Tragedy turns to farce at Richmond Hill Community Theatre's upcoming dinner theater performances of "Barbecuing Hamlet."

The acting troupe, comprised of actors from Richmond Hill and Savannah, will perform Pat Cook's comedic spoof of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" Friday and Saturday at the Richmond Hill City Center.

"The play is about a woman named Margo Daley who is hired to direct a local community theater group's production of "Hamlet," said RHCT president Jacki Scott.

"She is unaware of all these strange requirements the group has for the production, like mentioning the advertisers' names in the show and setting the play in the Old West. The play has all these great characters: the diva; the know-it-all; the very shy person who's doing his first show ... it's hilarious," she said.

Andrea Powers, Director of Sales at the City Center, said she's enjoyed watching the actors rehearse over the past few weeks and is looking forward to this weekend's performances.

"It's such a fun play," said Powers. "Shows like this aren't something we do a lot of in Richmond Hill, so it's something fun and different for both the City Center and the community. It's a great way for Richmond Hill to experience the theater and support our local performers."

Scott, who has been involved in theater for more than 40 years, helped found the non-profit acting group three years ago.

"When I came to Richmond Hill, I realized that all the theatrical stuff was happening in Savannah. We had a community of nearly 10,000 people, and yet there was no community theater," she said. "I started the group to fill that need and because acting is something I love."

The group has performed at venues throughout Richmond Hill, including What's the Scoop and the amphitheater and Wetlands Center in J.F. Gregory Park. Most of the productions have been small-scale due to lack of venues with stages and seating.

"Our mission is to educate, entertain and enrich the community of Richmond Hill through quality theatrical productions," said Scott. "We try to put on two to three family-friendly shows a year, and we hope to keep growing within the community."

Richard Seng, RHCT board member and co-director of "Barbecuing Hamlet" stressed that local theater gives people the opportunity to interact within the Richmond Hill community, both as performers and audience.

"It brings shows to the community that make them think, and people can discuss with others what the show offered them in ways of entertainment, thought-provocation, and if it provided discussion with other theater goers ... it brings good drama and comedy into their lives," he said.

Check out "Barbecuing Hamlet" March 30 and 31 at the Richmond Hill City Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Dinner and dessert is provided, and tickets are $40 per person or $75 per couple.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.rhct.webs.com or www.richmondhillcitycenter.com.