Cast List
ROSENCRANTZ – Reanna Fornash/Grace Adams
GUILDENSTERN – Jay Parker/Colten Haliburton
THE PLAYER – Charles Jay
HAMLET – Brendan Phipps
TRAGEDIANS – Ellis Seagle, James Ivy, Karina Terguson, Matt Bordnar, Somerton Zbranek, Emily Wottrich, Aaron Carpenter
KING CLAUDIUS – Juan Nunez
GERTRUDE – Rachael Clark
POLONIUS – Bobby McCarthy
OPHELIA – Arlette Garza
HORATIO – Ellis Seagle
FORTINBRAS/AMBASSADOR – Matt Bordnar
LAERTES - Karina
Pirates - Somerton, Aaron, Arlo
DUMB SHOW:
KING: Ellis
QUEEN: Matt
POISONER: Emily
HAMLET: Charlie
POLONIUS: James
English King: Karina
2 SPIES: Colton, Grace
Soldier: Aaron
GUILDENSTERN – Jay Parker/Colten Haliburton
THE PLAYER – Charles Jay
HAMLET – Brendan Phipps
TRAGEDIANS – Ellis Seagle, James Ivy, Karina Terguson, Matt Bordnar, Somerton Zbranek, Emily Wottrich, Aaron Carpenter
KING CLAUDIUS – Juan Nunez
GERTRUDE – Rachael Clark
POLONIUS – Bobby McCarthy
OPHELIA – Arlette Garza
HORATIO – Ellis Seagle
FORTINBRAS/AMBASSADOR – Matt Bordnar
LAERTES - Karina
Pirates - Somerton, Aaron, Arlo
DUMB SHOW:
KING: Ellis
QUEEN: Matt
POISONER: Emily
HAMLET: Charlie
POLONIUS: James
English King: Karina
2 SPIES: Colton, Grace
Soldier: Aaron
Production Meetings
At the end of last year, I was donated a very large amount of expensive draperies and a matching duvet cover from Bob and Erin Davis' house remodel. So, I am going to use all the free fabric (Gone With the Wind style) to make costumes for the Danish court. If you didn't know, Rosencrantz means red wreath and Guildenstern means gold star. These were name of Danish noble families in the 16th century. The draperies being red and gold was a lucky coincidence. In contrast, the Players costumes will not be red and gold and therefore will look out of place in the court.
Most of the draperies were fairly easy to seam rip apart. The thread was weak and the fabric strong so hems pulled out easily. However, the duvet cover was a nightmare because it had been serged together with that horrible fishing line plastic thread rather than cotton/poly thread. It took four of us several hours to get that all ripped apart. Then there was a matter of pulling out staples, pins that had been sewn in, that horrible fishing line, and over 20 weights. Very little of it could be washed in the machine, just the chiffon and the black out fabric (which is actually white). We had to take everything else outside for a good shakedown and Febreeze spray and some time to sit in the sun to get out that old musty smell.
The draperies and duvet broken down into their component pieces.
Both of the R and G roles are double cast, but not in the traditional sense. The actors will be dressed identically and then switch out and back in the same performance. In total we'll be building 4 costumes and pulling the rest. The role of Rosencrantz will be played in pants, not in skirts. I'm thinking of using the costumes from A Man for all Seasons for the Players costumes for the Dumb Show. They're basically the same period and the same fabrics only in brighter reds and golds. Hamlet will still be in his customary black, which I can easily pull from stock. I'll use the drapery fabric to build the identical Rosencrantzes and Guildensterns. As much as I would love to build the whole show from scratch, I only have three week and that is just not going to be possible. The Act I costumes for the Players will be very poor, faded, and worn out, again not in the red/gold color palette.
I spent four hours this weekend pulling costumes from stock. We'll have a production meeting next week to talk about concept.
Production meeting April 6
The Poisoner in the Dumb Show needs a pocket for poison phial, the two spies need hooded cloaks to conceal their faces from the audience. All the female tragedians will be played in pants. Ophelia can't wear a hoop due to her blocking. Everyone will wear their own jazz shoes. We'll need crowns for Claudius and Gertrude as well as the King and Queen in the Dumb Show and the English King. Matt will play Alfred who will need a dress that can go on and come off easily for a sight gag and a wig. The Player will be portrayed as a fop. Arlo will be a tragedian before she becomes Ophelia but once she is Ophelia, she won't change back to a player. Aaron will also be an attendant to both Claudius and Hamlet during the show as well as speak the soldier's lines in one scene.
The Poisoner in the Dumb Show needs a pocket for poison phial, the two spies need hooded cloaks to conceal their faces from the audience. All the female tragedians will be played in pants. Ophelia can't wear a hoop due to her blocking. Everyone will wear their own jazz shoes. We'll need crowns for Claudius and Gertrude as well as the King and Queen in the Dumb Show and the English King. Matt will play Alfred who will need a dress that can go on and come off easily for a sight gag and a wig. The Player will be portrayed as a fop. Arlo will be a tragedian before she becomes Ophelia but once she is Ophelia, she won't change back to a player. Aaron will also be an attendant to both Claudius and Hamlet during the show as well as speak the soldier's lines in one scene.
Build Gallery
I got all four costumes cut out Thursday and Friday. For each actor there is a doublet, front and back tabs, tab linings, upper sleeve, lower sleeve, shoulder wing and lining, sleeve lining and stay, pumpkin hose, pants lining, waistband, and placket--32 pieces total per costume. Becky came in and serged all of Graces' pieces and put her doublet together. Alexis serged Reanna's pieces and put her doublet together. Heidi is currently serging all of Jay's pieces and will start putting his doublet together today. I used the tunic we made for Lysander from Midsummer and added the pants we made from the same fabric for Tristan and Isolde. Even though they were made for a relatively small man, I needed to make them even smaller for a wee woman. Plus the pants needed to be more pouffy like pumpkin pants and I didn't have any more fabric to use. I cut the pants off at the knee, turned the extra fabric upside down and sewed it into the outseams of the pants. I used the 3 inches I cut off the sleeves to make the gusset for the pants to ease the bottom scraps into the waistband. I cut off another 4 inches of the hem of the shirt and used that for the cuffs for the pants.
Fittings
4-15 We had Good Friday off from school so I went in and worked 6 undisturbed hours and managed to do some fittings as well. I also worked Saturday and Sunday.
4-18 Mon. I had a chiropractor appt so I didn't get in till noon, but worked till 7.
4-19 Tues worked till 7
4-21 Thurs. worked till 7
4-22 Fri worked 11-6
4-23 Sat worked 9-1:30; Jason and William helped for an hour to do the intrinsic gathering on the boys pants. Ellis, Karina, and Brendan showed up to help.
4-24 Sun worked 9-12 by myself. The actors got the day off from tech and didn't have rehearsal until 7 that night.
4-25 Mon First Dress I came in at 10 and just finished out the boys pants with waistbands and cuffs.
4-26 Tues 2nd Dress spent all day just altering the dumb show Claudius costume for the wee actor Emily.
4-27 Wed Final Dress. Rachel, Joe Taylor, Ellis, and Karina's mother helped me sew all day. We got 7 pages of notes done before I had to leave at 4. Invited audience was our Theatre Appreciation classes plus the OAP cast of Abbott HS who are doing R&G at State next week.
4-18 Mon. I had a chiropractor appt so I didn't get in till noon, but worked till 7.
4-19 Tues worked till 7
4-21 Thurs. worked till 7
4-22 Fri worked 11-6
4-23 Sat worked 9-1:30; Jason and William helped for an hour to do the intrinsic gathering on the boys pants. Ellis, Karina, and Brendan showed up to help.
4-24 Sun worked 9-12 by myself. The actors got the day off from tech and didn't have rehearsal until 7 that night.
4-25 Mon First Dress I came in at 10 and just finished out the boys pants with waistbands and cuffs.
4-26 Tues 2nd Dress spent all day just altering the dumb show Claudius costume for the wee actor Emily.
4-27 Wed Final Dress. Rachel, Joe Taylor, Ellis, and Karina's mother helped me sew all day. We got 7 pages of notes done before I had to leave at 4. Invited audience was our Theatre Appreciation classes plus the OAP cast of Abbott HS who are doing R&G at State next week.
