4.

Title of Production: Hamlet

Producing Theatre Co: Theatre for a New Audience

Performance Dates: March 15-April 22 2009

Key Artists Involed: Arin Arbus (Director), Christian Camargo (known for his outstanding performance in Coriolanus), David Esbjornson (Artistic Director)

Quote: On the Production: "Hamlet is caught between avenging his father's murder and whether revenge is moral. It is easy to look to our own times to see another incarnation of Hamlet emerging out of a world more and more defined by extremism and marked by an acceleration of revenge thinking. Hamlet's uncertainty mirrors our own. There are more Hamlets than have ever existed on this planet. Fearful of being weak yet not certain of the "right" action even while the actions of the "righteous" seem to know no limits." - I love this quote because you can see very plainly that TFNA is fulfilling their mission in every facet of their work.
On the Company:
"Theatre for a New Audience aspires to a civic role, bonding the diverse community of New York to the language, pleasures and issues of classical drama. At a time when audiences are segmented by economics and diverse cultural backgrounds, TFANA is committed to enhanced education and public access."

"The Theatre sustains the largest program in New York City's Public Schools for introducing Shakespeare. TFANA provides teachers with professional development, places artists in-residence in the classroom and brings students to matinee performances of the same award-winning productions seen by TFANA's adult audiences. Several thousand students take part each year and over 100,000 have been served since the program began in 1984. TFANA also has a distinctive symposia series for general audiences and offers a wide range of ticket prices to minimize economic barriers for all its audiences. These endeavors are grounded in a firm belief that the language and scope of classic drama belong to everyone."
http://www.tfana.org/index.html

Me: When I stumbled upon this Theatre's web site, I had to choose it for one of my unconventional theatres. Reading the 'about us' section nearly brought me to tears. Where I from (deep in the heart of Texas), this sort of theatre is unheard of. Theatre for a New Audience is dedicated to sharing the magic of classical theatre with everyone under the sun; not just those who have studied and understand classical theatre. Their productions are contemporary, so that people who are not familiar with the language of classical theatre have a better chance of liking and understanding the text. This is also an amazing theatre because they take economic suffering into consideration by discounting tickets so that everyone is able to attend performances. This is a wonderful theatre with wonderful mission.


Hamlet Show Poster
"Theatre for a New Audience's drama programs are a direct path to literacy. They are an important addition to every student’s education.- Sharon Dunn, Senior Assistant for the Arts, NYC Board of Education"


TFNA's Logo. "Theatre for a New Audience is widely and deservedly admired for taking Shakespeare to the city's public schools.- The New York Times"