Stage Notes: Shakespeare Dallas’ ‘Hamlet’ with all-woman cast; Theatre Arlington’s 50th season
Jenny Ledel as the titular character in ‘Hamlet’ by Shakespeare Dallas. (Courtesy photo by Jordan Fraker) Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information. Shakespeare Dallas closes 50th season with all-woman cast of Hamlet Shakespeare Dallas’ year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary will culminate with a performance of Hamlet.
The show opens Sept. 7 and runs thorugh Oct. 15 at Samuell-Grand Theater. Tickets are on sale now. The show is directed by Christie Vela and stars Jenny Ledel (Hamlet), Francine Gonzalez (Horatio), Karen Raehpour (Claudius), Victoria Angelina Cruz (Gertrude), Constance Gold Parry (Polonius), Nicole Berastequi (Laertes), Tex Patrello (Ophelia), Whitney Holotik (Rosencrantz), Elizabeth Evans (Guildenstern), Donjalea Reynolds Crane (Player King/Gravedigger), Allie Donnaly (Player Queen), Claire Parry (Fortinbras), Mindamora Rocha (Francisco).
Artistic and executive director Raphael Parry expressed his excitment for Shakespeare Dallas to present the first woman to play Hamlet in the Dallas area. “To have an all-woman cast for Hamlet is an exciting step.
Shakespeare had limited roles for women in his plays because the laws at the time did not allow them to perform on stage; all the roles were performed by men and boys,” Parry said in the press release. “By converting some roles from the historical gender that they have been cast as, opens the play up to new interpretations and provides much more access to the incredibly talented performers in our community, who are not traditionally offered these roles due to their gender representation.” Parry added that the show will retain its original material. “In addition to
