Pioneer Theatre Company Closes HAMLET, 10/2

Pioneer Theatre Company presents Shakespeares tragedy, "Hamlet." The show runs September 17 through October 2, 2010.

Considered one of the most powerful and influential plays in the English language, "Hamlet," explores themes of treachery, revenge, family dysfunction and madness as Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius for killing his own brother, King Hamlet.

Michael Crane makes his PTC debut as Hamlet. He has performed off-Broadway in "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" (Public Theatre), "Doris to Darlene" (Playwrights Horizons), and "The Young Left" (Cherry Lane Theatre), as well as in the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Berkshire Theatre Festival and numerous television goals including a recurring role on NBCs "Kings."

Greg Thornton returns to PTC as Claudius, Hamlets uncle and stepfather. Thornton appeared last season in "Is He Dead?" and played Salieri in PTCs "Amadeus." He appeared in the Off-Broadway production of "John Ferguson" at the Mint Theater and received the Best Actor Award for the role of David in "The Conjugality Test" at MITF in New York. He has been a resident actor with the McCarter Theater, GeVa Theater, and Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

Gertrude, Prince Hamlets mother, is played by Joyce Cohen who returns to PTC after playing last seasons Mrs. Webb in "Our Town." Joyce has appeared on Broadway in "Once A Catholic" as well as Off-Broadway. Her regional credits include Peoples Light & Theatre Co., Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Peterborough Players, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Plan B Theatre, the Salt Lake Acting Co., and numerous TV and film credits including "Independence Day," "Touched by an Angel," and "Everwood."

Nisi Sturgis plays Ophelia in her PTC debut. Her Broadway credits include "The 39 Steps," "Intimate Apparel," "Perfect Harmony," "Dsyphoria," and "The Less We Talk." Nisi will be seen this fall in the new HBO series starring Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire."

Noble Shropshire returns as Polonius, the father of Ophelia and Laertes. He last appeared at PTC in "Three Musketeers," "Amadeus," "Tartuffe" and "Proof." He appeared on Broadway in "The Drowsy Chaperone;"  in the Royal National Theatres premiere of Tennessee Williamss "Not About Nightingales" and in "Candida" at Roundabout, as well as multiple Off-Broadway and regional roles. Shropshire was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Laertes, Horatio and Rosencrantz are played by Equity actors Michael Zlabinger and Nick Dillenburg in their PTC debuts, and Eric Gilde, who is returning after appearing in last seasons "Our Town" as George Gibbs. Guildenstern is played by Jake Milo Koeppl, a recent graduate of University of Utahs Actors Training Program.

The Player King and Player Queen are played by Wynn Harmon and Alexandra Harbold, both in their PTC debuts.

Local Equity actors Justin Ivie plays Bernardo and Paul Kiernan plays Marcellus and the Grave Digger. Kiernan also serves as Fight Choreographer for this production.

The non-Equity ensemble cast includes Richie Call, Jason Hackney, Sarah Mcloney, Andy Rindlisbach, Alejandro Stepenberg and John Terry.

PTC Artistic Director Charles Morey has directed over eighty productions for PTC since he joined the theatre in 1984, including the world premiere of "Touch(ed)," and the first regional productions of "Les Misrables," "The Producers," and "The Vertical Hour." He is the author of nine plays including the adaptation of this seasons "Dracula." He is a Fellow of the MacDowell Colony.

Set designer Gary M. English is the Founding Artistic Director of Connecticut Repertory Theatre and served as Artistic Director and Department Head in Dramatic Arts for fifteen years. As a designer, his work includes scenery and costumes for Off-Broadway, television and over 70 productions at many of Americas leading repertory theatres.

Susan Branch Towne returns to PTC to design costumes for this production after designing "Our Town," "A Chorus Line," "Romeo and Juliet," "My Fair Lady," "A Midsummer Nights Dream," "Chicago," "Julius Caesar," "Disneys Beauty and the Beast," "Smokey Joes Cafe," "Macbeth," "Tartuffe," "Sophisticated Ladies," "King Lear," and "Richard III." Among her New York credits are "Griffelkin" for New York City Opera and the Off-Broadway productions of "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!," "She Loves Me," "Fortinbras" and "Two Gentlemen of Verona." Susan lives in Austin, Texas.

Lighting Designer Phil Monat designed last years production of "Touch(ed)," as well as previous PTC productions of "My Fair Lady," "Paint Your Wagon," "Five Guys Named Moe," "Chicago," "Copenhagen," "Ragtime," "Anything Goes," "Steel Magnolias," and "Alexandre Dumas and the Lady of the Camelias." He has designed over 400 productions in regional theatres throughout the country.

Sound Designer Matthew Tibbs has previously worked professionally as a sound designer or engineer at Portland Center Stage, Artists Repertory Theater, and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. He recently relocated to Salt Lake City and is PTCs resident sound designer.

Hair and Make-up Designer Amanda French, PTC resident designer, has worked for theatres all over the west. She is a contributing writer in the ninth edition of Stage Makeup by Richard Corson and James Glavan and is a featured artist in The Costume Technicians Handbook by Rosemary Ingham and Liz Covey.

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