GMC Junior College begins work on Hamlet

>> GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE

  • Nick Thompson and Zack Pursley rehearse as Claudius and Polonius. COURTESY OF GMC
    Nick Thompson and Zack Pursley rehearse as Claudius and Polonius. COURTESY OF GMC
  • Kaitlyn Simpson as Ophelia acts opposite James Humphries as Hamlet, while Nick Thompson and Zack Pursley act in the background as Claudius and Polonius. COURTESY OF GMC
    Kaitlyn Simpson as Ophelia acts opposite James Humphries as Hamlet, while Nick Thompson and Zack Pursley act in the background as Claudius and Polonius. COURTESY OF GMC
  • James Humphries as Hamlet speaks to Jim Bohannon as Player King. COURTESY OF GMC
    James Humphries as Hamlet speaks to Jim Bohannon as Player King. COURTESY OF GMC
  • Caroline Robinson, Tyler Mender, Lecovian Thomas, and Davie Lavander (ensemble) watch practice during rehearsal. COURTESY OF GMC
    Caroline Robinson, Tyler Mender, Lecovian Thomas, and Davie Lavander (ensemble) watch practice during rehearsal. COURTESY OF GMC

    At Georgia Military College (GMC), the stage is set for a modern take on one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays; “Hamlet.”

    The play is directed by Amy Zipperer and Jon Clark, with additional help from Georgia College Production Services.

    William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” centers around the character Hamlet who has to come face to face with his father’s sudden death, discovering truths and lies through his endeavors.

    '[GMC] has waited several years to produce this show, and we have finally gotten a cut that fits the themes and ideas we have wanted to address,” said Amy Zipperer.

    The nearly two-hour cut of GMC’s Junior College Fine Arts Department’s version of “Hamlet” was done by playwright Eddie Zipperer, a professor of political science and former “Hamlet” actor.

    Uncut, the play runs roughly four hours long, with numerous acts and scenes to entertain audiences. Zipperer states GMC’s condensed version will still retain the basic plot of the original but will allow the show to fit into a modern setting and be more accessible to the audiences. He hopes that the community will enjoy this take.

    “With it being a modern take, the play now takes place in an art gallery called The Denmark Gallery and the characters will portray stereotypical archetypes of the 21st century. Claudius, who in the original was set to take the throne over the land of Denmark, will now take over as the CEO of his dead brother’s art gallery. Gertrude will become a famous collector of the museum, and Hamlet will become an emo-esque character. The other characters will also conform to current social statuses and reflect the modern world that follows the flow of Shakespeare,” said Eddie Zipperer. “Due to the modern setting, we can use modern ways of communication to portray the depth of this world.

    We have decided to use social media as a platform to fully engage the audience with the show.”

    According to E. Zipperer, the cast created Instagram accounts for every character of the show and has used the accounts to introduce the characters and create their personality. The profiles will be used during the show to help the audience better relate and understand the dialect of Shakespeare.

    “The profiles will be used to fully grasp the tone and messages that are presented during our performance,” said Eddie Zipperer. “We hope that not only are we able to utilize our mediums, but also introduce new styles of media into our craft.”

    “Hamlet” will be performed at Georgia Military College’s Goldstein Center of Fine Arts on May 19-20 at 7 p.m. The show is open to all ages and everyone in the community. All students of the Baldwin County area may get into the show for free with a valid school ID.

    All other tickets can be bought on either the Georgia Military College Junior College Fine Arts Department Facebook page or at www.showtix4u.com/ event-details/69412.