It’s that time of year again; the advanced acting students at PHS are preparing to showcase their performing talents in the March plays, Dead Man’s Cell Phone and Hamlet.

While Hamlet is one of the most well-known and celebrated works of English literature, Dead Man’s Cell Phone is a modern look at the role that technology plays in life.

Senior Wes Dunlap, who will play the role of Prince Hamlet, is excited to portray such an iconic person.

“It’s an honor to play one of the best written characters in classic literature,” Dunlap said. “Although the process is demanding and challenging, it is the most fulfilling work I have done so far.”

Because Hamlet was written so long ago and so many different renditions of the play have been performed, it is common for each new portrayal of the classic work to sway from Shakespeare’s actual words. While PHS’s performance will contain some creative idiosyncrasies, Dunlap still thinks it is important to uphold the rich tradition and respect Shakespeare’s masterpiece.

“The beautiful thing about Hamlet is that it gives the actors so much room to stretch and and to personalize each character,” Dunlap said. “It’s not about performing in a certain way to emulate a previous actor’s rendition of Hamlet; for example, the way I feel through the lines may change from night to night depending on how I feel or how the play has gone so far. But I still want to respect the piece and know its roots.”

On the other hand, Dead Man’s Cell Phone is a play about a woman who finds a cell phone which belonged to a man who has passed away. She keeps the phone in an attempt to keep the man “alive”, and recreates a new persona for this man and herself. Senior Talia Purnell is playing the lead role for the first time in her acting career.

“This is my first leading role, and I thought it would be absolutely crazy and busy,” Purnell said. “But because the cast is so great and because Kim is an awesome director, being the lead is actually a lot less stressful than I thought it would be and it is turning out to be a great learning experience.”

Purnell also commended her fellow acting classmates for making the process of production as fun as it is.

“My favorite thing about this play is being able to make close friends in the process and give the juniors in my class the best possible first play experience,” Purnell said.

Hamlet will take place on March 13 and 14, while Dead Man’s Cell Phone will be on March 15 and 16.