Paul Emery presents Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Thursday-Sunday
October 29-November 8, 7:30pm
Special Saturday matinee October 31
Sunday Matinees at 2:00pm

More than four centuries after William Shakespeare first introduced audiences to the troubled Prince of Denmark, Hamlet returns to the historic Nevada Theatre in a bold new production directed by veteran actor, director, and educator John Deaderick.

For Deaderick, the production marks the culmination of a lifetime devoted to theatre.

“This is my swan song,” says Deaderick, who recently retired after forty years teaching acting and theatre history at Sierra College. He first directed Hamlet at the Nevada Theatre in 1995 and returns to the play more than three decades later with what he describes as a deeper understanding of Shakespeare’s masterpiece.

“I’ve thought about it for thirty-one years,” he says. “I want to dig into it and find the truth that’s there.”

Rather than presenting Hamlet as a museum piece, Deaderick’s production embraces a contemporary aesthetic with modern costumes, a minimalist set, and an emphasis on language, performance, and direct engagement with the audience.

“It’s living theatre,” he says. “Every culture has to find the truth of it that works for its own time.”

One of the production’s central ideas challenges one of the most common interpretations of Shakespeare’s tragedy. Deaderick argues that Hamlet is not contemplating suicide during his famous “To be, or not to be” soliloquy.

“It’s really about action—not suicide,” he explains. “Hamlet has been told to avenge his father’s murder, but his conscience makes him question whether he can commit the act.”

The production also shines a brighter light on the play’s female characters. By expanding casting opportunities for women and exploring the ways Gertrude and Ophelia navigate a male-dominated world, Deaderick hopes audiences will discover new dimensions within one of literature’s most familiar works.

Leading the cast is Danny McCammon as Hamlet, joined by Micah Cone as Claudius, Michaela King as Gertrude, Iona Swift as Ophelia, Brandon Johnson as Horatio, Michael La Marca as Laertes, Scott Young as Polonius, and John Fisher as the Ghost. The ensemble also features Hunter Reed, Ken Miele, Aubrey Puetz, Miles Wolfers, David Jordan, Nicolas Federspiel, Vicki Columbo, and Audrey Delgado.

A longtime presence at the Nevada Theatre, Deaderick first appeared on its stage in 1981 in the title role of Dracula. Among his favorite performances there are Amadeus, Equus, and Cyrano de Bergerac. This production of Hamlet is dedicated to the memories of local theatre artists Dianne Fetterly and George Cloud.

With its actor-centered approach, contemporary perspective, and respect for Shakespeare’s original language, Deaderick’s Hamlet invites audiences to experience one of the world’s greatest plays as it was always meant to be experienced—not as a relic of the past, but as living theatre that continues to speak powerfully to modern audiences.

Tickets available HERE

https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/paul-emery-music/6a84ae4b89ca4306ddfdfa8c/tickets#/productions-view