LEWISTON — Out of the Box Theater will present William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” opening Aug. 4, at DownStage at L/A Arts.

Linda Britt is directing the show. Stan Spilecki and Mark Hazard collaborated on cutting the classic play to a length and scope appropriate to the venue and the company.

Spilecki, co-founder of Out of the Box Theater with Britt, is a Shakespearean scholar and well known for his set and light designs in local theaters. One of the theater’s goals has been to present Shakespeare’s works.

Both Britt and Spilecki have a long theatrical history with classics and have appeared on-stage and worked behind the scenes. The OOTB’s productions of “Medea” and “Death of a Salesman” have won Moss Hart Awards.

Hazard is serving as the dramaturg for this production, assisting the cast in understanding and interpreting Shakespeare’s words. He holds a Ph.D in medieval literature and has taught a wide range of material, including classics, Shakespeare, Chaucer and Tolkien. He also has appeared on-stage in many classic productions at OOTB as well as other local theaters.

The cast, which has been in rehearsal the past few weeks, includes Michael Litchfield as Hamlet, Hazard as Claudius; Cheryl Reynolds as Queen Gertrude,  Ellen Peters as Ophelia, Ryan Adair as Horatio, Paul Menezes as Laertes, Harley Marshall as the Ghost, Rachel Spilecki as Guildenstern, Gerry Therrien as Marcellus/Osrick, John Blanchette as Polonius, Michelle Washburn as a messenger/sailor, Jason Pelletier as the Gravedigger, and Jackie McDonald as Rosencrantz/Bernardo.

 The production crew includes Stan Spilecki, set/light designer, assisted by Rachel Spilecki, Becca Spilecki and Therrien. Vicki Machado is stage manager; Steve Mortimer, sound design; Melody Driscoll, prompter; Rachel Morin, publicist; Susan Brown, costumer; Blanchette, program; Jeff Soifer, poster; and Patricia Phillips, props.

Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13. No Sunday matinees. Seating is limited.Tickets are $10, $12 at the door. For reservations, call 782-7228 or visit www.laarts.org. DownStage at L/A Arts is at 5 Canal St. Alley, off Pine St.