“A tour de force. Miss it at your peril…Theatergoers would be hard-pressed to find a livelier, more satisfying Hamlet than the 'tragedy by velocity' now at American Stage. Director Todd Olson's streamlined take on Shakespeare's perennially popular play is not so much an adaptation as it is a powerful, pitch-perfect reimagining for modern audiences.”
–St. Petersburg Times

“Olson has put an avant-garde spin on Hamlet without sacrificing the intensity of the tale or the beauty of the language. His production - call it 'alternative Shakespeare' - offers further evidence of the Bard's brilliance: Four centuries later, his work is still as relevent and user-friendly as it is incomparable and extraordinary".”
–Tampa Bay Newspaper

American Stage Theatre Company continues its 29th and final historic season in its current building with William Shakespeare's greatest drama, Hamlet, running Mar. 5 thru 30. Pay What You Can Night is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Considered by many to be the greatest play ever written, Hamlet has captivated audiences for 400 years with its explorations of life, love, duty and revenge. Commanded by his murdered father's ghost to right a grievous wrong, Hamlet struggles with the human and spiritual costs of pursuing justice. Featuring some of the most beautiful language ever written, Hamlet marks a turning point in Shakespeare's career toward more complex depictions of good and evil, and of heroes and villains.

"We are so excited about producing Hamlet on our mainstage," said Todd Olson, American Stage's producing artistic director. "This will be high point for the season, and a must see for any serious theatergoer."

Directed by Olson (Casa Blue), Hamlet stars local favorites like Katherine Michelle Tanner (Proof), Jessica Peterson (Suddenly Last Summer), Steven Clark Pachosa (Othello), Julie Rowe (9 Parts of Desire) and T. Scott Wooten (Suddenly Last Summer). Newcomers to American Stage are Gabriel Vaughan as Hamlet, Chris Rutherford as Barnardo, Aaron Simms as Laertes and Jim Wicker as Polonius.

Please call the American Stage Box Office at (727) 823-PLAY (7529) or