MANSFIELD — The Mansfield Shakespeare Company is presenting a free community production of William Shakespeare’s legendary tragedy, “Hamlet,” performed outdoors in Mansfield’s South Park.
Directed by Joseph Fahey, this powerful story of betrayal, revenge and the search for truth will be performed on June 19, 20, and 21.
Event Details:
- What: “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare
- When: June 19 at 7:30 p.m., June 20 at 7:30 p.m. and June 21 at 3:30 p.m.
- Where: Mansfield’s South Park on Brinkerhoff Avenue
- Cost: Free. Donations are accepted, but not expected
- What to Bring: Chairs, picnic blankets, drinks and snacks.
About the Production:
One of Shakespeare’s most famous and compelling works, “Hamlet” explores themes of grief, revenge, morality, and the struggle to uncover truth in a corrupt world. Audiences can expect gripping performances, moments of dark humor, and unforgettable scenes brought to life by some of the area’s most talented and well-known performers. A concise, carefully edited staging of Hamlet, designed for a contemporary audience.
“Hamlet” is Shakespeare’s great meditation on the human condition. At its heart is a young man wrestling with grief, duty, and the terrifying uncertainty of what is right. The play moves between philosophical depth, intense drama, and moments of surprising humor. It’s one of Shakespeare’s most profound works, and performing it outdoors in a communal setting reminds us that these questions about truth, justice, and mortality still belong to all of us.
Director of the production, Joseph Fahey, provided insights on his process:
Q: What was the biggest challenge in directing Hamlet compared to other plays?
“The expectations. Everyone knows or has at least heard of this play. Many people can recite more than a few lines from it. Some think of it in stuffy academic terms. We want to build on the audience’s existing connections to this great work, but also offer them something that is immediate, and genuine and honest. It is intense. The emotions and ideas of the play are as big as you can get. We want to share a great story with our audience in a great space, and we want it to be something they will remember.”
Q: How did you ensure the play remains relevant to a modern audience?
“Hamlet, at its core, is about feeling lost in a world that has turned on you. It is about the dark ugliness that can hide behind smiling faces. It is about being true to yourself when all of the comforts you have known have been stripped away from you. It is about loving and hating your parents, your children, your friends, and even yourself. It is about love, loss, grief, and finding moments of joy and truth in your darkest days. I can’t think of anything more relevant – and more human – than that.”
The actor playing Hamlet, Josh Carpenter, expressed his excitement for the role:
Q: What drew you to the role of Hamlet?
“To me, Hamlet is the dream role, in a dream show. It is hands down my favorite play, book, work of Shakespeare etc. Am I terrified of the lines? Yes. Am I terrified of butchering the best part I’ve gotten in my acting career? Yes. Is that putting a fire under my you-know-where? Most definitely.”
Q: What is your approach to handling Hamlet’s “madness”—is it feigned, real, or a mix?
“Hamlet is as mad as you think he is. And that’s what I want the audience to leave with. My approach is to get so into the work that I don’t know the answer by the end.”
The actress playing Ophelia (Hamlet’s love interest), Leanna Uselton, offered her thoughts on the production:
Q: What drew you to the role of Ophelia?
“Shakespeare’s women have always fascinated me, especially his tragic heroines. The thing that drew me most to Ophelia was her connection to flowers and that final scene she appears in. The significance of flowers meant a lot more to someone in Shakespeare’s time, and it is worth looking into to fully capture the beauty and meaning of that scene. Without giving too much away for anyone who has not read or seen Hamlet, I think Ophelia’s final moment is the most “free” you will see any of these characters be. She escapes societal expectations and forces the court to listen to her, but she is the mirror that no one wants to look into. Someone playing Ophelia has to build on that moment with only five scenes, and I think that is going to be the biggest challenge for me – finding that perfect balance as the play unfolds.”
Q: Why do you think Hamlet still speaks to audiences today?
“I believe Hamlet still speaks to audiences today because while the world changes over time, human nature does not. Probably the most notable theme in Hamlet is dealing with loss and each of these characters grieve in various ways. In general, Shakespeare’s plays are still relevant because he is able to capture something within us all. See a Shakespeare show, and you may just see yourself reflected back at you.
About the Mansfield Shakespeare Company:
The Mansfield Shakespeare Company (founded in 2023) organization dedicated to making Shakespeare accessible to the community in a fun and engaging way. Their mission is to produce high-quality cultural experiences for Mansfield and surrounding communities through performances and interactive events that center around the works of William Shakespeare.
Mansfield Shakespeare in the Park is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.