The Backstage Productions wing of the Santa Paula Theater Center, 125 S. Seventh St., will present a unique entertainment called Directing “Hamlet”, written and directed by Michael Perlmutter, opening Friday and running through June 26.
Curtis Cline and Joe Boles will star.
Perlmutter is a local author, and Directing “Hamlet” is a two-character drama that takes place during an afternoon’s rehearsal — now there is a fit subject for Backstage Productions if I ever heard of one.
According to the theater center’s website, “Directing ‘Hamlet’ is an original play … which examines the dynamic relationship between a seasoned director and a young actor during an intense afternoon of character study. Through the progress of their rehearsing one of theater’s most intriguing characters both men explore their own potentials and limitations, what it is to be a alone in the world and in need of a family, and why each of them have chosen this career path of artistic expression. Why is art, after all? What are we celebrating, what are we looking for, and what are we hiding from?”
Directing “Hamlet” will play at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and at 4 p.m. Sunday. There will be no performance on Saturday, June 18.
Tickets are $15 for general admission, and $12 for students, seniors and military. To purchase tickets, click here or call the Santa Paula Theater Center at 805.525.4645.
— Gerald Carpenter covers the arts as a Noozhawk contributor. He can be reached at gerald.carpenter@gmail.com.