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The Bard Is Back At Tarpon Center

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"Hamlet" by William Shakespeare is playing at the Tarpon Springs Perfoming Arts Center through Sept. 14. Cast includes, from left, Neil Brown, Tom Bronson and Chris Carmichael.

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By Cheryl  Bentley | The Suncoast News

Published: September 6, 2008

His language may sound a little, well, Shakespearean, but the Bard's themes are as relevant today as they were 400 years ago, when William Shakespeare wrote his plays.

So says Rick Bronson, director of "Hamlet," Shakespeare's most famous tragedy, now playing at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center through Sunday, Sept. 14.

"He has to tackle depression, thoughts of suicide, questions of family," Bronson said of Hamlet, the Danish prince in the Shakespearean play who must confront his father's death, his mother's remarriage to Claudius and his own belief that it was Claudius, his uncle, who murdered his father.

Bronson is a veteran of Shakespeare. He was one of the three actors in the Performing Arts Center's "The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged)," a humorous take on the Shakespearean plays involving audience participation.

In whatever form, Shakespeare touches deep chords in both performers and audience, he noted. "Shakespeare forces my actors and myself to think and feel. You can get caught up in doing it very singsongy. I try to pull people away from that and get them to feel what is really going on."

Bronson directed the Performing Arts Center's production of the musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." He has been active in community theater groups after moving to Clearwater in 1990 fresh from stints of doing standup comedy in Los Angeles and studying acting in New York.

"Hamlet" has become a family affair. Tom Bronson, Rick Bronson's brother, plays Hamlet. Other cast members include Michael Crockett, Claudius; Shelby Von Hofe, Ophelia, Hamlet's ill-fated love interest; and Mary Fitzpatrick as Gertrude, Hamlet's mother.

Jim Demetrius designed the play's sets. Demetrius is another familiar presence in community theater. He designed the sets in the center's "Joseph" production

"Hamlet" is one of a series of Shakespearean plays produced by the Performing Arts Center over the years. Children and students 16 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paid ticket holder.

The lowdown

The Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center production of "Hamlet" runs through Sunday, Sept. 14. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets call the box office at 727-942-5605 or visit the center's href=http://www.tarponarts.org> Web site.

The Performing Arts Center is inside Tarpon Springs City Hall, at 324 Pine St.

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