In Teatro La Plaza's ‘Hamlet,' a cast with Down syndrome gives the Danish prince a whole new life

Chicago Tribune

04-03-2025

Before Jaime Cruz became an internationally touring actor, he worked as an usher at Teatro La Plaza in Lima, Peru, but dreamt of performing on stage. As a young man with Down syndrome, his ambition may have seemed unrealistic to some, but when Teatro La Plaza founder Chela De Ferrari got to know Cruz, she began to envision him in one of Shakespeare's most famous roles: Hamlet.
'Traditionally, Hamlet is played by an iconic actor, a master of the craft,' De Ferrari shared with the Tribune via email. 'But what if the role was given to actors historically excluded from artistic and intellectual spaces? This was more than a casting choice — it was a provocation, inviting us to experience Hamlet's most famous question in a deeply personal and contemporary way.'
This idea sparked a wildly successful production that, to date, has taken Cruz and his castmates — seven other young actors with Down syndrome — to more than 40 cities in 11 countries across South America, Europe and Asia. In March, Teatro La Plaza's original adaptation of 'Hamlet' makes its North American debut with 12 performances at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, presented in partnership with the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance. Written and directed by De Ferrari, the play will be performed in Spanish with English translations.
De Ferrari and the ensemble developed the script through a 'year-long exploration' that involved researching 'Hamlet' and 'delving into the actors' personal histories as people with Down syndrome,' she said. (Some interviews for this story were conducted via email to assist with language translations.) The resulting text combines Shakespeare's verse with personal anecdotes from the actors' lives, while production elements such as pop music, dance and video projections give the story a modern twist. 'This was not a traditional adaptation; it was more of a reinvention,' said De Ferrari.
'The famous soliloquies, key confrontations, the ghost's visit, Ophelia's turmoil, Polonius' advice, the theme of supervised love, and scenes like 'Get thee to a nunnery' and the play-within-a-play — all were integrated with personal testimonies,' De Ferrari elaborated. 'For example, Polonius' speech to his son transforms into a father's heartfelt message to his daughter with Down syndrome, reflecting real-life concerns about autonomy and protection. The 'To be or not to be' moment is not just spoken by one Hamlet; it is echoed by all of them, each offering their own interpretation and struggle with existence. The play-within-a-play — Hamlet's strategy to expose Claudius — becomes a reflection on visibility, on how our actors reclaim space in a world that often overlooks them.'
The production premiered in Lima, Peru, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed performances in 2022 with a summer tour to Spain. In 2023, Christine A. Pérez, managing director of CLATA, saw the show at Santiago a Mil, a major Latino theater festival in Chile. Speaking to the Tribune about the experience, Pérez said, 'These actors are master storytellers with a unique perspective and take us on a bold journey, sharing their challenges and triumphs with an infectious joy.'
When Chicago Shakespeare Theater artistic director Edward Hall saw a recording of the production, he was immediately interested in bringing it to Navy Pier. 'Shakespeare has an incredible talent for helping us to open our eyes to different opinions and different experiences. He really does teach us empathy,' said Hall. 'I saw this 'Hamlet,' and I saw a group of extraordinary artists exploring how they moved through the world through the prism of Hamlet's journey through the world, and the fusion somehow created this incredibly joyful celebration of life. … It was just sunshine in a bottle.'
As the company has toured the world, the audience response has been 'deeply moving,' said De Ferrari. 'When we first premiered in Lima, we noticed an interesting contradiction: people praised the idea on social media, yet many hesitated to buy tickets. Some people admitted, 'It makes me uncomfortable to see people with Down syndrome perform,'' she recalled. 'Yet word of mouth changed everything. Those who saw the show were transformed. They returned, bringing family and friends.'
The company's 2025 touring schedule includes the Lincoln Center in New York, the Barbican Centre and Brighton Festival in the UK, and festivals in Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and Canada.
'When this project began, we never imagined it would go so far,' said De Ferrari. 'Everywhere we go, audiences experience something beyond what they expected. Some arrive anticipating a 'social project' or an 'amateur production' but leave artistically and intellectually challenged. Many have told us that their perceptions shifted in real time — that they will never think about theater, inclusion or 'Hamlet' the same way again.'
Pérez feels Chicagoans should be proud that their city will host the North American premiere of this production. 'It's a tremendous accomplishment for Chicago audiences to be the first ones in the United States to experience this invigorating and transformational contemporary rendition of this classic work,' she said.
Hall noted that Teatro La Plaza's 'Hamlet' contributes to the conversation between Shakespeare and contemporary writers that Chicago Shakespeare aims to cultivate throughout its season. Recently on the company's stages, modern plays such as 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding' and 'Avaaz' joyfully explored themes of identity, community and belonging. These works 'speak to some of Shakespeare's themes, and I think 'Hamlet' is certainly one of the deepest, most profound, entertaining, thought-provoking of his plays,' said Hall. 'And done like this, it's a perfect fusion of lived experience and a 450-year-old play.'
In any conversation with someone who's seen the production, the theme of joy consistently arises — an emotion not typically associated with a play known for its many deaths, yet now, transformed by these imaginative Peruvian artists into a celebration of life.