2 Plays, One Cast: Shakespeare Festival First

The PA Shakespeare Festival opens two new plays this weekend, alternating performances of Pride and Prejudice and Hamlet from July 21^st through August 7^th.

The plays will be performed in true repertory which means one cast will perform both plays on one stage but that space will be utilized very differently from one performance to the other. This is a first for the PA Shakespeare Festival in its 20 year history.

Hamlet opens tonight at 8:00 p.m. on the Main Stage in the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of DeSales University in Center Valley with another performance on Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

 Justin Adams with play Hamlet and also takes on the role of Wickham in Pride & Prejudice, which will be performed on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

“Part of the magic of live theatre is watching the transformation of the actor into the character. In rep, we get to see the same actor make yet another transformation – one made in a unique creative process that is only available at a few select theatres around the country,” says Patrick Mulcahy, who is directing Hamlet.

Mairin Lee makes her debut in the festival as Elizabeth Bennet in John Jory’s adaptation of the Jane Austen classic Pride & Prejudice, directed by Erin Hurley   Lee will also be playing Ophelia in Hamlet.  Michael Brusasco plays opposite Lee as Mr. Darcy and also Laertes in Hamlet.

Tickets range in price from $33 - $50 and may be purchased online. Hurry, opening night for Hamlet has limited seats available and Sunday’s performance of Pride & Prejudice is already sold out.