William Shakespeare's final exit from the World's Stage was April 23, 1616, and Sonoma State University is commemorating the 400th anniversary of his death with theatrical and musical performances.
The Sonoma State University Symphonic Chorus and Chamber Singers perform a selection of musical settings of Shakespeare's texts on April 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Schroeder Hall at the Green Music Center, while the Theatre and Dance department's rebellious production of "Hamlet" runs May 3-8 in Person Theater.
Jenny Bent conducts the choirs in songs from the Renaissance, Baroque and modern eras accompanied by chamber orchestra, brass choir, and Schroeder Hall's magnificent Brombaugh tracker organ. A quartet of voice alumni will feature Jennifer Thuman, Sadie Sonntag, Anthony Martin and Rodrigo Castillo as soloists. The concert is expected to sell out. For tickets, call the SSU box office at 707.664.4246 or email tickets@sonoma.edu. Tickets are $8, parking included.
"Hamlet" is the Theatre Arts and Dance Department's final show of the semester. Directed by Paul Draper, this performance highlights the chaos of a world upside down, with rebellion, revenge, kingdoms rising and falling, ghosts rising from the dead, and children and parents slipping from each other's grasps. When young Prince Hamlet's father, the king, dies, his mother marries his uncle, his father's murderer. Urged on by the ghost of his dead father, Hamlet stalks his uncle, seeking revenge, ready to overthrow the reality of the old and install a brand new reality of the young.
Performances are "Hamlet" May 3, 10 a.m., May 4-7, 7:30 p.m., and May 8, 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10-$17, SSU students free with ID. Parking is $5-$8 on campus.
On May 5, Sonoma State faculty and staff admitted free, and all other tickets are $5. See www.sonoma.edu/theatreanddance/productions/hamlet.html for more information.