C of I produces Stoppard's comedic, existentialist take on Hamlet

2011. 04. 04.

The College of Idaho theatre department proudly presents Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, a philosophical tragicomedy told through the eyes of two minor characters from William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The play will show at 7:30 p.m. nightly on April 14-16 and April 20-23 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 24. All shows take place in the Langroise Studio Theatre at C of I.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is written by renowned British playwright Tom Stoppard and directed by C of I theatre professor Joe Golden. The play follows the thoughts and exploits of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who appear on-stage in the play whenever they are off-stage in Hamlet. The two plays occasionally intersect, resulting in familiar characters and scenes from Hamlet.

“The show, while funny, really communicates some big ideas,” Golden said. “It looks at themes of life and death, fate versus free will, our place in the world and what we are meant to do. These characters feel very much part of a machine that is chugging along with or without them, and they ask themselves whether they are just cogs in a machine or if they have some greater purpose.”

The play stars C of I students Jeff Young as Rosencrantz, Hannah Buckendorf as Guildenstern, Thomas Newby as “The Player” and Taylor Hawker as Hamlet. Megan Richardson is the costume designer, Sarah Harris is the set designer, Deborah Penrod is the lighting designer, and Nena Curley is the stage manager. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $7 for seniors and students. Admission is free for C of I students, faculty and staff. The Langroise Box Office can be reached at 459-5426.

Founded in 1891, The College of Idaho is the state's oldest private liberal arts college. It has a century-old tradition of educating some of the most accomplished graduates in Idaho, including six Rhodes Scholars, three Marshall Scholars, and another ten Truman and Goldwater Scholars. The College is located on a beautiful campus in Caldwell, Idaho. Its distinctive PEAK curriculum challenges students to attain competencies in the four knowledge peaks of the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and a professional field, enabling them to graduate with an academic major and three minors in four years. For more information on The College of Idaho, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.