Rockabye Hamlet is arock musical with a book, lyrics, and music byCliff Jones. It is based onthe classic tragedy byWilliam Shakespeare and tells the story of aDanishprince who plots revenge on his uncle for killing his father.
The show's original title wasKronborg: 1582.[1] It was commissioned by theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation, which first broadcast it as an episode of theradio seriesThe Entertainers on December 1, 1973. The cast included Cal Dodd as Hamlet andNancy White asOphelia. It was staged by theCharlottetown Festival in 1974 and 1975,[2] then toured easternCanada withBrent Carver as Hamlet andBeverly D'Angelo as Ophelia.
Jones revised the show and retitled itRockabye Hamlet for aBroadway production that was staged as an all-out rock concert directed and choreographed byGower Champion.[3] After 21 previews, it opened on February 17, 1976 at theMinskoff Theatre and closed after seven performances. D'Angelo reprised her role of Ophelia, and the rest of the cast includedLarry Marshall as Hamlet, Alan Weeks as Claudius, Leata Galloway asGertrude,Kim Milford asLaertes,Rory Dodd asHoratio,Meat Loaf as the Priest, andChristopher Chadman and Winston DeWitt Hemsley asRosencrantz and Guildenstern.
A studio cast recording featuring ten songs from the score was released on the Rising label.[4] Vocals were provided byCliff Jones, Rory Dodd, Cal Dodd,Lisa Hartt, andThe Irish Rovers.
In 1981, Jones revised the show once again.[5] It was staged asSomethin' Rockin' in Denmark at the Odyssey Theatre inLos Angeles. It had an 18-month run.[2]
In the summer of 2008, with a revised script and score by Jones, it was presented at theSt. Lawrence Centre for the Arts indowntown Toronto by Larry Westlake and capricorn 9 productions.
In September 2013, a revival workshop was produced through the Performing Arts Department atSUNY Cortland, directed by composer Cliff Jones and original cast member Terrie Robinson.
In May 2014, Ophelia Theatre Group based inAstoria, NY produced the first full revival of "Rockabye Hamlet" in Queens, directed by Pep Speed.[6]
In July 2014, the Bizarre Noir Theatre Company staged the first Manhattan revival atThe Players Theatre inGreenwich Village. Directed by P. William Pinto, this darker version of the piece utilized a combination of the original score, unused songs from the concept album, and newer compositions by Jones.[7]
In the summer of 2017, The Charlottetown Festival produced a concert version of a completely reworked "Kronborg: 1582" at The Indian River Festival. With new orchestrations by Craig Fair, and starringAaron Hastelow as Hamlet,Kristen Pottle as Ophelia,Cam MacDuffee as Claudius,Alanna Hibbert as Gertrude, andConnor Lucas as Laertes. The concert was restaged on the Mainstage of The Charlottetown Festival a month later withAdam Brazier as Laertes.
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