Theater takes on Shakespeare

‘Hamlet’ characters come out on top in well known tragicomedy

Teja Foster/Roundup

Shakespeare’s spin-off of Hamlet’s “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” premieres Friday April 26, at Pierce College’s Theatre in the Temporary Performing Arts Complex as the last play of the spring semester.

The inventive tale of Hamlet told through the eye of the two minor characters from the play.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are played by Nick Yastremski and Brian Graves, two actors that are not a part of LAPC, but have been in previous plays on campus from years before.

“The challenge is what brought me to this play,” said Yastremski. “This is the biggest role I’ve ever been in. I hope people walk away with a new interest in acting.”

The Tony Award-winning Broadway hit was originally written by Tom Stoppard in 1966 taking place “in the wings” of Shakespeare.

Valorie Grear, chair of the Theatre and Dance Department, directs the twisted tragedy/comedy known as a “tragicomedy” with an action filled sword fight.

Graves, who plays Guildenstern, has starred in many different Shakespearean plays.

Although Graves went into auditions with the intent on landing Rosencrantz, coming out as Guildenstern has made him find the character within himself.

“My first show in LA was ‘Julius Caesar’,” said Graves. “What’s unique about this play is it’s a comedy, but has an underlying message that life is short.”

This historical aspect is the headline of this play. Shakespeare’s legendary story is now coming to Pierce to give fans and newcomers of Shakespeare’s work to be seen on a college campus. “It’s not the same one-liner comedy like

 $3000 tuition

Annual Student Art Show

‘Laughter on the 23rd Floor.’ This play is more for imagination and connecting with the actors. It’s more in a theoretical form, but it’s still funny,” said Michael Sande, managing director of the play.

Intsead of the typical Shakspearean language, the play is presented in the language based from the 17th century.

“I heard it was a Shakespeare play and those are pretty hard to follow along. It’s good to know that it will still be appealing to non-Shakespeare fans,”said Sabrina Whitten a communications major.

A week after “Rosecrans and Guildenstern

Are Dead” closes, the Theatre Department will be announcing the upcoming productions for the fall semester as well as how to be a part of the department.

Ticket Information

“Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” opens on

The Pierce College Art Department will be taking submissions for the Annual Student Art Show beginning Wednesday, April 24 through Monday, April 29, with varying times, excluding the weekend.

Students must be currently enrolled in Pierce and can only submit work from spring 2012 to the present.

With such a diverse community on campus, the exhibition class decided the theme of the show would be “Diversity.” accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association (www.ncahlc.org, 800.621.7440)

Karen Rapp, Director of the Vincent Price Art Museum, will be a guest juror.

Prizes and awards will be handed out.

The exhibition dates for the Annual Student Show will be May 9 - 29, 2013 .

For more information on the show or how and what to submit, contact Monika Del Bosque in the Art Department at (818) 710-2262 or delbosmm@piercecollege.edu.