August 31, 2010
CONTACT: Kirsten Park, 801-581-6270
PIONEER THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS
Hamlet
By William Shakespeare
Pioneer Theatre Company presents Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet. The show runs September 17 through October 2, 2010.
Considered one of the most powerful and influential plays in the English language, Hamlet, explores themes of treachery, revenge, family dysfunction and madness as Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius for killing his own brother, King Hamlet.
Michael Crane makes his PTC debut as Hamlet. He has performed off-Broadway in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Public Theatre), Doris to Darlene (Playwrights Horizons), and The Young Left (Cherry Lane Theatre), as well as in the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Berkshire Theatre Festival and numerous television goals including a recurring role on NBC’s Kings.
Greg Thornton returns to PTC as Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle and stepfather. Thornton appeared last season in Is He Dead? and played Salieri in PTC’s Amadeus. He appeared in the Off-Broadway production of John Ferguson at the Mint Theater and received the Best Actor Award for the role of David in The Conjugality Test at MITF in New York. He has been a resident actor with the McCarter Theater, GeVa Theater, and Alabama Shakespeare Festival.
Gertrude, Prince Hamlet’s mother, is played by Joyce Cohen who returns to PTC after playing last season’s Mrs. Webb in Our Town. Joyce has appeared on Broadway in Once A Catholic as well as Off-Broadway. Her regional credits include People’s Light & Theatre Co., Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Peterborough Players, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Plan B Theatre, the Salt Lake Acting Co., and numerous TV and film credits Independence Day, Touched by an Angel, and Everwood.
Nisi Sturgis plays Ophelia in her PTC debut. Her Broadway credits include The 39 Steps,Intimate Apparel, Perfect Harmony, Dsyphoria, and The Less We Talk. Nisi will be seen this fall in the new HBO series starring Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire.
Noble Shropshire returns as Polonius, the father of Ophelia and Laertes. He last appeared at PTC in Three Musketeers, Amadeus, Tartuffe and Proof. He appeared on Broadway in The Drowsy Chaperone; in the Royal National Theatre’s premiere of Tennessee Williams’s Not About Nightingales and in Candida at Roundabout, as well as multiple Off-Broadway and regional roles. Shropshire was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Laertes, Horatio and Rosencrantz are played by Equity actors Michael Zlabinger and Nick Dillenburg in their PTC debuts, and Eric Gilde, who is returning after appearing in last season’sOur Town as George Gibbs. Guildenstern is played by Jake Milo Koeppl, a recent graduate of University of Utah’s Actors Training Program.
The Player King and Player Queen are played by Wynn Harmon and Alexandra Harbold, both in their PTC debuts. Local Equity actors Justin Ivie plays Bernardo and Paul Kiernan plays Marcellus and the Grave Digger. Kiernan also serves as Fight Choreographer for this production.
The non-Equity ensemble cast includes Richie Call, Jason Hackney, Sarah Mcloney, Andy Rindlisbach, Alejandro Stepenberg and John Terry.
PTC Artistic Director Charles Morey has directed over eighty productions for PTC since he joined the theatre in 1984, including the world premiere of Touch(ed), and the first regional productions of Les Misérables, The Producers, and The Vertical Hour. He is the author of nine plays including the adaptation of this season’s Dracula. He is a Fellow of the MacDowell Colony.
Set designer Gary M. English is the Founding Artistic Director of Connecticut Repertory Theatre and served as Artistic Director and Department Head in Dramatic Arts for fifteen years. As a designer, his work includes scenery and costumes for Off-Broadway, television and over 70 productions at many of America’s leading repertory theatres.
Susan Branch Towne returns to PTC to design costumes for this production after designingOur Town, A Chorus Line, Romeo and Juliet, My Fair Lady, A Midsummer Night’s Dream,Chicago, Julius Caesar, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Macbeth, Tartuffe,Sophisticated Ladies, King Lear, and Richard III. Among her New York credits are Griffelkin for New York City Opera and the Off-Broadway productions of Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!, She Loves Me, Fortinbras and Two Gentlemen of Verona. Susan lives in Austin, Texas.
Lighting Designer Phil Monat designed last year’s production of Touch(ed), as well as previous PTC productions of My Fair Lady, Paint Your Wagon, Five Guys Named Moe, Chicago, Copenhagen, Ragtime, Anything Goes, Steel Magnolias, and Alexandre Dumas and the Lady of the Camelias. He has designed over 400 productions in regional theatres throughout the country.
Sound Designer Matthew Tibbs has previously worked professionally as a sound designer or engineer at Portland Center Stage, Artists Repertory Theater, and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. He recently relocated to Salt Lake City and is PTC’s resident sound designer.
Hair and Make-up Designer Amanda French, PTC resident designer, has worked for theatres all over the west. She is a contributing writer in the ninth edition of Stage Makeup by Richard Corson and James Glavan and is a featured artist in The Costume Technician’s Handbook by Rosemary Ingham and Liz Covey.
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MEDIA PHOTO SHOOT: There will be a media photo shoot on Tuesday, September 7th, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. at Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 S. 1400 E., SLC. Please RSVP at (801) 581-6270.
PHOTOS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD: High-resolution color photos of this production will be available for media use on the PTC website beginning Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 after 4:00 p.m. Navigate to “Press Room” on our website or go directly to http://www.pioneertheatre.org/press-room/media-photos. MEDIA MEMBERS WILL NEED A LOGIN TO ACCESS. Please call 801-581-6270 or 801-557-1146 to get one.
TV CAMERA FILMING: Filming a short segment of the production during Preview or Opening Night for press use can be arranged. Call (801) 581-6270.
INTERVIEWS: Interviews with the cast and artistic staff are available. Call (801) 581-6270.
PRESS TOURS: Tours of the set for the press are available. Call (801) 581-6270.
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WHO: Pioneer Theatre Company
WHAT: Hamlet
By William Shakespeare
WHEN: September 17 – October 2, 2010
TIMES: Mondays – Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday matinees, 1:30 p.m. (Sept. 25 only) or 2:00 p.m. (all others)
WHERE: Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre
300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City
PRICE: $42 – $24; Children K – 12 are half price on Mondays and Tuesdays
MORE: Box Office (801) 581-6961. The Box Office is open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday – Friday, and Saturdays when there are performances
CAST:
Richie Call………. Ensemble
Joyce Cohen*………. Gertrude
Michael Crane*………. Hamlet
Nick Dillenburg*………. Rosencrantz
Eric Gilde*………. Horatio
Jason Hackney………. Ensemble
Alexandra Harbold*………. Player Queen
Wynn Harmon*………. Player King
Justin Ivie*………. Bernardo
Paul Kiernan*………. Marcellus
Jake Milo Koeppl………. Guildenstern
Sarah McLoney………. Ensemble
Andy Rindlisbach………. Ensemble
Noble Shropshire*………. Polonius
Alejandro Steppenberg………. Ensemble
Nisi Sturgis*………. Ophelia
John Terry………. Ensemble
Greg Thornton*………. Claudius
Michael Zlabinger*……….. Laertes
ARTISTIC TEAM:
Director……….. Charles Morey
Set Designer……….. Gary M. English
Costume Designer……….. Susan Branch Towne
Lighting Designer……….. Phil Monat
Sound Designer……….. Matthew Tibbs
Fight Choreographer……….. Paul Kiernan
Wig and Make-up Designer……….. Amanda French
*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association.