Why Hamlet Today?

At its core, Hamlet is not only the story of a young adult mourning their father, but of a society that has lost its moral center. As a corrupt leader rises and integrity erodes, grief becomes political, and political failure becomes heartbreakingly personal.

A taut, intimate Hamlet for right now, this bold five-actor production reimagines Shakespeare’s tragedy as a collision of private grief and public collapse. With just five actors playing thirteen roles, the story moves at breakneck speed, sharpening both the humor and the urgency of a world where something deeply corrupt has taken hold—and everyone seems willing to carry on as if nothing is wrong.

By turns funny, furious, and devastating, Hamlet asks an uncomfortably familiar question: how does something so wrong come to feel so normal? The stripped-down staging exposes how denial, complicity, and the desire for comfort allow rot to spread. In a moment when we mourn the loss of decency, truth, and ethical order, Shakespeare’s tragedy feels urgent, prescient, and impossible to ignore.

Who do you trust???

5 actors, 90 minutes

A taut reimagining of Shakespeare's legendary story of family, revenge, and the corrupting influence of power.

February 12 - March 8, 2026

Starring:
Valerie Terranova as Hamlet
Drew Hirshfield, Erica Knight, Lucas Pinner, Lisa VillaMil

Thursdays at 7:30pm*, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 3:00pm
*Special Older Adult Matinee time: February 19 at 1:00pm (all seats $15)

Group Outings and schooltime Student Matinees are available.
For more info, email us at info@lunastage.org