Classics on the Rocks is a classical theatre company based in NYC. Our mission is to get the truth of classical works by telling the stories simply. Our mission is to create a warm, friendly environment where actors and audience can come together and experience classical theatre in an easily accessible, and engaging way. With Shakespeare as our foundation, we bring the timeless themes of classic works that have defined and redefined humanity to life through intimately staged productions and acting workshops.
Description
In this intimate new production of Hamlet, grief becomes a game of survival.
After the sudden death of his father and the hasty remarriage of his mother to his uncle Claudius, Prince Hamlet finds himself trapped inside a court built on performance, concealment, and decay. As he searches for truth in a world where appearances deceive and loyalties shift, every character must confront the story they tell themselves about death.
Performed in Classics on the Rocks' signature actor-driven style, this psychologically charged production strips Shakespeare's masterpiece down to its emotional core, revealing the timeless questions at the heart of the play: How do we live with loss? What do we owe the dead? And what price are we willing to pay to set a broken world right?
Featuring a cast of thirteen actors bringing Shakespeare's most famous tragedy to life with clarity, immediacy, and imagination, Hamlet offers a powerful theatrical experience for longtime Shakespeare lovers and newcomers alike.
Cast
Hamlet — Emerson Helmbrecht
Claudius — William Downes
Gertrude — Tabby Bradley
Polonius — John St. Croix
Laertes — Corbin Puryear
Ophelia — Lauren Landman
Horatio — Hannah Mary Keller
Barnardo / Messenger / Gravedigger 2 / Reynaldo — Melina Rabin
Francisco / Lucianus / Osric / Voltimand / Sailor / Priest / Prologue — Patrick Taaffe
Marcellus / Gravedigger 1 / Player Queen — Abigail McBride
Ghost / Player King / Fortinbras / Cornelius — Aubree Chanel Dixon
Rosencrantz — Owen Bird
Guildenstern — Megan Moran
Creative Team
William Downes — Co-Director
Karl Hawkins — Co-Director
Christelly Encarnacion — Stage Manager
Victoria Gomez — Associate Director, Voice & Speech
John M. McKoll — Fight & Intimacy Director
Sharon Stevens — Managing Director
Run time is 2 hours and 45 min plus a 15 min intermission.
Date & Time
Jul 23 - 25, 2026
Venue Details
The Actor's Theatre Workshop
145 W 28th St, 3rd FloorNew York, New York 10001
