For Immediate Release: July 18, 2005
Media Contact: Tyler Melchior, 1812 Productions, 215.592.9560

1812 Productions is pleased to present the Philadelphia Premiere of Quinnopolis vs. Hamlet created by David Dalton, Jeremy Beck, and Christopher Patrick Mullen. Quinnopolis vs. Hamlet will run from August 26th to September 25th, 2005 at the Walnut Street Theatre Independence Studio on 3. Tickets prices will range from $10 to $30 and can be purchased by contacting 1812 Productions at (215) 592-9560 or online at www.1812productions.org.

Quinnopolis vs. Hamlet details the travails of two buffoons delivered by UPS into the clutches of Shakespeare’s most famous work. They battle, not just to escape the play, but each of the play’s characters—trying desperately to navigate the accumulated history of Hamlet, Ophelia, Gertrude, Claudius, and all of the other poor souls imprisoned by pentameter and centuries of misconceptions. Performers Jeremy Beck and Christopher Patrick Mullen breathe life into these characters to show us just what they’ve become in the 400 years since their creation.

“Someone once called the show ‘a meditation on Hamlet,’” says Christopher Patrick Mullen, one of the show’s creators as well as a featured performer. “I had never thought of it in that way but have come to believe that that is exactly what it is. We take a completely innocent point of view with the text, nothing is too silly or too scholarly.” Jeremy Beck, a co-creator and performer adds, “Despite the ‘us against the text’ premise, our characters’ stories are really a reflection of Hamlet’s- we’re both given tasks that we’re either not sure we can carry out or just don’t want to do. It’s art imitating life imitating art.” David Dalton, the show’s director and co-creator explains, “The buffoons see Shakespeare’s story as a mystery. What’s wrong with the kingdom? Why is there a ghost haunting the castle? How did we end up here? They want answers, and must go deeper into the characters they fear to find them.”

Pete Pryor, 1812’s Producing Artistic Director, says of the show, “Quinnopolis vs. Hamlet is an 1812 style adventure. It is a physical comedy that willfully breaks tired and stuffy conventions and makes the Bard’s work come alive with new perspectives.” Jennifer Childs, 1812’s Artistic Director, adds, “Quinnopolis vs. Hamlet is a perfect show for our Independence Cabaret Series. It dissects the most famous play in the English language to show us the humanity and humor behind the characters that everyone thinks they know. It’s a joy to work with this kind of new exploration and is an important part of what we do here at 1812.”

Quinnopolis vs. Hamlet is being presented as part of the Philadelphia Live Arts & Philly Fringe Festival. 1812 Productions last collaborated with the Fringe Festival in 2003 with the successful world premiere production of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. Also, the fringe hit all wear bowlers was a featured selection in 1812’s 04-05 season.

Meet the Cast and Crew

David Dalton (Director)- David’s directing credits include Quinnopolis vs. Hamlet (Quinnopolis), The Attic by Deirdre O’Connor (Puppetlab at St. Ann’s Warehouse), Losing the Game (Brandeis University), and Aunt Dan and Lemon (Columbia University). David holds an MFA in directing from Columbia University where he developed and adapted many new projects to the stage including Pitfalls of Sobriety and The Marriage with the founding members of Quinnopolis. He has assisted work at Theatre de la Jeune Lune, SITI Company, and Manhattan School of Music. He lives in Brooklyn.

Jeremy Beck (Performer)- is an Honors Scholar graduate from James Madison University and a graduate of the British American Drama Academy's "Midsummer In Oxford - Shakespeare Intensive" program. His performance credits include Shakespeare's R&J (Theatre Royal Bath/Splinter Group) in London’s West End, Pink (Theatre Row's Kirk Theatre - 1st Annual Summer Play Festival), Lie Cheat Steal (American Theatre of Actors), Quinnopolis vs. Hamlet, Bang Big (Overlap - NYCFringe 2001), Convoluted Situations (Red Room), Tabletop Quartet and 2 Screws Loose (Theatorium), and The Tempest (RAW Space) in New York, and The Field, The Notebook of Trigorin, Hamlet (Keegan), Tale of the Fisherman & the Golden Fish, A Jubilee, and The Snow Queen (Classika), The Changeling (Georgetown) in Washington DC. His feature Film credits include Gods and Generals (Warner Bros) and Book of Danny (Fingerprint).

Christopher Patrick Mullen (Performer)- In his 30 years of participation in Philadelphia area theatre, Chris has worked in collaboration with The Walnut St., Arden, Cheltenham, Hedgerow, MumPuppettheatre, TLA, and Fictitious theatre companies (among others). His long-standing relationship with People’s Light (in his native Malvern) has included productions of Sleeping Beauty, The Miser, Julius Caesar, Pinocchio, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. He has been a company member of The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival since its inception in 1992. Past productions at PSF include Around the World in 80 Days, The Imaginary Invalid, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Charlie’s Aunt, Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, and The Glass Menagerie. Chris also works extensively at the Orlando Shakespeare Festival. His regional and New York credits include The Pavilion, Hedda Gabler, Dracula (The Journal of Jonathan Harker), Hyde in the Shadows, Much Ado About Nothing, The Method, Two Gents, and The Seven Year Itch. Chris has also appeared on television in multiple episodes of Law & Order.

1812 History
Artistic Director Jennifer Childs and Producing Artistic Director Pete Pryor founded 1812 Productions in the spring of 1998 with a goal to entertain and educate audiences through comedy, and to support and hire local artists. Philadelphia Weekly named 1812 Productions the “Theatre Company of the Year 2002-2003”. At the close of the 2002-2003 season, 1812 Productions was the recipient of eight nominations and two wins at the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre. Most recently, 1812 Productions received three Barrymore Award nominations for its 2003-2004 season. Their education program, 1812 Outreach, has received four consecutive nominations and been awarded once the Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service. 1812 Productions, while continually on the search for a permanent home, continues to perform at various locations around Philadelphia.

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