Last night, in a massive collaborative effort, The El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory at Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) debuted a one-of-a-kind rendition of William Shakespeare’s classic Hamlet.
In its nine-year history, this is the conservatory’s first performance at the Margaret A. Webb Theatre.
Mr. John Walcutt, director of The El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory, said this momentous occasion called for a momentous performance, leading them to develop a show that is challenging and grand. To achieve this, Walcutt recruited the help of his OCSA colleagues from several of the school’s conservatory programs.
He said each of the conservatories involved have brought something special to the play that elevates the story.
Ballroom Dance, Ballet Folklórico, Commerical Dance, and Ballet & Contemporary Dance students are featured throughout the show to bring an element of grandeur to certain scenes. Digital Media students helped to develop a cinemascope-style scale to the set. Programs within the Instrumental Music Conservatory provided key soloists to the show, making it feel even more rich. Production & Design will, once again and as always, pull out all the stops to make sure the show runs beautifully and smoothly.
Walcutt credited his colleagues for their involvement in putting together such an ambitious production.
“To lead their own conservatories is challenging enough with all we do here. And it's so easy to say ‘yes, let's collaborate and create something really outside the box and outside our program,’ but it's hard and I am grateful to them,” he said.
In addition to seeing the talents of OCSA students, Walcutt said attendees can expect to see some incredible faculty in the performance, including Acting instructors, Mr. Richard Kinsey and Mr. Bodie Newcomb, as well as Ms. Stephanie Dorian, the assistant director of the El-Erian Family Acting Conservatory. Dr. John Reynolds, the associate director of Instrumental Music, will also act as one of the soloists during the show.
Hamlet will continue its run with performances tonight, Jan. 20; Saturday, Jan. 21; Thursday, Jan. 26; and Friday, Jan 27. Tickets are available online at the Box Office.