To be or not to be… bored by the ramblings of a certain prince of Denmark is a question one need not face when going to see the hilarious new entry in Miners Alley Playhouse’s season, “I Hate Hamlet.”

The real question is whether you can relate to an someone struggling with feeling like a failure and searching for the brief moments when things just seem to gel. Which really could be anybody.

“What drew me to this production is how honest it is. It’s hilarious and big, but it also has so much heart,” wrote John Hauser, who plays the show’s lead, in an email interview. “So many artists deal with the same things that Andrew goes through, feelings of inadequacy, imposter syndrome, but also those feelings of being in the moment and owning a role, even if only for a brief moment.”

“I Hate Hamlet” runs at Miners Alley, 1224 Washington Ave., from Friday, March 31 through Sunday, April 23. Performances are at 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

The show tells the story of Andrew Rally (Hauser), a daytime television actor whose show has recently been canceled. He is cast in a production of Shakespeare in the Park as Hamlet but isn’t sure he can pull the character off, but when he is visited by the ghost of former Hamlet performer John Barrymore, things get a little more complicated.

“It is really a quirky, witty script that moves along nicely,” said director Rory Pierce. “In addition to how funny and smart it is, there’s a swashbuckling sword fight and just enough Shakespeare to whet your appetite, but not enough to put you asleep.”

While the show does have some inside jokes and references that fans of The Bard will no doubt enjoy, Pierce said knowledge of the playwright’s canon isn’t a prerequisite to having a good time at the show.

“If audiences go away in a better mood than they arrived in and had an evening of fun and laughter, that’s what we’re aiming for,” Pierce said. “We also hope that they’ll have a slightly better appreciation of the work that goes into performing and a greater appreciation of the theater.”

While there are laughs aplenty, as is always the case with a Miners Alley production, everyone has their sights firmly set on the humanity of the story being told.

“This show is unique in the way that it can be so wild and over the top, but also so genuine and honest at the same time,” Hauser wrote. “I hope audiences leave with a smile on their face.”

For information and tickets, visit https://minersalley.com/i-hate-hamlet/.

Immersive yourself in the power of art and jazz

The Lumonics Gallery, 800 E. 73 Ave., Unit 11, in Denver, is blending its signature approach to artistic light shows with jazz at two Immersive Jazz-Art performances, both held from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The first is Friday, March 24 and the second is Friday, March 31.

The two events will feature a blend of art, film and live, improvisational jazz accompanied by the Lumonics light sculptures/video. According to provided information, Janine Santana, a jazz musician and radio personality, will be hosting the series and selecting an accompanying jazz film.

For more information, visit www.lumonics.net/jazz.

Learn about cumbia with Ciudad Reina and RedLine

Ciudad Reina and RedLine Contemporary Art Center have teamed up to present Una Historia de la Cumbia, an evening that celebrates all things cumbian - history, dance, music and more.

The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 24, at the RedLine Contemporary Art Center, 2350 Arapahoe St. in Denver. Cumbia is a kind of genre and music that was started in Colombia and has spread all over the Americas.

According to provided information, attendees will get to hear from KUVO’s Super Sonido host La Molly and El Jaguar, who will provide some historical context for cumbia, followed by a dance class led by Magally Rizo Luna. The evening wraps up with a cumbia party.

Get more information at www.redlineart.org/upcoming-events/una-historia-de-la-cumbia.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — The Wonder Years at Summit Music Hall

Hearing the name The Wonder Years probably makes most people think of the golden years of their youth (or a late 1980s sitcom about the golden years of youth). Pennsylvania’s band of the same name can certainly pull at the heartstrings, but the indie rock favorites accomplish this by blending aching and searching lyricism with emo-indebted rocky stylings.

In support of 2022’s “The Hum Goes on Forever,” they’ll be stopping by Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St. in Denver, at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 28. Joining them are the wonderful alt-rock group Hot Mulligan. Get a ticket at www.livenation.com.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.