For Immediate Release: April 4, 2005
Media Contact: Elizabeth Eckhardt, The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, 215.496.9722

The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, under the Artistic Direction of Carmen Khan, is proud to present William Shakespeare's Hamlet as part of its 2005 season. The season includes As You Like It and Hamlet, running in repertory respectively from April 1-May 28, 2005 and April 15-May 29, 2005. The Opening Night performance of Hamlet will be on Friday, April 15, 2005 at 7:00pm. Press Opening Night will be on Friday, April 22, 2005 at 8:00pm.**

With this production, The Festival will bring Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's most highly regarded plays, to over 2,500 of the greater Philadelphia area's high school students. As part of The Festival's Open Door Project, subsidized matinee tickets have been provided to these students along with free study guides developed by The Festival's dramaturgical staff and education experts. Following each matinee, the students will also have the opportunity to further explore the play through talk-backs hosted by the cast. The Festival's Open Door Project offers students the opportunity to become fully immersed in the theatrical experience so that for the first time in their young live, Shakespeare LIVES!

Under the direction of Carmen Khan a company of fabulous actors has been assembled which includes Festival veterans Karen Peakes (Ophelia) and Buck Schirner (Claudius) and New York resident Josh Sharback in the role of Hamlet.

The esteemed designers who will help transport audiences to Elsinore are Donald Eastman (set designer), Peter Jakubowski (lighting designer), Vickie Esposito (costume designer), Obadiah Eaves (composer), Nick Kourtides (sound designer) and Louise Grafton (prop master).

Performance times for As You Like It and Hamlet are: Wednesdays and Thursdays 10:30am & 7pm; Fridays and Saturdays 8pm; Sundays 2pm. All performances will be held in the intimate 120-seat theatre at 2111 Sansom Street.

For more information or to purchase tickets please call 215-496-8001. Tickets $26-$33; student, group and senior discounts available.

The cast includes: Jason Adamo, Trice Baldwin, Jim Bergwall*, Damon Bonetti*, Cory Bova, Kenrick Xavier Burkholder, Courtney Custer, Cosmo Fattizzo, C Fox C, Heather Krause, Brian McCann, John Morrison*, Steven P. Nemphos, Karen Peakes*, Allen Radway, Joshua Scharback*, Buck Schirner*, David J. Sweeny, Taylor Williams Wright*

*Member of Actor's Equity Association, The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

** Please note the change in scheduling for Press Opening Night

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