HAMLET: PRINCESS OF DENMARK Comes to Bryant Park With The Drilling Company

Bryant Park welcomes back one of New York's most beloved theater companies, The Drilling Company (TDC) - renowned for their Shakespeare in the Parking Lot series - for their sixth annual season in the park. In May, The Drilling Company's Producing Artistic Director Hamilton Clancy will open the Bryant Park Picnic Performances with Hamlet: Princess of Denmark, the company's uniquely gender-shifted twist on the legendary play, starring Jane Bradley as Hamlet and a cast that includes Ayo Onek Cummings, P tra Denison, Bob Acaro, Veronica Cruz, Bill Green, Rachel Collins, John Caliendo, Dan Teachout, Liz Livingston, Gracie Winchester, Colleen Cosgrove, Kendra Oberhauser, and Elowyn Castle, with direction from Karla Hendrick.

While many women have played the character of Hamlet throughout theatrical history, rarely have they played Hamlet as a woman. The Drilling Company production features Jane Bradley in the role of a truly female Hamlet, the woman whose succession was neglected when her less qualified uncle seizes power. This production also features a female Polonius (Polonia) and female Horatio, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Gravedigger. The director's goal is not merely to showcase actresses in the great roles of Shakespeare, but to explore what happens within the story of Hamlet when feminine power is a defining force. Might a woman Hamlet have been a greater leader? Find out with this exciting take on Hamlet for a new era.

Bryant Park Corporation (BPC), a private not-for-profit company, was founded in 1980 to renovate, finance and operate Bryant Park in New York City. BPC is funded by income from events, concessions and corporate sponsors, as well as an assessment on neighboring properties, and does not accept government or philanthropic monies. In addition to providing security, sanitation, and horticultural services, BPC offers restaurants, food kiosks, world-class restrooms, and a wide range of free events throughout the year. The Midtown Manhattan park is visited by more than 12 million people each year and is one of the busiest public spaces in the world. BPC's website, bryantpark.org, offers more detailed information and a schedule of upcoming events.