Characters (from left) Felicia Dantine (Danielle Rivers) and Deirdre McDavey (Amber Roal), plan a séance to attempt to contact the ghost of John Barrymore in the upcoming Evergreen Playhouse production, "I Hate Hamlet".
The actors of "I Hate Hamlet" (from left) Rich Garrett (The Ghost of John Barrymore), Alene Stewart (Lillian Troy), Amber Roal (Deirdre McDavey), Shane Rivers (Andrew Rally), Mark Pendleton (Gary Peter Lefkowitz) and Danielle Rivers (Felicia Dantine).
The Ghost of John Barrymore (Rich Garrett), right, teaches Andrew Rally (Shane Rivers) what it means to play the character of Hamlet.
In a display of dramatic comedy, thespians at the Evergreen Playhouse are bringing the first of five productions to life as the cast of “I Hate Hamlet” hits the stage.
Director Eric Mark said the play is sure to entertain. In the first play under the direction of Mark at the Evergreen Playhouse, he said he picked the script primarily for the ample amount of laughs the community is sure to get from the performance.
“When I first started (reading the script) I couldn’t stop laughing,” Mark said. “It’s a show that has lots of intrigue: There’s a sword fight, there’s romance, there’s comedy. It’s just a fun show.”
The director, who has 34 years of experience in theater, said the play has a little bit of everything for everybody, although he rated the performance PG-13 due to suggestive material.
“We are ready for an audience,” Mark said about yesterday’s kickoff date.
After five weeks of rehearsals, the six-person cast has taken the stage for the upcoming three weeks worth of performances.
The play focuses on Andrew Rally, an actor of a soap opera television show in Los Angeles. Played by Shane Rivers, Rally had it all — a hit TV show, a rich girlfriend and a life of luxury, that is until his show was canceled.
After news of the cancellation hits, Rally moves with his girlfriend, Deidre McDavey, played by Amber Roal, to New York where his new talent agent, Lillian Troy, played by Alene Stewart, convinces him to audition for Shakespeare in the Park.
After being influenced both by his talent agent and his girlfriend, a Shakespeare fanatic, Rally auditions for Hamlet and secures the popular role.
Rally’s real estate agent, Felicia Dantine, played by Danielle Rivers, gets Rally an apartment once owned by a legend. It’s in this apartment that Rally begins his transformation into the role of a Shakespeare character.
In the apartment, the ghost of John Barrymore, an American actor known for his role in Hamlet, is conjured with a mission to help Rally play the best Hamlet possible.
“Barrymore and Andrew (Rally) have an enormous amount of chemistry on the stage,” Mark said.
During the uphill struggle, Rally’s former agent, Gary Lefkowitz, played by Mark Pendleton, also makes an appearance in a money-hungry drive to prosper, adding to the comedic drama.
Through it all, Rally and Barrymore work together to achieve their final goal, amid a thick plot of comedy and a rich dynamic of character interactions.
“I’m very fortunate because I have a very, very talented cast,” Mark said. “Just being able to work with them and share my vision of what the play is with them and see it come alive is very rewarding for me as a director.”
Mark said the play allows the audience to escape for two hours, taking them to another place where there are no worries or stress.
“The thing about it is today you pick up the newspaper, you watch TV, and everything is so depressing,” Mark said. “This is a chance to just go to the theater and forget about it. How often do you really get to sit down and fully laugh?”
The play will debuted last night. Friday and will continue until Oct. 19, playing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Evergreen Playhouse in Centralia.
The play will also have one “pay what you will” showing at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, allowing people the chance to donate however much they would like to watch the performance.
“I think people, if they come to see the show, will be very entertained,” Mark said.
The Evergreen Playhouse was established in 1959 by a group of local citizens who have a strong commitment to the theatrical arts and is located at 226 W. Center St. in Centralia.
