Main Stage Series

FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 13, 2016

I HATE HAMLET

by Paul Rudnick

Directed by Vince Tycer

A young and successful television actor relocates to New York, where he rents a marvelous, gothic apartment. With his television career in limbo, the actor is offered the opportunity to play Hamlet onstage, but there's one problem: He hates Hamlet. His dilemma deepens with the entrance of John Barrymore's ghost, who arrives intoxicated and in full costume to the apartment that once was his. The contrast between the two actors, the towering, dissipated Barrymore whose Hamlet was the greatest of his time, and Andrew Rally, hot young television star, leads to a wildly funny duel over women, art, success, duty, television, and yes, the apartment.

Paul Rudnick “knows where the laugh buttons are, and he pushes them like a virtuoso.” — Los Angeles Times

“Fast-mouthed and funny. It has the old-fashioned Broadway virtues of brightness without pretensions and sentimentality without morals." —Village Voice.

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Performance Schedule

Previews on February 24th and 25th; all seats $15.
Opening Night: February 26 - wine and cheese reception before the show
Performances:
Wednesday & Thursday at 7:30 pm
Friday & Saturday at 8:00 pm
Sunday matinee at 2:00 pm, followed by a talk back with the cast.
*Special Tuesday matinee on March 8th at 2:00pm


Full Calendar

Cast

JULIA HOCHNER (Felicia) Playhouse on Park Debut! Gulfshore Playhouse: Lydia Lubey ALL MY SONS; Joe's Pub: Doreen THE FAT MAN'S DAUGHTER; Columbia University: Norma THE FOUND DOG RIBBON DANCE; Night Lights Theatre: Amy TAPE; Cathartic Theatre Project: Romeo ROMEO & JULIET. Julia studied at the University of Washington and Maggie Flanigan Studio. Many thanks to Sean and everyone at Playhouse on Park!

DAVID LANSON (Gary) Playhouse on Park debut! Playwrights Horizons: Eugene Moretti THE BAD AND THE BETTER; SoHo Rep: Stanley ENTER AT FOREST LAWN; Mary McArthur Theatre: Arthur Robertson THE AMERICAN CLOCK. David is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and member of the Amoralists theatre company. David lives in New York City performing on stage, and occasionally stand up comedy when the mood strikes.

RUTH NEAVEILL (Lillian) Shakespeare Theatre Company: Louise (US) PRIVATE LIVES; Anna/Grusha (US) THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR; Centenary Stage Company: Mrs. Garrick/Mrs. Barry A LAUGHING MATTER; Grounded Theatre Company: Martha WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?; Kentucky Contemporary Theatre: Emily Dickinson, THE BELLE OF AMHERST. Playhouse on Park debut! Originally from the Chicago area she has worked with many theaters east of the Mississippi. To all my family, mentors, teachers, and directors…thank you. Take the risk.

SUSAN SLOTOROFF (Deirdre) Playhouse on Park: Actor 6 THE DINING ROOM; Shadowland: Roz MOON OVER BUFFALO, Billie UNNECESSARY FARCE; Arts Center of Coastal Carolina: Maggie LEND ME A TENOR; White Plains Performing Arts Center: Louise FOX ON THE FAIRWAY; NYC – Gershwin Theatre: Glinda WICKED "FOR GOOD;" Duplex: GEL PEN CONFIDENTIAL. Susan is the creator and co-director of the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids BROADWAY RUN runwithus@broadwaycares.org. Love and Thanks to the amazing Playhouse family! For Grandma. www.Susan-Slotoroff.com

DAN WHELTON* (Andrew)
Playhouse on Park Debut! Hartford TheaterWorks: Jason Chenier TAKE ME OUT; Hartford Stage: Butler THE LEARNED LADIES OF PARK AVE, Mr Marvel/Xmas Future A CHRISTMAS CAROL; SpeakEasy Stage: Dakin THE HISTORY BOYS; Lyric Stage Company: Stanley ONE MAN, TWO GUV'NERS; Long Wharf Theatre: Milford/Paperboy GUYS AND DOLLS; Stoneham Theatre: Simon Cotton I CAPTURE THE CASTLE; The Majestic Theater: Edmund LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT. So much thanks to my family for their support and patience…merci mes amours, je vous aime!

EZRA BARNES* (John Barrymore) Playhouse on Park: THE DINING ROOM. Connecticut: Founder and Artistic Director of Shakespeare on the Sound (13 seasons); Hartford Stage: OTHELLO. Off Broadway: Signature Center/Theatre Row: producer and actor BREAKFAST WITH MUGABE; Queens Theater: Atticus Finch TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; New Federal: IN WHITE AMERICA, COOL BLUES; 59 E. 59: THE ENGLISH BRIDE; Signature Center: FINAL ANALYSIS; Mint: FAR AND WIDE; Pearl: RICHARD II. Regional: McCarter, Cincinnati Playhouse, Pioneer, Paper Mill, Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays, Pennsylvania Shakespeare, Quantum Theatre, Bristol Riverside, Centenary Stage. TV: BLACKLIST, BLUE BLOODS, LAW & ORDER(s), SVU, BORED TO DEATH, AS THE WORLD TURNS (RECURRING), ROYAL PAINS. Film: NOAH, JOSHUA, ONCE MORE WITH FEELING and the upcoming STEREOTYPICALLY YOU and KID WITNESS. Graduate, Amherst College and the National Theatre Conservatory. Ezra never played Hamlet, but he is happy to play John Barrymore playing Hamlet.

VINCE TYCER (Director) Playhouse on Park Debut! Previous Directing Credits: Connecticut Repertory Theatre: ANONYMOUS; Rose Theatre Bankside – London: DOCTOR FAUSTUS; The Courtyard Theatre: YOUR FAULT; Camden Fringe Festival: TITUS ANDRONICUS; Drama Studio London: LOVE STORY; Attic Theatre L.A.: BE THE HUNTER. He has performed at the Leicester Square Theatre (West End, Vienna English Theatre, Romanian National Theatre Festival, The Disk Theatre in Prague, Wycombe Swan, Saratoga Shakespeare Company, The Complex L.A., and Sonoma Shakespeare Festival. Vince trained as an actor at Drama Studio London and received his MFA in Directing from UC-Irvine. He teaches Acting at UConn and Westfield State University and was previously the Director of Two Year Studies at Drama Studio London.



*Appears through the courtesy of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Media

Critics Said

-- BroadwayWorld.Com CT
-- Talkin' Broadway
-- OnStage Blog

Production Stills



Photos: Rich Wagner

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