Casting "I Hate Hamlet"
By Paul Rudnick.
Produced by The Little Egg Theatre Company (LETCO)
Directed by John Correll
AUDITIONS: Open readings Thursday and Friday 2/8 & 2/9, 6pm- 8pm at the Edward Thornton / Little Egg Harbor Community Center at 319 West Calabreeze Little Egg Harbor, NJ. If you read Thursday, you may be asked to come back Friday for a call back. Auditions will be open readings from scripts/sides provided. Final call back TBA if needed.
LETCO is a community theater group, welcoming and friendly. All levels of experience are welcome.
REHEARSALS: Begin mid-February and will be held at the Community Center and The Church of the Holy Spirit in Tuckerton
Dates will be determined depending on space availability and cast schedules.
Load in, Tech, and final dress starts Friday May 3rd - 121th. All cast must be available within that window leading up to the show.
PERFORMANCE DATES: Runs Thursday May 9 through Sunday May 12.
SYNOPSIS:
Set in John Barrymore's old apartment in New York City – at the time, the author's real-life home – the play follows successful television actor Andrew Rally as he struggles with taking on the dream role of Hamlet, dealing with a girlfriend who is keeping a firm grip on her chastity, and playing host to the ghost of John Barrymore, who, clothed as Hamlet, has come back to earth for the sole purpose of convincing Rally to play the part. Real estate agent Felicia Dantine convinces Rally to stay in the apartment and hold a seance.
Barrymore proves to be very convincing (challenging Andrew to a sword fight in the middle of the New York loft), and Andrew decides to play Hamlet. But when a Hollywood friend shows up offering Andrew a new role in a television pilot, with a potentially large salary and fame, Andrew is forced to choose between Shakespeare, whom his girlfriend loves, or television, where he is loved by millions.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
Felicia Dantine: Andrew Rally’s real estate broker, Felicia Dantine claims that she can speak to the dead; however, her séance arranged to speak with the ghost of Barry more appears on the surface to have been a failure.
Andrew Rally: Y oung and popular, Andrew Rally is a television actor and star of a recently canceled soap opera. He just moved to New York City from Los Angeles, where he will soon be playing Hamlet on stage. He is both overwhelmed and chagrined by the challenge, because it is the stage, not Hollywood, and because it is perhaps the most difficult role every written. However, he has unwittingly moved into the apartment of the deceased John Barrymore, perhaps the greatest Shakespearean actor who ever lived.
Deirdre McDavey: Attractive and emotional, Deirdre McDavey is Rally’s girlfriend. She is committed, much to his annoyance, to “saving herself” until they are married.
Lillian Troy: Rally’s agent, Lillian Troy is in her early twenties but remembers fondly an affair she had with John Barry more many years ago, in the apartment Rally now lives in.
John Barrymore: A legendary actor, John Barrymore, or, rather, his ghost is still quite active (in many ways) and appears to help Rally in the nuances of both acting and love.
Gary Peter Lefkowitz: A cocky, pompous television producer, Gary Peter Lefkowitz gave Rally his first big break. He wants Rally to move back to Los Angeles to film a new television series and can’t understand why he isn’t jumping at the chance.
We look forward to seeing you!
*LETCO is a non-profit community theatre troupe. All participation is on a volunteer basis. No members of the cast or crew are compensated.