Free-Play Festival: Everyone's a Hamlet
Schedule
Sat, 23 Aug, 2025 at 12:00 pm to Sun, 24 Aug, 2025 at 08:00 pm
UTC-07:00Location
Potrero Stage | San Francisco, CA
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Everyone’s a Hamlet by and with Michelle Haner & Tom Bentley-FisherProduced by blue monkey works in collaboration with the Yat-Bentley Centre
Sat, Aug 23, 12PM; Sun, Aug 24, 12PM; Sun, Aug 24, 8PM
Ay! Something is rotten in the state of Denmark! Tyranny, madness, chaos and corruption. Sound familiar? And midst it all, what will the Hamlets – the lovers of law, culture, education and theater – do about it? How can the Prince of Denmark reach across time to shake us into action? When artist friends connect over coffee, a restless Hamlet-ghost-stalker won’t leave them in peace. As he and his entourage take possession of the stage, Pirandello meets My Dinner with Andre meets the Wooster Group.
Tom Bentley-Fisher – Writer, Performer. Tom Bentley-Fisher is the artistic director of the Yat-Bentley Centre. Tom’s theatre career began as an actor, training with Sanford Meisner and Yat Malmgren. He has been the artistic director of five professional theatres, directed internationally over one hundred productions, and taught in universities and theatre schools throughout North America and Europe. He has a strong reputation for developing and producing new work (including Paula Vogel’s first professional play), as well as innovative European productions such as an all-female version of the Iliad which toured Spain for a year. His approach to teaching is based on his many years as a theatre artist, exploring and developing the techniques of Yat Malmgren. Read more at: https://www.tombentleyfisher.com
Michelle Haner – Writer, Performer. Passionate about the power of human connection in this digital era, Michelle works at the crossroads of international education, performing arts and community engagement. She leads the theater program and arts department at the International School of San Francisco. Michelle also works internationally with a range of professional and university programs in France (l’ESCA, le Programme Baudelaire and L’Ecole de l’Acteur-Sophie Akrich) and leads workshops on collaboration, public speaking and story-telling. Michelle is also an experienced professional producer, translator and theater maker (MFA from UCLA, SAG/AFTRA/AEA). She has performed and directed with foolsFURY, Ensemble Studio Theater- LA, Open Fist and Classical Theater. She co-leads the company Blue Monkey Works, with Steve Morgan Haskell. Read more at: www.michellehaner.com
Joshua Waterstone – Artistic Collaborator. Joshua Waterstone is an award-winning director, fight choreographer, actor and educator who holds an MFA in Directing for Stage and Screen. Joshua’s extensive teaching and directing portfolio includes collaborations with Berkeley Repertory School of Theatre, Foothill College, Yat Bentley Centre for Performance and Greater than the Sum productions in residency at Google Arts. His professional work spans engagements with California Shakespeare Theatre (Cal Shakes), San Francisco Youth Theatre, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Georgia Shakespeare, foolsFURY, Ragged Wing Ensemble, New Century Orchestra, Alliance Theatre and American Conservatory Theatre.This November Joshua is excited to travel to Belem, Brazil to direct the sustainable future production Bright Light Burning for The Theatre of Others at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30). An Associate Member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers and a member of the Society of American Fight Directors, Joshua is also a 200-hour Classical Yoga Teacher, bringing a holistic approach to his craft. His work reflects a dedication to blending traditional and contemporary practices, creating transformative theatrical experiences.
PlayGround closes out the summer season with the fourth annual
FREE-PLAY FESTIVAL, August 1-24, at Potrero Stage and simulcast! This
four-week “fringe style” new works festival features 17 productions
and 58 performances by talented theatre artists from across the
country including. Productions will be presented for 3-4 performances
at Potrero Stage (18th Street @ Arkansas). For more information or to
reserve in-person or online tickets, visit
https://playground-sf.org/freeplay
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Where is it happening?
Potrero Stage, 1695 18th Street,San Francisco, California, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
