Hamlet: Student Matinees
May 6 - 14, 2027
The Strand Theatre, Dorchester, MA
By William Shakespeare
Directed By Victoria Townsend
Grief twists the mind and conjures ghosts—but when the spirit of Hamlet’s father appears, he speaks not of madness, but of murder. Young Prince Hamlet must grapple with a haunting revelation: his mother has married his uncle, and his father’s death was no accident. As the waves beat against the shore and this web of lies is unraveled, Hamlet is pulled deeper into a current of grief, betrayal, and revenge.
Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy comes alive against a restless sea, where the pounding of the waves echoes the turmoil within one young man struggling to stay afloat. Will he be drowned in the depths of grief?
CSC’s annual Stage2 performances of Shakespeare’s most popular plays are designed for middle and high school audiences. Students just discovering Shakespeare — and die-hard fans, as well — won’t want to miss this tragically beautiful take on one of The Bard’s most famous works.
Limited Availability for All Performances: To join the waitlist, please still use this form and we’ll be in touch!
CSC is thrilled to offer tickets to the Stage2 performances of Hamlet at no cost to all schools thanks to our partnership with Rodman for Kids.
Our student matinee performances will be held:
Thursday, May 6 at 10 AM
Friday, May 7 at 11 AM
Monday, May 10 at 10 AM
Tuesday, May 11 at 10 AM
Wednesday, May 12 at 10 AM
Thursday, May 13 at 10 AM
Friday, May 14 at 11 AM
SEE THY WORDS: All performances are Open Captioned. Captions powered by CCTheater™, from AccessTech, LLC (www.cctheater.com)
For schools seeking information regarding funding for transportation and other costs, see Funding Resources Tab above.
Additional support for Stage2 is provided by Paul Kastner.
About School Workshops
Alongside this production, CSC will also be offering a number of in-school Hamlet enrichment workshops which can be delivered either virtually or in person. Click the button below to learn more!
Who is Hamlet appropriate for?
Stage2 productions are presented using Shakespeare’s original text, cut for length to approximately 100 minutes without intermission. Our cuts focus on highlighting the themes, ideas and language that will resonate strongly for a student audience. Our creative team and performers make choices that serve to illuminate the storytelling for this audience without “watering down” the source material. School groups have the option of staying for a short post-show talk-back with the actors.
This year’s Stage2 production is created with a 6th through 12th grade curriculum/audience in mind. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most iconic and deeply psychological tragedies, touching on themes of grief, revenge, morality, and family betrayal. Shakespeare’s script includes depictions of murder, accidental killing, poisoning, sword duels, multiple fatalities on stage, simulated/real madness, and explicit discussions of suicidal ideation. We do encourage educators and/or parents to read the play being presented and make the best choice for their students of any age. We recommend discussing the play with your students before and after you view our production. Please use the information and graphic below to gain a better idea of what to expect from this year’s play and let us know if you have specific questions about content.
About Accessibility
Open Captioning will be provided at every performance.
In addition, ASL interpretation or Audio Description may be available upon request.
For questions or more information, please email education@commshakes.org.
About our CSC2 Company
CSC2 is a company of early-career professional actors that works with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company to further develop skills in classical acting through performance (including in CSC’s flagship Shakespeare on the Common production), artistic and professional development, and through different educational and coaching settings.
Creative Team
Victoria Townsend
Director
Victoria Townsend
Director
Victoria Townsend is a Boston-based director, teaching-artist and occasional performer who has been working with CSC since 2011. Directing Credits: For CSC: Stage2: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2024), ARC: Richard II (2024), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2023), As You Like It (2022) and several Boston Theater Marathon pieces; Emerging Playwright’s Festival (Wheelock Family Theater), Cosi Fan Tutte (New England Conservatory’s UGOS Program), The Memorandum (Flat Earth Theater). Assistant Directing Credits: Fear and Misery in the Third Reich, Kiss me Kate, Romeo and Juliet and Shakespeare and Leadership (CSC) and L’Egisto (NEC/UGOS). She has also served as a teaching-artist for Watertown Children’s Theater and Live Arts Education. Victoria is a graduate of Saint Michael’s College in Vermont with degrees in Theatre and English Literature and holds a certificate in Social Impact Management and Leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice & Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University.
William Shakespeare
Playwright
William Shakespeare
Playwright
William Shakespeare was a renowned English poet, playwright, and actor born in 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birthday is most commonly celebrated on 23 April, which is also believed to be the date on which he died in 1616. Shakespeare was a prolific writer during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages of British theatre (sometimes referred to as the English Renaissance or the Early Modern Period). Shakespeare’s plays are perhaps his most enduring legacy, but they are not the only things he wrote. Shakespeare’s poetry has also remained popular to this day.
Shakespeare’s work includes 38 plays, 2 narrative poems, a collection of 154 sonnets, and other poems as well. No original manuscripts of Shakespeare’s plays are known to exist today, and about half of Shakespeare’s plays are only available to us because a group of actors in his company collected them for publication after his death. These writings were brought together in what is known as the First Folio (‘Folio’ refers to the size of the paper used). It contained 36 of his plays, and none of his poetry. Shakespeare’s legacy is as rich and diverse as his work; his plays have spawned countless adaptations across multiple genres and cultures, and his plays have had an enduring presence on stage and film.
His writings have been compiled in various iterations of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by different entities, which usually include all of his plays, his sonnets, and his other poems. From Stratford to London and beyond, William Shakespeare was and is one of the most important literary figures of the English language.
The Strand Theatre,
owned by the City of Boston and managed by the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture
543 Columbia Road
Boston, MA 02125
The view from the stage out across the 1,400 seats of The Strand Theatre. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Driving Directions to The Strand Theatre
From South: Take I-93 North to exit 15, Columbia Road. Left at the bottom of ramp to third set of lights.There is a Kentucky Fried Chicken / Tedeschi’s on the corner. Turn left onto Columbia Road. Go through two sets of lights, the Strand is on the left, just past Bank of America.
From North: Take I-93 South to exit 15, Columbia Road. Right at the bottom of ramp to third set of lights. There is a Kentucky Fried Chicken / Tedeschi’s on the corner. Turn left onto Columbia Road. Go through two sets of lights, the Strand is on the left, just past Bank of America.
From West: Mass Pike (I-90) east into Boston, to I-93 south. Follow “From the NORTH” directions.
From Jamaica Plain/ Brookline: Take the JamaicaWay south to the Arborway. Keep straight to the rotary. Go 3/4 around the rotary and turn into Franklin Park. Go through the park, and turn left onto Blue Hill Avenue. Go about 50 yards, then make a right onto Columbia Road. The Strand is about 1 1/3 miles down on the right, just past the Strand/ Walgreen’s Pharmacy.
Parking
On street parking is available on Columbia Road.
Free off-street parking is available in the Ramsey Street Municipal lot. Ramsey Street is located at the intersection of Dudley Street and Columbia Road behind CVS Pharmacy and Payless Shoes.
For evening and Sunday shows, free parking is also available in the Citizen’s Bank and Santander Bank parking lots. The Citizen’s Bank lot is located at the corner of Columbia Road and Cushing Avenue. The Santander Bank lot is located in the rear of the bank at 585 Columbia Rd.
Public Transit
Red Line: Get off at Andrew station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
Orange Line: Get off at Ruggles station. Take the #15 (Upham’s Corner) bus via Dudley Station. Get off in front of Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
Orange Line: Get off at Forest Hills station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
What is the running time of the production?
The performance runs approximately 100 minutes without intermission.
For student matinees, each performance is followed by a talkback with the cast which will last no more than an additional half hour. Schools may choose to be dismissed before or after the talkback and can indicate this preference when booking.
We will endeavor to have an on-time start and consistency to each performance , but as is the nature of live theater, we cannot guarantee an exact end/dismissal time for your group. Thank you for your understanding.
What ages is the production appropriate for?
Stage2 productions are presented using Shakespeare’s original text, cut for length to approximately 100 minutes without intermission. Our cuts focus on highlighting the themes, ideas and language that will resonate strongly for a student audience. Our creative team and performers make choices that serve to illuminate the storytelling for this audience without “watering down” the source material. School groups have the option of staying for a short post-show talk-back with the actors.
This year’s Stage2 production is created with a 6th through 12th grade curriculum/audience in mind. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most iconic and deeply psychological tragedies, touching on themes of grief, revenge, morality, and family betrayal. Shakespeare’s script includes depictions of murder, accidental killing, poisoning, sword duels, multiple fatalities on stage, simulated/real madness, and explicit discussions of suicidal ideation. We do encourage educators and/or parents to read the play being presented and make the best choice for their students of any age. We recommend discussing the play with your students before and after you view our production. Please use the information and graphic below to gain a better idea of what to expect from this year’s play and let us know if you have specific questions about content.
What safety protocols do you have in place relative to covid-19?
CSC, in coordination with the Strand Theatre and the City of Boston, continues to diligently monitor the public health situation. Health decisions are made with the safety of our audiences, artists, and staff as our top priority. As a building run by the City of Boston, the Strand and CSC will follow city-mandated health and safety guidelines for COVID-19 or any other public health concerns at the time of performances. CSC also reserves the right to add additional protective guidelines where deemed necessary for the safety of all, which will be communicated to all attendees directly if implemented. Should you have an individual concern or question about our safety protocols, please reach out to us at education@commshakes.org.
Is there accessible seating available?
Yes, there are several locations in the theater to accommodate wheelchairs. Please indicate any seating needs when selecting your tickets.
Are assisted listening devices available?
Yes, visit the box office for assisted listening devices or indicate in your request form.
What other accessibility services are available?
Open Captioning will be provided at every performance. Captioning for the talkbacks will be available by request.
For questions or more information, please email education@commshakes.org. Please indicate any accessibility needs and talkback captioning requests in your booking form.
We ask that your group arrive between 15-30 minutes before the performance to check in and be seated in the theater. Please arrive NO LATER than 15 minutes before curtain. School groups who arrive after curtain may need to wait to be seated in the theater.
What are parking and transportation instructions?
We will have space for buses to load and unload but buses should not plan to park/remain on the street during the performance. We recommend that buses that are not planning to return to school or another location during the show proceed to the South Bay shopping center nearby which has ample free parking up to 5 hours and amenities.
Smaller groups coming by car may find on-street parking on Columbia Road. Additionally, free off-street parking is available in the Ramsey Street Municipal lot. Ramsey Street is located at the intersection of Dudley Street and Columbia Road behind CVS Pharmacy and Payless Shoes.
For evening shows, free parking is also available in the Citizen’s Bank and Santander Bank parking lots. The Citizen’s Bank lot is located at the corner of Columbia Road and Cushing Avenue. The Santander Bank lot is located in the rear of the bank at 585 Columbia Rd.
MBTA
Red Line: Get off at Andrew station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
Orange Line: Get off at Ruggles station. Take the #15 (Upham’s Corner) bus via Dudley Station. Get off in front of Get off in front of the Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
Orange Line: Get off at Forest Hills station. Take the #16 (Forest Hills) or #17 (Field’s Corner) bus to Upham’s Corner/Dudley Street. Get off in front of Payless Shoe Store. The Strand is up one block on the left, just past Bank of America.
There is no food or drink permitted in the theater.
Are shows delayed or canceled for weather?
Audience and actor safety is our main concern. In the case of snow or extreme weather, Stage2 Student Matinees will follow Boston Public Schools for notice of cancellation. Schools attending that day will be notified by CSC should a performance be canceled due to weather conditions. If an attending school’s district is closed due to weather in their area but Boston Public Schools remain open, our performance will still run and schools may choose to be rescheduled to another student matinee during our run. If a school is unable to attend another performance, CSC will offer the option to convert the total paid to credit for virtual programming / workshops (valid though the end of the 2026/2027 school year) or tickets for the 2028 production.
The taking of photos or video is strictly prohibited.
How can I support Commonwealth Shakespeare Company?
To make a donation or for more information call 617-426-0863 or Click on the Ways To Give tab on our website to learn more about upcoming fundraising events and ways to get involved.
Grant Opportunities
Help fund your field trip!
Please note that these opportunities are listed as a courtesy and are not a guarantee of funding.
Please note that these opportunities are listed as a courtesy and are not a guarantee of funding.
School SAVOR Program is a Commonwealth Shakespeare Company initiative that receives generous funding from sponsors to provide assistance to schools facing extreme economic hardships. SAVOR stands for Subsidized Art is a Value & Our Right. We firmly believe that art, and theater in particular, should be savored live, early, and often. We hope to break down barriers to theater, and show students art that is created for them. This year, SAVOR funds can be used towards transportation cost assistance, workshop cost assistance, and associated fees. Interested schools should fill out the application at the button below. Please make sure you have ALSO filled out your Student Matinee Booking Request Form and/or the Stage2School Workshop Information Form so that we have full information about your school’s needs.
Local Cultural Councils – Your Local Cultural Council may approve grants for a broad range of projects and programs such as ticket subsidies/field trips and artist residencies. Each Local Cultural Council determines its own local eligibility requirements based on a community engagement process. Check out your community’s local cultural council here.
STARS Residencies (Students and Teachers working with Artists, Scientists, and Scholars) provides grants to schools to support creative learning residencies in the arts, sciences, and humanities. Cultural partners – teaching artists, scientists, and scholars – work with students on at least three days or more. Residencies take place during the school year to help schools bring creative learning to students, both in and outside the classroom. Visit the MCC’s Stars Residencies website and speak with CSC’s education staff (education@commshakes.org) to develop a residency program that can fit your curriculum needs!
Support for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Provided by
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
101 Arch Street
8th floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-426-0863
CSC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.