William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Now in Production at RWStageArt
May 8, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) RWStageArt, a North Fork-based theater company focused on bringing the works of William Shakespeare to the stage with passion and energy, is going into production of their latest offering, Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. The company has signed on East End Shakespeare’s A.D. Newcomer as director, Joan Chambers as costume designer, Alan Stewart as Fight Director, and Kevin Twigg as the composer of an original score written especially for this production. Ms. Chambers has designed costumes for Shakespeare productions for many years, both on the North Fork and in New York City and her painstaking attention to detail, her incredible sense of color and texture, and sumptuous fabrics will be an invaluable asset to the production. Mr. Twigg is a percussionist and composer working all over the country as a performer, frequently with David Amram, and also teaches percussion at the East End Community School of the Arts. He has been involved in scoring many theater productions, mostly in New York City, and given his crazy schedule, we are very lucky he has agreed to work with us. Ms. Newcomer is a new director who has worked on several local Shakespeare productions with both Northeast Stage and RWStageArt as stage manager, assistant director and Shakespearean dramaturg and has also trained at Shakespeare & Company.
The role of Hamlet will be played by RWStageArt co-founder Robert L.S. Wilson and other members of the cast include RWStageArt co-founder Rebekah White as Ophelia, Mel Mendelssohn as Polonius, Philip Reichert as Claudius, Susan Cincotta as Gertrude, Tom Rosanti as Laertes, Jere Jacob as the Gravedigger and Player Lucianus, Kevin Monsell as Marcellus, the Priest and the Player King, Allyson Bunch as the Player Queen, Ed Weiss as Barnardo and the English Ambassador , and Alan Stewart as The Ghost.
While we have edited the script down to a shorter performance time of 2 ¾ hrs, the language remains otherwise unaltered and every effort has been made to keep the rhythmic flow of the verse and the dramatic structure of the full text. We are working to infuse a timeless script with our own creative energy, bringing a fresh but true interpretation to one of the best-known and loved plays of all time. We hope to create a production that reaches modern audiences artistically, energetically, and powerfully and reveals for them the beauty and music of Shakespeare’s verse, as well as the rich complexity of Shakespeare’s characters. Part of our mission is to work collaboratively with actors, directors, musicians, visual artists and Shakespeare in a creatively nurturing environment that allows for the continued exploration of all the aspects of the art and craft of performing Shakespeare with vision and clarity.
We rehearse in Southold and performances will take place at the Vail-Leavitt Music Hall on August 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th and 9th at 7pm, with Sunday Matinees on August 3rd and 10th at 2pm.
Tickets will be $15/$10 for students and seniors.
We still have a few roles available and interested actors can contact the director for audition info before May 23rd. Members of the creative team are available for interviews upon request. Photos and other materials also available. Contact A.D. Newcomer at 631-208-6933 or by email at anewcome@suffolk.lib.ny.us.
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Vail Leavitt Music Hall
Map of 18 Peconic Ave, Riverhead, NY 11901
http://www.vail-leavitt.org/
A.D. Newcomer
Director, RWStageArt’s HAMLET
631-208-6933
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