FIU Theatre and GableStage bring Hamlet to Miami-Dade high schools

For the 12th consecutive year, FIU Theatre and GableStage are partnering to bring Shakespeare to Miami-Dade public schools through the Shakespeare-in-the-Schools tour. This year’s production, a dynamic 45-minute adaptation of Hamlet, will visit 23 high schools, introducing students to the timeless themes of Shakespeare’s work in a fresh and accessible way.

Directed by associate professor Michael Yawney, this adaptation of Hamlet centers on the struggles of a younger generation striving to make sense of the world around them. The abridged version homes in on the familial tensions at the heart of the play, ensuring high school audiences can connect with its emotional core.

“This play is the story of two families, Hamlet’s and Ophelia’s,” says Yawney. “Cutting the script to focus on the family story keeps the emotional core of the story while foregrounding the elements most relatable for high school students. We can all feel alone in our feelings at times. Teens seeing Hamlet and Ophelia going through the same parent-child angst 400 years ago that they experience today in Miami provides some perspective.”

The cast features six recent FIU Theatre alumni, giving them a valuable professional opportunity while engaging with the community. For actor Samuel Krogh, who plays Hamlet and also works at GableStage, this marks his third Shakespeare-in-the-Schools tour.

“Taking Shakespeare into the schools sparks so much interest and curiosity for many students who haven’t seen or read it before,” says Krogh. “It’s not only important for it to be taught in school but to be seen and, most importantly, heard, and it creates one of the most powerful connections between performer and audience that I have ever experienced.”

Each performance is accompanied by a study guide created by GableStage resident dramaturg Ali Tallman and followed by a post-show discussion with the cast. The program has grown significantly in recent years, expanding from 12 schools in 2022 to 23 schools in 2024, with a projected reach of between 4,300 and 6,300 students across 32 performances and 23 schools in 2025.

“GableStage and FIU Theatre’s Shakespeare-in-the-Schools program continues to enrich the cultural fabric of our community, fostering a deeper appreciation of the arts in our public schools,” says Brian Schriner, dean of FIU’s College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts and a GableStage board member.

Bari Newport, artistic director of GableStage, highlights the impact of the program: “With this program, we’re making Shakespeare come alive for students, offering a fresh perspective on classic themes and showing them the relevance of these stories in their own lives.”

Beyond bringing Shakespeare to students, the tour strengthens the growing relationship between FIU Theatre and GableStage. This partnership has created a pathway for FIU Theatre alumni to gain professional experience while making theatre more accessible to young audiences.

“Seeing these actors sharing soliloquies with the kids and inviting them into an imagined world is inspiring,” says Yawney. “The connection between open-hearted young actors and open-hearted teens is something powerful enough to change the world.”

Newport also emphasizes the value of the FIU-GableStage collaboration. “Our partnership with FIU is a game changer—it gives promising young alumni what is often their first professional opportunity while taking transformative, vibrant Shakespeare directly into Miami-Dade County’s diverse schools.”

The Shakespeare-in-the-Schools tour is presented free of charge, underscoring the commitment of both GableStage and FIU Theatre to arts education and accessibility. Students in underserved neighborhoods, in particular, benefit from this initiative, which allows them to experience live theatre that might otherwise be out of reach.

The program also complements GableStage’s 2024-25 mainstage season, which concludes with Fat Ham, a Pulitzer Prize-winning modern adaptation of Hamlet. The play includes FIU assistant professor Melvin Huffnagle in the cast.

Since its founding in 1979, GableStage has remained dedicated to bringing impactful theatre to South Florida and continues to push boundaries, producing vital and thought-provoking works while maintaining a strong commitment to arts education through programs like Shakespeare-in-the-Schools.

For those interested in seeing the touring production of Hamlet, GableStage is hosting a performance open to the general public at 7:30 pm on Feb. 24 at its theater adjacent to the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. Tickets are free, but RSVPs are required. For more information about the tour, visit GableStage.