Pittsburgh Public Theater Presents HAMLET

To complete his illustrious career leading Pittsburgh Public Theater, Ted Pappas has chosen William Shakespeare's Hamlet as the final play he will direct as the company's Producing Artistic Director. His cast of 21 actors will be led by Indiana, PA native Matthew Amendt. Hamlet runs April 19 - May 20, 2018 at the O'Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater's home in the heart of Downtown's Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org. Hamlet is presented by Highmark.

This theatrical event brims with life and death decisions, poison swords, a play within a play, symbolic flowers, and sexual tension. Alive with brilliant language and iconic characters, Hamlet tells a sensational story. Prince Hamlet (Amendt) returns to the Danish palace in Elsinore after the king, his father, has died. The monarch's ghost (Darren Eliker) appears and demands that Hamlet avenge his murder. The killer was the king's own brother, Claudius (David Whalen), who took the throne and married Gertrude (Caris Vujcec), Hamlet's mother and Denmark's queen. Hamlet must now choose his course of action.

Numerous other characters share Hamlet's story: his love Ophelia (Jenny Leona), true friend Horatio (Andrew Miller) and would-be friends Rosencrantz (Allan Snyder) and Guildenstern (Luke Halferty), as well as the country's Prime Minister Polonius (Matt Sullivan), his son Laertes (Paul Terzenbach), and Fortinbras (Drew Ledbetter), the Prince of Norway. Comedy is provided by the gravediggers (Tony Bingham and Quinn Patrick Shannon). Additional players include: Ben Blazer, Patrick Cannon, Chris Cattell, Christopher Collier, Don DiGiulio, Monteze Freeland, ERIKA STRASBURG, and Jonathan Visser.

The design team for Hamlet is James Noone (Scenic), Gabriel Berry (Costumes), Kirk Bookman (Lighting), and Zach Moore (Sound and Original Music). Randy Kovitz is the Fight Director, Ruth E. Kramer is the Production Stage Manager, and Phill Madore is the Assistant Stage Manager. Casting is by Pat McCorkle.

About Pittsburgh Public Theater

Ted Pappas, who has led Pittsburgh Public Theater for 18 years, will leave the company this summer. Beginning on August 1 the new management team will be Marya Sea Kaminski, Artistic Director and Lou Castelli, Managing Director. They have chosen The Public's 2018-2019 season, which includes Mr. Pappas returning to direct the Pittsburgh premiere of A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath.