Hamlet Isn't Dead, in association with the US Karagoz Theatre, presents a modern shadow puppetry play in a classical style.
Dream of Hamlet is a modern interpretation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet told through the classical stylings of Turkish shadow puppetry. In this show, the Anatolian puppet theatre Karagoz, a living tradition with 700 years of history, brings a modernist approach to the British playwright Shakespeare’s signature play by reconstructing its characters and theme in an entirely different context.
As in the traditional shadow theatre, the figures representing characters are made of the leather of camel and water buffalo. They are adapted into the play after being painted with special tools. While presenting a modern story, Dream of Hamlet uses all the subtleties of traditional art.
Join NYC's 317th-best theatre company at the perfect crossroad of the new and the old, as we celebrate style and substance like never before. Two actors perform over fifty characters in this unique artform that suits every age and theatrical sensibility. Come thrill at their technical expertise as you laugh along at the antics of Karagoz in this new yet familiar story.
Tickets available above.
Cast:
Amy Liou Jordon Waters
Creative Team:
Director/Deviser: Ayhan Hulagu Production Stage Manager: Nicole Amaral Artistic Consultant: Sophia Carlin Associate Artistic Director: Valerie Nigg Production Manager: David Andrew Laws Graphic Design: Joshua Stauffer
Ayhan Hulagu is an actor, writer, and puppet master. He founded the U.S. Karagoz Theatre Company in Washington, D.C, and introduce Anatolian art to America that was identified by UNESCO as part of Turkish cultural heritage. As an actor, he played in many theatres, movies, and tv series. He brought his artistic experience to the U.S where he staged many plays in different states, universities, and Broadway. Hulagu has done exhibitions and displays of his plays in a number of national and international festivals in Asia, Europe, Africa. Now he is living in America!
Amy Liou is an actor who loves to move. She first developed her interest in acting when learning about Stanislavski but her curiosity has led her to explore more approaches from the body. Prior to graduating from SITI Company’s Conservatory Program where she received extensive training of Suzuki and Viewpoints, she has also practiced the Method of Theodoros Terzopoulos and worked with Wei-Cheng Chen in Grotowski-based forms. Her recent credits include Yell-Low in Emerging Artists Theatre’s New Work Series, The Bacchae at the National Theater and Concert Hall of Taiwan. When not onstage, you’d probably find Amy experimenting a new cookie recipe or dancing around her plants in her kitchen.
Jordon Waters is a comic and video game loving, bi-racial, multi-interdisciplinary performing artist who graduated from CalArts with his BFA in Dance in 2013. Born in Los Angeles, raised between Minneapolis and San Diego, Jordon moved to NYC with the intention to take over the world and if he couldn't do that, then he would change it. Coming from a family of artists, Mr. Waters thrives to always learn something new from every production he is a part of.
He has starred in Off-Broadway shows, short films, commercials and world tours. He started his own entertainment company, TheyGotTime, where he also produces his own content for multiple streaming platforms and live performances. Jordon finds inspiration through the works of Charlie Chaplin, Donald Glover, anime, cartoons and his friends. His latest show is the Traveling Off-Broadway Vaudeville Hip Hop Show called "Rebirth of Rabbit's Foot". The show explores comedy, racial identity and history which drew inspiration from a traditional minstrel show "Rabbit's Foot Minstrel," from the early 1900's. Jordon’s motto is #cantstopwontstop.
Hamlet Isn’t Dead is NYC’s 987th-best theatre company, dedicated to performing the entire canon of William Shakespeare in chronological order. Their Contemporaries of Color series explores classical texts by authors of color to expand our community’s understanding and perception of classical literature. For more info, visit www.hamletisntdead.com.
