DIGITAL PLAYBILL
Kentucky Shakespeare
presents
Hamlet
by William Shakespeare; edited by Gregory Maupin
Directed by Amy Attaway
recorded live in Central Park, fall 2020
Setting: Denmark, 1400
Run-Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
CAST
Jon Becraft: King Claudius/Ghost
Jennice Butler: Queen Gertrude/Francisco
Gregory Maupin: Polonius/Gravedigger
Tessa McShane: Ophelia/Osric
Mollie Murk: Horatio/Rosencrantz/Player Queen
Tyler Rosenblatt: Marcellus/Guildenstern/Player Poisoner/Priest
Tyler Tate: Laertes/Bernardo/Player King
Crystian Wiltshire: Hamlet
CREATIVE TEAM
Director: Amy Attaway
Scenic Designer: Karl Anderson
Sound Designer: Laura Ellis
Costume Designer: Donna Lawrence-Downs
Fight Choreographer: Eric Frantz
Dramaturg/Editor: Gregory Maupin
Stage Manager: Clare Hagan
Sound Engineer: Victoria Campbell
Filmed and edited by Kelly’s Filmworks
Thank you to our sponsors!
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Special Thanks to the following Metro Council Members, whose support makes this work possible:
Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin, District 2
Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith, District 4
Councilman Brandon Coan, District 8
Councilman Pat Mulvihill, District 10
Councilman Brent Ackerson, District 26
Councilwoman Cindi Fowler, District 14
Councilwoman Paula McCraney, District 7
Councilman Bill Hollander, District 9
Councilman David Yates, District 25
Councilwoman Nicole George, District 21
Councilman Kevin Triplett, District 15
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HAMLET CAST BIOS
Jon Becraft
Jon Becraft (King Claudius/Ghost) has worked extensively with Kentucky Shakespeare as a touring artist educator, and appeared onstage as Orlando (As You Like It), Don John (Much Ado About Nothing), and Saturninus (Titus Andronicus).
Jennice Butler
Jennice Butler (Queen Gertrude/Francisco) holds an MFA in Acting from U.C. Irvine and a BS in Theatre from University of Evansville, IN, and is certified in Knight-Thompson Speechwork. L.A. credits: The Pliant Girls (Ovation nominated); Too Much of Water; Shine Darkly, Illyria; Suckin Injun (Hollywood Fringe Festival) and Private Lives (ICT, Long Beach). She also acted in two seasons with Summer Repertory Theatre (Santa Rosa, CA) and was an acting apprentice at Great River Shakespeare Festival.
Tessa McShane
Tessa McShane (Ophelia/Osric) is from Louisville and received her BA in theatre from Hanover College. Tessa has worked with Kentucky Shakespeare in many capacities, including touring shows and workshops as an Artist Educator and teaching with Camp Shakespeare during many summers. As a teaching artist Tessa strives to spark a passion of theatre arts in students of all ages.
Gregory Maupin
Gregory Maupin (Polonius/Gravedigger) is thrilled for his umpteenth time on stage and as text coach/dramaturg with Kentucky Shakespeare. He and his wife Abigail are ukulele duo Rannygazoo (frequently appearing live on radio’s Homefront and Kentucky USA), co-wrote The Glorious Adventures of the Mighty Robin Hood, and in 2004 co-founded Le Petomane Theatre Ensemble. He is a charter member of Brooklyn’s Under the Table Ensemble. Kentucky Shakespeare appearances include: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (Guildenstern), Much Ado (Benedick), As You Like It (Touchstone), Taming of the Shrew (Petruchio), Midsummer (Bottom), Macbeth (Porter). With Actors Theatre: Luna Gale (Cliff), At the Vanishing Point (Martin), Our Town (Simon Stimson), Midsummer (Flute), Macbeth, 43 Plays for 43 Presidents. With the Dell’Arte Company: Vaudeville (co-creator). Gregory graduated from Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre.
Mollie Murk
Mollie Murk (Horatio/Rosencrantz/Player Queen) An avid fan of Kentucky Shakespeare, Mollie has performed in Titus Andronicus (Lavinia), as well as several KSF touring productions. She is currently an Artist in Residence at Actors Theatre of Louisville, and can be heard in this year’s Dracula: The Radio Play as Mina Harker. She also has acted for ATL in The Wolves (#8), Dracula (Mina, u/s Lucy), and Are You There? in the 44th Humana Festival of New American Plays. In 2017, Mollie founded Hope Summer Repertory Theatre’s education program, and has taught for several other theatre companies across the country including Seattle Children’s Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago. She is an alum of Hope College and Shakespeare & Company’s Center for Actor Training. A proud member of the Ring of Keys Network for Queer theatre artists, Mollie is thankful to have the ability to safely thrive artistically and personally here in Louisville. She hopes our city grows in its ability to grant all Louisvillians that safety. Change Today Change Tomorrow is one of many organizations in Louisville working for community engagement and racial justice that you can support: https://change-today.org/
Tyler Rosenblatt
Tyler Rosenblatt (Marcellus/Guildenstern/Player Poisoner/Priest) is incredibly grateful to be on stage with Kentucky Shakespeare! He is a recent graduate of Northern Kentucky University. He has worked with Kincaid Regional Theater, StageRight Musical Theatre, Cincinnati LandMark Productions, and Queen Mab’s Players. Tyler would like to thank his friends and family for their endless support. He dedicates this performance and every performance to Ally Davis. Keep up with Tyler at TylerRosenblatt.com.
Tyler Tate
Tyler Tate (Laertes/Bernardo/Player King) is very appreciative of the opportunity to perform in this year’s summer season at Kentucky Shakespeare! Born in Washington D.C., he moved to Newnan Georgia where he was raised. His interest in theatre began when he auditioned for his high school musical Hairspray and was cast as Seaweed Stubbs. After attaining his B.A. in performing arts, Tyler performed as an ensemble member in Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s production of Annie. He is currently a graduate acting student in the University of Louisville’s Theatre Arts Department and is excited about his final year in the program and all it will offer.
Crystian Wiltshire
Crystian Wiltshire (Hamlet) is delighted to return to the Central Park stage. In Central Park, Crystian has been in Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio), Romeo and Juliet (Romeo), The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Eglamour), Richard II, Julius Caesar, The Winter’s Tale, and Twelfth Night. With Actors Theatre of Louisville: Dracula (Harker). With Cincinnati Shakespeare Company: The Tempest (Ferdinand), Fences (Cory), and Macbeth (Donalbain). Know Theatre, Cincinnati: Kill Move Paradise. Other Louisville credits: And In This Corner…Cassius Clay and Hamlet in Kentucky Shakespeare’s co-production with StageOne Family Theatre.
PRODUCTION TEAM BIOS
Amy Attaway, Director/Associate Artistic Director
Amy proudly serves as the Associate Artistic Director of Kentucky Shakespeare. She’s directed The Taming of the Shrew, The Winter’s Tale, Richard II, Henry IV Part I and II, and Henry V in the park, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead at the Bomhard Theater, The War of the Worlds and Night of the Living Dead at Louisville Public Media, and the spring tours of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Macbeth. Amy is also co-founder and Artistic Director Emeritus of Theatre [502], where she directed the regional premieres of The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, River City, Red Speedo, Auctioning the Ainsleys, Broadsword: a heavy metal play and Futura, as well as the world premieres commissions The Two Lobbyists of Verona and The Stranger and Ludlow Quinn. She spent five seasons as Associate Director of the Professional Training Company at Actors Theatre of Louisville, where directed several commissioned works in the Humana Festival of New American Plays, including Sleep Rock Thy Brain, Oh, Gastronomy! and The End. Amy is a graduate of the University of Evansville.
Karl Anderson, Set Designer
This is Karl’s third season with Kentucky Shakespeare. He has designed many sets for StageOne Family Theatre, most recently Dragons Love Tacos, Hamlet, and James and the Giant Peach. He also designed numerous shows such as Sleep Rock Thy Brain for Actors Theatre of Louisville, Assassins, Tommy, and Sweeney Todd for CenterStage at JCC, and many seasons for Pandora Productions, Theatre [502], and Bunbury Theatre, as well as Three Decembers for KY Opera. He graduated from UK with a B.F.A. in theatre design and technology. Karl is currently the Technical Director for StageOne Family Theatre. He is married to costumer Allison Anderson with whom he has two wonderful teenage sons.
Donna Lawrence-Downs, Costume Designer
Donna has designed the costumes for Kentucky Shakespeare for the last seven seasons, including the summer festival productions and spring tours, and the indoor Titus Andronicus, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, Twelfth Night, The War of the Worlds, and Night of the Living Dead. Donna has designed over 385 shows for more than 30 different theatres in her 30-year career, including a stint at KSF in the 1990’s, and StageOne Family Theatre, Music Theatre Louisville, CenterStage, Louisville Ballet, Kentucky Opera, and Pandora Productions. Donna also taught Costume Design at Bellarmine University in the spring of 2020. One of Donna’s favorite projects is designing costumes for Shakespeare Behind Bars, which she has done for the last 12 years. Donna and her husband also own Life is Sweet Small Batch Treats Bakery.
Laura Ellis, Sound Designer
Laura is a performer and sound designer who regularly works with Pandora Productions and Looking for Lilith Theatre Company. She designed the past five summers for Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, as well as colder-weather productions of Twelfth Night, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, The War of the Worlds, and Night of the Living Dead. When she’s not in a theater (or a park), she’s often singing 30s & 40s bourbon jazz with Billy Goat Strut Revue. These and other pursuits are underwritten by her day job as Senior Producer at 89.3 WFPL, where she produces Curious Louisville, where listener questions become radio stories and Strange Fruit, a weekly talk show about race, gender and LGBTQ issues. Laura’s been a fan of Kentucky Shakespeare in Central Park since childhood, when her mom used to walk her and her brother down from Germantown to watch a show under the stars.
Eric Frantz, Fight Choreographer
Eric has worked in stage combat as a choreographer and combatant for 17 years. He is currently the Guest & Education Programs Manager at the Belle of Louisville. Where he just finished choreographing the Belle’s first sword fight for her pirate cruise. Eric is delighted to be working with Kentucky Shakespeare for the sixth consecutive year. Of all the confrontations written by Shakespeare the fight between Macbeth and Macduff remains one of his favorites.
Clare Hagan, Stage Manager
Clare Hagan (stage manager) is a theater artist from Louisville. They have stage managed for various companies including Looking for Lilith and Mind’s Eye. In 2019, she staged managed Wendy’s Neverland, a professionally-produced interactive play performed in three rural Kentucky nursing homes. Clare’s plays have been featured in
festivals and staged readings around Louisville. They have also worked as a Teaching Artist at Actors Theatre of Louisville, helping to facilitate New Voices Playwriting workshops.
Victoria Campbell, Sound Engineer
Victoria is excited for her second season with Kentucky Shakespeare. She graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in theater technology. She has worked as a sound technician for Actor’s Theater of Louisville and many other great local companies. She has also worked in the past with Utah Shakespeare Festival, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and Cumberland County Playhouse. You will find her running the show with her senior dog Lunair as her A2.
ABOUT KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE
Mission
Grounded in the works of Shakespeare, we enrich our community by presenting accessible, professional theatre experiences that educate, inspire, and entertain people of all ages.
Vision
To use Shakespeare’s universal truths and the power of the arts to transform lives. Shakespeare belongs to everyone.
Land Acknowledgement
Kentucky Shakespeare acknowledges our offices and performance space are situated on the traditional land of the Adena, Hopewell, Miami, Osage, Shawnee, Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee) and ᎠᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee, East) people. We respect their enduring presence and historical stewardship of these lands.
Anti-Racism Statement
As artists and educators, we are committed to holding the “mirror up to nature,” while creating a safe and welcoming space at our performances, in the community, and in the classroom.
We recognize racism and inequality in our community and the country, and we commit ourselves to anti-racism. We believe that Black lives matter.
We commit to outreach and inclusion of people of all abilities, races, creeds, religions, genders, and sexual identities.
We acknowledge that we are a non-profit arts organization grounded in the works of Shakespeare and commit to exploring Shakespeare’s universal truths while never losing sight of the fact that not all experiences emanate from a white European vantage point.
We commit to deeply listening to our BIPOC community members, within and outside of our organization. We commit to learning, never being satisfied, and creating positive change – proactively committing our efforts and resources to building anti-racist, inclusive, equitable, and empathetic spaces and experiences for all.
About
Kentucky Shakespeare serves communities through the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, education programs in schools, public performances, and community outreach programs. As the most comprehensive in-school arts education provider in the Commonwealth, Kentucky Shakespeare serves schools throughout the region with interactive educational programming directly tied to academic standards, helping impact student achievement. Our many community programs explore conflict resolution, empathy building, and communication, in a range of settings from preschools to senior centers. Kentucky Shakespeare has been recognized by the Folger Library and the Kentucky Humanities Council for exemplary programming, is a multiyear recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Shakespeare in American Communities program, and is a past recipient of the Kentucky Governor’s Award in the Arts. Kentucky Shakespeare has been awarded multiple LEO Weekly Reader’s Choice Awards, Broadway World Louisville Regional Awards, the 2015 Center for Nonprofit Excellence’s Art of Vision Pyramid Award, the 2017 Louisville Awards in the Arts Bobby Petrino Family Foundation Arts Impact Award, and the 2019 Arts for All Kentucky Community Partner Award for arts inclusion work with people with disabilities.
Contact
323 W. Broadway, Suite 401
Louisville, KY 40202
502-574-9900
info@kyshakespeare.com
Kentucky Shakespeare Staff
Matt Wallace, Producing Artistic Director
Amy Attaway, Associate Artistic Director
Robert Silverthorn III, Director of Operations and Marketing
Kyle Ware, Director of Education
Hannah Pruitt, Education Programs Manager
Ashley Cabrera, Artist Educator
Katie Joachim, Artist Educator
Augustine Nguyen, Artist Educator
Tony Reimonenq III, Artist Educator
Kentucky Shakespeare Board of Directors
Elizabeth Cherry Siebert, Board Chair – LG&E and KU Energy LLC
Kerry Wang, Treasurer – Humana
Liam Felsen, Secretary – Frost Brown Todd LLC
Phillip Allen – AJ Capital Partners
Anya Bond-Beckley – DDW, The Color House
Mera Cossey Corlett – Okolona Baptist Church
Blake Counsell – Republic Bank
Colleen Devlin – Community Liaison
Rosie Felfle – Liquid Design
Kevin Gibson – Humana
Joan Gould – Baptist Health
Culver Halliday – Stoll Keenon Ogden
Shannon Harris – UPS
Lane Denali Hettich – AssuredPartners
Kay Madrick Howard – Norton Healthcare
Erin Paternoster Vice – Brown-Forman
Brooke Zimmerman – White Clay
David James, Emeritus – Metro Council District 6
Dr. Peter Tanguay, Emeritus – University of Louisville
Jonathan Smith, Ex-Officio – Hanover College
Jean West, Ex-Officio
Upcoming Events
- Celebrate 60: The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival Anniversary Production – available for free viewing at these links on YouTube and Facebook.
- Hamlet Virtual Tour – October
- Shakespeare with Veterans Digital Project – Veteran Stories from Shakespeare
- Shakespeare in the Libraries Tour: Two-Actor A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Shakespeare in the Parks Spring 2021 Tour: Romeo and Juliet
- 2021 Free Kentucky Shakespeare Festival In Central Park
Shakespeare In Love, Henry V, The Merry Wives of Windsor and more – View full season here