Shakespeare is already dramatic, but what happens when you hand Hamlet to a small cast, a suitcase of surprise props, and an audience member who gets to help decide who plays what? We’re joined by sisters Adri True and Amber True from True Troupe Theater, a Cheyenne, Wyoming nonprofit that produces found space theater across the state. Their mission is straightforward and rare: make community theater accessible, bring performances to unexpected places, and invite people in even if they haven’t been to a play in years.

We talk stage combat training and why “found object combat” makes actors sharper and shows safer, plus the wild ways acting skills show up in real life, including emergency training scenarios. Then we get into their improv Hamlet concept: directors provide a scene-by-scene summary, actors receive prompts, and the story comes alive differently every single night. With only six performers, character hats, and audience participation, it becomes part Shakespeare, part improv, and part communal event where anything can happen but the story still lands.

You’ll also hear behind-the-scenes stories from the Visit Cheyenne haunted trolley season, how Classics in the Park works in a rural theater setting, and what it takes to keep classic plays understandable without losing what makes them timeless. Adri and Amber share upcoming Hamlet performance dates in Centennial, Laramie, and Cheyenne at Holiday Park, plus community fundraisers and ways to connect with True Troupe online.

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