Guest director Victor Pisauro has completed casting for the Aloha Performing Arts Company’s production of the Broadway comedy “I Hate Hamlet.”
Playing Andrew Rally, an actor chosen to play Hamlet in a New York City “Shakespeare in the Park” production, is Steven Orton, in his first lead role. Audiences may recall Orton from recent APAC musicals, including “A Chorus Line” and “The Wizard of Oz.”
Andrew’s Shakespeare-loving girlfriend Deirdre is played by Roxanne Fox, last seen on the Aloha stage as Diana Morales in “A Chorus Line.”
Tracey Fosso, also an alumna of “A Chorus Line,” portrays Felicia Dantine, a real estate agent and would-be psychic who has found an apartment for Andrew in which John Barrymore once lived.
Kerry Matsumoto will appear as Lillian Troy, Andrew’s agent, who claims to have had an affair with Barrymore in the apartment.
Robert Haber plays Gary Peter Lefkowitz, a Hollywood wheeler dealer who offers Andrew a new television series if he will forgo Hamlet and return to L.A. Matsumoto and Haber appeared together last season in APAC’s “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
The cast is completed by William LeBus as the ghost of John Barrymore. He offers Andrew other-worldly advice on acting and love. LeBus will also choreograph the sword fighting scenes, and is the designer and lead builder of the set. Other designers include Felicity Johnson and Paula Cornwell, props and costumes; Tim Bates, lighting; and Ariana Bassett, sound.
“I Hate Hamlet” will be performed at the Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu April 12 to 28, with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. This comedy was written in 1991 by Paul Rudnick and enjoyed a successful run at the Walter Kerr Theatre in New York.
Pisauro also guest directed “Knock Knock” at the Aloha in 1997. Producers are Haber and Jerry Tracy, stage manager is Joel Michaelson, house manager is Alisha Nazara, and assistant director is Tiffany Kutsunai.
Tickets are $20; $17 for seniors and young adults; and $10 for those younger than 18. They are available by phone from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, at AlohaTheatre.com or at the box office one hour before performance time.
For tickets or more information, call 322-9924.