Looking for something fun to do over summer weekends? You’re in luck! The Valley Shakespeare Company (VSC) is performing their rendition of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet during the last weekend of July and the first weekend of August. The VSC’s goal is to “[encourage] students, families and community members, young and old, to join in the festivities and celebrate the performing arts with a cost-effective and culturally rich evening of theatre on the campus of Western Oregon University.”

This version of Hamlet follows a female Hamlet, played by WOU alum Janelle Rae, who returns home from university to find her life in chaos. The VSC describes the play as “the searing tragedy of a young woman, tormented by her father’s death and confronting each of us with the mirror of our own mortality in an imperfect world.”

Directed by WOU professor David Janoviak, the play includes an exciting mix of modern dress, Japanese chanting, and Taiko drumming. Costumes for the play are designed by Laurel Peterson, who has worked on other VSC productions, including 2016’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

The play runs July 25, 26, 27, and 28 and August 1, 2, and 3 at 7:30 p.m, with Friday performances interpreted in American Sign Language. The play will be performed at the Leinwand outdoor stage, which is located outside of the Rice Auditorium. As there is only lawn seating, audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. There is no cost to attend the play. 

By Erin Worley