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Hamlet

From July 15-30, the Oberlin Summer Theater Festival will continue its tradition of producing Shakespeare's epic works. Hamlet, the story of a tormented prince's quest for vengeance after his uncle murders his father and marries his mother to assume the throne of Denmark, is the most iconic tragedy ever written for the stage. Shakespeare's masterful development of both character and story ensures that the play remains significant almost half a millennium after it was written. OSTF founder and Hamlet director Paul Moser describes it as "Shakespeare's most fully developed psychological portrait combined with a highly suspenseful and entertaining plot - with a ghost, meta-theatrics, melodramatic twists and turns, sword-play, and lots of humor."

Assuming the title role is Joey Rizzolo, a member of the highly acclaimed New York City theater troupe NeoFuturists. "I've always felt that the role of Hamlet should be played by an actor with consummate comic abilities," explains Moser, who has known Rizzolo since he taught him acting at Oberlin College. "Joey handles Shakespeare's complex poetry with ease - making it extremely vivid and understandable to the audience. His gifts as both a serious actor and comic performer will allow us to present a multi-dimensional and truly human portrait of this character."

Rizzolo will be joined onstage by OSTF veterans Karen Nelson Moser as the errant Queen Gertrude and by Matthew Wright as Polonius, the pompous, mongering father to Hamlet's love interest Ophelia. A third Equity actor, Pete Ferry, will round out the cast as Claudius. Moser believes that skilled professional actors are critical to his production. "Too many people are turned off to Shakespeare in the classroom," he asserts. "Shakespeare is meant to be seen, not read, and part of the mission of OSTF is to make Theater classics accessible to a wide audience."

So if there was ever a perfect time to introduce your friends, family, or yourself to Shakespeare, this is it! But be aware, Hamlet contains mature subject matter and is not suitable for most people under the age of eleven.

All performances in Hall Auditorium. For a complete list of dates and times, see the season calendar.

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