Residents will have the opportunity to step into a script themselves on Sunday, March 15, when the Berkley Theater hosts a community play reading of “Hamnet” by Lolita Chakrabarti. The event runs from 2 to 4 pm in the theater’s second floor meeting room and is open to adults, seniors, and teens.
The reading will be led by Performing Arts Librarian Travis Milliman, who will offer a brief introduction before participants begin. The format is round-robin, with attendees taking turns reading roles aloud and collectively moving through the full-length play. Organizers welcome actors of all abilities, and no prior performance experience is required.
Chakrabarti’s Hamnet is adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling novel of the same name. Set in Warwickshire in 1582, the story centers on Agnes Hathaway and her relationship with a young William Shakespeare. Agnes, portrayed as a natural healer with a strong intuitive connection to the world around her, builds a family life with Shakespeare as he begins to find his path in the theater.
As Shakespeare travels to London to establish himself professionally, Agnes remains at home raising their three children. The narrative shifts when the plague claims their 11-year-old son, Hamnet. The play examines how each parent confronts grief and how that loss shapes the creative work that follows. The story has drawn renewed attention through its recent film adaptation, which has received multiple Academy Award nominations.
The March 15 event offers participants the chance to engage directly with the text in a collaborative setting. By reading aloud together, attendees will explore character, pacing, and dialogue as the historical drama unfolds in real time.
Registration is currently open. Those who register and provide an email address receive a confirmation message. Organizers encourage community members interested in theater and literature to reserve a spot in advance.
The reading begins at 2 pm and concludes at 4 pm in the Berkley Theater’s second floor meeting room.
