The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

 The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
City Gate Productions
Stone Circle Theatre
November 13, 2025

Photo courtesy of City Gate Productions

City Gate Productions’ The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a concise and beautiful rendition of Shakespeare’s classic tale.  Cut down to two and a half hours (with intermission), it sharpens the focus on Hamlet’s journey through madness and indecision.  The cast builds strong relationships, creating truthful moments of camaraderie and betrayal.  There is a constant presence of death, surrounded by the grief and despair it produces.  Director Jim Haines creates a vibrant dramatic tension that keeps the play moving at a tight pace. 

Hamlet (played by Gage) is saddened by the death of his father, King Hamlet, which is magnified by the outrage he feels over the marriage of his mother, Queen Gertrude (played by Senam Erfani), to his father’s brother, Claudius (played by Gilberto Ron).  After Horatio (played by Margaret Leisenheimer) tells Hamlet she saw the ghost of his deceased father (played by Mike Sause), Hamlet seeks him out the following night.  The ghost of the King tells Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius.  Hamlet must take revenge.   

Gage as Hamlet
Photo courtesy of City Gate Productions

Gage is grounded and melancholy as Hamlet.  The levels of the character’s madness are played through humor, sudden rage, and intense introspection.  These choices create a truthfulness in the grief Hamlet is experiencing due to the death of his father.  Gage creates genuine bonds with Ophelia (played by Naomi Yuchi Townsend), Rosencrantz (played by Francoise Traxler), and Guildenstern (played by Josh Saffram Sedecca).  The vitality of these relationships deepens Hamlet’s grief after Ophelia’s suicide and heightens his determination after the betrayal by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.  Gage skillfully portrays these moments, utilizing that increased sense of loss to propel the action forward. 

Naomi Yuchi Townsend is fiery and independent as Ophelia.  She creates moments of defiance between herself and her father, Polonius (played by Bill McAndrews), and builds a sensitive and touching bond with her brother Laertes (played by Matt Tijmstra).  The scene between Ms. Townsend and Senam Erfani’s Gertrude is heartbreaking.  Ms. Erfani shows a different side of Gertrude when facing Ophelia’s loss of reality over the murder of her father. 

Gilberto Ron, Sanam Erani, & Gage
Photo courtesy of City Gate Productions

Gilberto Ron makes bold choices for Claudius in the scene where he kneels in prayer.  It is his strongest scene, which Gage successfully rises up to when Hamlet enters and attempts to murder him.  Both characters grapple with inner conflict, giving this scene a focused tension.

The humor is high in the gravedigger’s scene, and Friedrich Steinem and Semaj Seniah play it for all they can.  When Hamlet and Horatio enter, the tone shifts to the reminiscence of fond memories, then dives into despair as Ophelia’s funeral procession approaches.  The despair quickly revs up to anger and retaliation.  It is effectively directed and full of emotion. 

The City Gate Productions presentation of The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is playing at Stone Circle Theatre (aka Ridgewood Presbyterian Church, 59-14 70^th Ave., Ridgewood, Queens) through November 23.  It is easily accessible through public transportation and well worth the trip. 

Domenick Danza

12 Angry Men

 12 Angry Men
City Gate Productions
The Stone Circle Theatre
March 1, 2024 

Photo courtesy of City Gate Productions

City Gate Productions was founded in December, 2021 with the main purpose of presenting quality theatre experiences around the borough of Queens.  The company travels to different locations, scouting out spaces that meet the specific feeling and environment for their upcoming shows.  The venue for their present production of 12 Angry Men is Stone Circle Theatre (59-14 70^th Ave., Ridgewood, NY 11385).  The play is presented in the round. Director Cathy Chimenti skillfully builds the tension in this classic courtroom drama, keeping the audience emotionally and intellectually engaged.  The cast creates distinct, headstrong characters, who discover the true concept of reasonable doubt. 

James Brautigam & Frank DiSpigno
Photo courtesy of City Gate Productions

As twelve men enter the jury room, you hear mention that their deliberations will not take very long.  It sounds like a cut and dry case.  Guilty as charged.  Juror #7 (played by Daniel Wolfe Mitnik) has theatre tickets, and wants to get out of there.  Juror #10 (played by Frank DiSpigno) is certain of his guilty vote, as are most of the other men.  There is one hold out.  Juror #8 (played by Max Bank) has reasonable doubt.  He requests a discussion before voting on the fate of the young man on trial.  The foreman (played by Joe Dujmic) leads the deliberation, then takes the vote.  Juror #9 (played by Bill McAndrews) is influenced by the reasoning of Juror #8, and votes not guilty.  Juror #3 (played by Robert Budnick) bullies him for being swayed.  This adds more doubt to the discourse, which extends the deliberation.  The more the men talk, the stronger their doubts become.  They re-enact parts of the crime.  The findings are surprising.    

Francis MacCall, Marco Malgioglio, & Joe Dujmic
Photo courtesy of City Gate Productions

The entire cast is excellent.  They are fully in sync with one another, creating heightened moments of frustration and aggression.  The arguments rise out of genuine concern for wanting to uncover the truth.  Robert Budnick (Juror #3) does not let up with the pushing and bullying, yet Max Bank (Juror #8) does not back down.  They are evenly matched.  The variation in their approach and tactics keeps the conflict polarized and realistic.  Bart Blachnio brings reason and intellect to the table as Juror #4.  He is fair and evenly tempered, allowing everyone’s voice to be heard.  This is why his changed vote carries so much weight.  Bill McAndrews is wise and calm as Juror #9.  Frank DiSpigno’s outburst as Juror #10 is shocking and impactful.

Photo courtesy of City Gate Productions

The play takes place in 1953, on a hot summer day in NYC with no air conditioning.  It offers a keen insight into the mindset of mid-century America.  Our shortcomings, prejudices, and judgments are blatantly clear.  This production is an interesting opportunity to assess how we, as a society, have and have not progressed over the past seventy years.   

City Gate Productions is a company worth keeping an eye on.  12 Angry Men is playing through March 10.  Take the M train to Queens, and check it out.  It is well worth the trip!  

Domenick Danza