia, Phil Kilbourne as the Ghost and Doug Scholz-Carlson as Laertes.

The creative team includes Boehlke (scenic design), Barry Browning (lighting design), Sean Healey (sound design), Matthew J. LeFebvre (costume design), Peter Moore (fight choreography), and John Novak (props).

Ticket Information
Hamlet opens Friday, August 26, and closes Sunday, October 9, at the Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. So., Minneapolis. Performances are Tuesdays ($20) and Wednesdays ($25) at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. ($30); Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. ($35); Sundays at 2 p.m. ($30); and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. ($25). Senior, student and group discounts are also available, and half-price rush tickets are available every night of the week 30 minutes prior to the performance for $10 off the regular price. Tickets are available at (612) 822-7063 or online at www.jungletheater.com