York Drama presents a most beloved play from a most beloved playwright.

York Community High School pays tribute to Tom Stoppard this month, by staging his most acclaimed work, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. In this fast paced and witty tragicomedy, two old friends (or are they spies?) are summoned to Denmark to find out just why Hamlet is acting so strangely. The stage and their world turn inside out as they discover every exit is an entrance somewhere else. Or is it? Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead runs Oct 15th- 17th at 7:30 and Sunday Oct 18th at 2:00. Tickets are $15 at yorkdrama.org and $20 at the door.

This production celebrates the 60th anniversary of Stoppard’s play. In his illustrious career, he received numerous accolades including an Oscar, a Golden Globe, three Oliviers and a record five Tony Awards for best play, the latest in 2022 for Leopoldstadt, a semi-autobiographical journey into Vienna during the Second World War. It is Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, however, that put Tom Stoppard on the map. His wit, wordplay and poetic musings resonate in the hearts of anyone who has seen either the play or the film featuring Gary Oldman, Tim Roth and Richard Dreyfuss. Stoppard also penned numerous other great films including Shakespeare in Love, Brazil, and Empire of the Sun. The theatre world lost a great playwright last November, but his works live on. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is as funny, moving, vibrant and contemporary as the day it first took the stage.

“This was the play that most influenced my decision to go into theatre,” John Forsythe, director, said. “The role of Guildenstern changed me as an actor and opened my eyes to what great theatre can be.”

What makes this play so exciting to experience is the close relationship between the actors and the audience. With characters so tied to the location and each other, the show is designed to draw everyone in.

“In this production, we turn the action around, just as Stoppard turned the timeless plot of Hamlet inside out,” Forsythe said. “ The audience sits both onstage and in the house. This results in a theatre in the round experience as the two title characters take possession of the acting space. They are bounced around like pinballs, but still manage to find humor, joy and beauty as they search for some meaning in their ‘little lives.’ Hopefully their search allows us to smile, laugh a bit and find meaning in ours.”

Forsythe’s own Shakespearean adaption, which he directed at York last October, Margaret – Rose of the Wars, was just picked up by The Licensing House, a theatrical publishing firm out of New York.

“I look forward to seeing productions of Margaret popping up across the country and around the world soon,” Forsythe said. “ I like to think that the journey to that adaptation started in my experience with Mr. Stoppard’s play.”

This staging of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead takes on yet another theatrical twist. Not only are there two full casts, but Rosencrantz and Guildenstern switch partners each night, so no two performances will be the same.

“ I feel that, at every rehearsal, we get the freedom to play and make new choices, and it is so rewarding,” Dylan Wargin, who plays a Rosencrantz, said. “With the switching of actors for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, I never have the same experience on stage, but instead, it feels real and new each time, bringing a playfulness to every performance.”

Whether a senior in high school or of senior age, Stoppard’s work has something for everyone to reflect on in their lives.

“This play investigates what living truly means: camaraderie and love, finding hope in the search for true purpose,” Ava Glavinskas, who plays a Guildenstern, said. “Guildenstern has taught me that security should not be taken for granted, and every moment of life should be enjoyed.”