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
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