FARMINGTON — Elsinore Castle, William Shakespeare’s fictional home of Danish royalty, is is once again coming to life with the University of Maine at Farmington’s production of “Hamlet.”

The Theatre UMF production will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, through Saturday, Nov. 18, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19, in the UMF Alumni Theater.

Directed by Jayne Decker, playwright and UMF faculty member, “Hamlet” tells the haunting tale of the prince of Denmark and his tragic journey as he seeks revenge on his uncle Claudius who has murdered his father and married his mother. As is characteristic of Shakespeare’s works, the play is a complex study of human frailties and their ultimate consequences.

“There’s a reverence and an expectation to performing Shakespeare,” Decker said. “Student actors and our entire crew have to bring the highest level of dedication and discipline to the performance.”

Daniel Gunn, UMF English professor, serves as the production’s dramaturg, a literary specialist to help the actors have a deep understanding of Shakespeare’s dialogue. The re-creation of Hamlet’s castle by Stan Spilecki, scene and lighting designer, and a student crew is the most massive set design in 10 years of theater productions at UMF.

The work of student costume designer Madison Uliano helps transport the audience to the 16th century Shakespearean experience, and sound designer Michael Diffin adds another layer of ghostly elements and sound effects.

“This is a huge undertaking, and our students have embraced the challenge,” Decker said.

An award-winning playwright, Decker has directed numerous productions at UMF Alumni Theater. Her production, “Coyote on a Fence,” was awarded a Moss Hart Memorial Award by the New England Theatre Conference — New England’s oldest and largest regional theater association. Her other directorial work includes Martin McDonagh’s “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” George Brant’s “Elephant’s Graveyard,” the musicals “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Oliver!” and productions of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

She has also presented workshop productions of her original plays “Good Medicine;” “Stars Falling,” winner of the 2002 Maine Playwriting Award; “Jelly Moonshine;” and “Songbird,” a touring play about the Iraq War. “Cracked Shells,” an original play by Decker about domestic violence, was commissioned by Franklin County Network’s Peace in Our Families and was featured again at the 2009 Maine Women’s Studies Conference.

This Theatre UMF production is sponsored by the UMF Department of the Arts. The play’s subject matter is of an adult nature.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and non-UMF students, and $5 for UMF students with I.D. Tickets are available at the time of the performance and can be reserved by calling the Theatre UMF box office at 207-778-7465.

UMF student Jonas Maines as Hamlet in Theatre UMF fall production, Nov. 16-19, in UMF Alumni Theater.

Crew

Director, Jayne Decker

Dramaturg, Daniel Gunn

Scene and lighting design, Stan Spilecki

Costume design, Madison Uliano of Bar Harbor

Sound sesign, Michael Diffin

Stage manager, Hope Lash of Waldoboro

Cast

Bernardo, Andrew Wilcox of Livermore Falls

Claudius, Steffon Gales of Roxbury, Mass.

Gertrude, Aislinn Forbes of Andover

Ghost, recorded voice, Stan Spilecki

Grave Digger Clown, Brock Bubar of Etna

Guildenstern, Declan Attaway-Murphy of Portland

Hamlet, Jonas Maines of Portland

Horatio, Astra Pierson of Farmington

Laertes, Julie Guerra of Falmouth

Marcellus, Matthew Dotson of Boerne of Texas

Ophelia, Hailey Craig of Trenton

Osric, Henry Wanat of Parkman

Polonius, Daniel Gunn

Reynaldo, Allison Bernier of Livermore Falls

Rosencrantz, Kayla Ide

The Player King, Ian Grima of Rockland

The Dumbshow Players:

Cody Curtis of Pittsfield

Jurnee Dunn of Rockland

Brittany Hemphill of Skowhegan

Bri Livingston of Lisbon

Eila McCulloch of Scituate, Mass.

Laney Randolph of Hartford

Eliza Robinson of Camden