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Bill Lackey
Horatio (David Ziemba, left) tries to contain Hamlet with help from Marcellus (Michael McDonald).
Bill Lackey
Polonius (Peter Wallace, left), Claudius (Bengt Gregory-Brown) and Gertrude (April Bennett) in a scene from "Hamlet."
Bill Lackey
Josh Katawick is Hamlet in the Springfield StageWorks production of Shakespeare's epic tragedy.
To go or not to go: ‘Hamlet’ on stage at State Theatre
Springfield StageWorks performing Shakespeare's epic tragedy
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By Andrew McGinn,
Staff Writer
Updated 11:38 AM Monday, May 11, 2009
SPRINGFIELD — After 400 years, some pestilence, some famine, some war and the roasting of a few spare witches and other assorted heretics, Springfield StageWorks is, at long last, ready to present “Hamlet.”
But the fact that Shakespeare’s great tragedy has withstood the ages really isn’t the remarkable thing here.
Judging by the number of fliers and reminders that director Larry Coressel has sent across Facebook and MySpace, one might assume StageWorks has been in rehearsal since Queen Elizabeth’s time.
The first Queen Elizabeth.
“It’s been a long process,” Coressel said, “but well worth it.”
The epic tale of revenge — being staged at the State Theatre this weekend and next — has been in the works for actually just a year, with rehearsals the past four months.
But as far as community theater productions go, that’s almost as if StageWorks set out to do “Hamlet” when the First Folio of Shakespeare’s work could be found in the “new arrivals” section of your friendly village book shoppe.
If only Facebook existed in 1623.
“It’s pretty much unheard of in community theater,” Coressel said. “Nobody does that. But I had this crazy idea and it seems to have worked.”
For Coressel, who established StageWorks in 2004 as an alternative to the area’s other community theater groups, the idea to do “Hamlet” has been almost 20 years in the making.
The 1990 Mel Gibson movie version of “Hamlet” admittedly got his wheels turning, and Coressel set out to edit his own adaptation of the Bard’s masterwork.
He didn’t like how the Gibson version — as with Laurence Olivier’s Oscar-winning version from 1948 — sliced and diced Hamlet’s soliloquies for movie audiences.
“Those long, beautiful Hamlet speeches are just cut up in both,” Coressel said. “It’s like hearing a favorite song and suddenly they cut out a verse.”
For this version of “Hamlet,” Coressel instead has cut some bits and pieces of exposition and has cut right to the chase — the ghost of Hamlet’s dead father shows up and explains that his death wasn’t a natural one, setting the stage for revenge.
“To me, those soliloquies are part of telling the story,” Coressel said. “I’m using the soliloquies to tell the story, but cutting to the chase in between.”
Coressel said he hasn’t been able to find any record of another local community theater group — colleges excluded — presenting “Hamlet,” and there’s probably a good reason why.
“It’s a daunting task,” he said. “It’s going to be either really good or really bad.”
Coressel thinks his cast — with 19-year-old Shawnee High grad Josh Katawick in the title role — is up to the task.
A former cast member of the outdoor drama “Blue Jacket” has choreographed the production’s stage combat, which of course includes a famous duel with a poison-tipped sword.
“It’s damn impressive,” Coressel said. “This is a community theater group and we’re doing ‘Hamlet.’
“It’s impressive that this group of Springfielders are putting on a Springfield version of ‘Hamlet.’ This is not a touring company.”
The source material, however, is just so good.
“It’s the greatest play ever written,” Coressel said. “There’s dialogue on every page that’s turned into cliches and everyday language.
“It’s a play that has everything. Murder, revenge, a ghost.”
Throw in some forbidden love, a kinky mother-son relationship and a sword fight at the end and, well, it sounds like it was worth the wait.
How to go
What: “Hamlet”
When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 8 p.m. April 30, May 1 and May 2
Where: State Theatre, 19 S. Fountain Ave.
Tickets: $10 at the door
LIKE PLAYS? THEATER? MUSICALS? Find more performances to attend online at SpringfieldNewsSun.com/events
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