Hamlet
Sensory-friendly

He was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. His works, including some collaborations, consist of about 37 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Kevin is one of Shakespeare
& Company’s artistic and administrative leaders. He works in the Performance and Training departments as an actor, teacher, and director, and oversees the mission of the Education department. Kevin has been a guest teacher or director at MIT, Harvard, L.S.U., Stanford, Shenandoah Shakespeare, Q.U.T.- Brisbane, Lincoln Center, the Folger Library, Shakespeare Festivals in both Stratfords, and the Mercury Theatre in Colchester, UK. Kevin is the Theatre Director at the Austen Riggs Center, where he has directed over 30 productions. In 2016, Kevin was Runner-Up for the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education. Along with Patrick Toole, Kevin recently produced the soon to be released film, Speak What We Feel, documenting the Fall Festival of Shakespeare.

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Tori is a director, choreographer, educator, and performer specializing in Shakespeare and the intersections of gender, culture, and human development. She has worked with Shakespeare & Company for 28 years as senior faculty/director in Training and Education, performer, and board member. At S&Co and in schools and universities, she teaches Text, Movement, Dance, and her own integrated work. She has directed and choreographed more than 20 Shakespeare productions. Tori trained with psychologists Carol Gilligan and Niobe Way in listening to young people speak about their experience of the relational world. Education: PhD, MA (NYU); BS in Acting (Northwestern U). Somatic Embodiment & Regulation; TRF Certificate in Trauma Studies; IDC Accelerator Program. Add’l training: TO; Theatre-for-Change methods; Bud Beyer (Chekhov and movement); classical ballet; jazz; modern; Laban/Bartenieff; Elizabethan dance; and the movement work of Susan Dibble, John Broome, Trish Arnold, and Peggy Hackney. Tori founded The SAGE Center, and is a member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, USW, EDTA, AATE, and the current Co-Editor of the Youth Theatre Journal.

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John Leggett is excited to be back with Shakespeare & Company for the Winter Season! John appeared as the Prince/Fight Captain in our summer production of Romeo & Juliet, the fight choreographer for our production of Taming of The Shrew, and as a director for our 37th Annual Fall Festival! John is a certified actor combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors; he really likes fighting with swords! Represented by Jim Keith at The Movement Talent Agency. Much love to his friends, family, and the “& Company” of this great Playhouse!

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Joslyn Eaddy Meléndez is excited to be returning to the Northeast Regional Tour this year! A native and resident of CT, she received her BA in Performing Arts with a concentration in Theatre at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Joslyn performed with the all-female/nonbinary tour of Macbeth last year as Macduff, a Witch, a Murderer, and Macduff’s son. Recent credits include: Demetrius/Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Rooted Voyagers). Bianca in Taming of the Shrew and Marcellus/Player 2 in Hamlet (Capital Classics Theatre Company), Rosalind in As You Like It (Times Fool Company), Hero in Much Ado About Nothing (Capital Classics), and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Pittsfield Shakespeare in the Park).

Kirsten Mulrenan is an actor and educator born and raised in Massachusetts and currently based in Los Angeles, CA. She is so excited to be on tour with Shakespeare & Company, where she is an education artist in the Company’s Riotous Youth, Fall Festival, and school residency programs. Kirsten is an alum of Skidmore College and has trained at Shakespeare & Company and the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland. She sends a big thank you to her family and friends for all their endless support!

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Ryan N. Murray is an actor from New York and is incredibly excited and honored to be a part of this production! Last year Ryan worked at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in their touring productions of Romeo and Juliet as Benvolio and A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Demetrius. In the fall he joined STNJ’s mainstage cast of Romeo and Juliet as Peter as well. Aside from being an actor, Ryan is also a comedian, filmmaker and an educator. He believes deeply in the value of education and reaching out to young minds – the youth are the future! At STNJ Ryan completed several educational residencies at different schools throughout New Jersey. Ryan received his BFA in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. The readiness is all!

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Jonathan Perkins is HYPED to be an Actor/Teaching Artist for Hamlet in his Shakespeare & Company debut!! He received his BFA in Acting from Northern Illinois University and had additional training with Milwaukee Rep’s Emerging Professional Residency. He is currently based in Chicago and loves going on walks, reading romance books, and cooking good food. Past shows include: Romeo and Juliet and A Christmas Carol (Milwaukee Rep). Comedy of Errors, Pride & Prejudice, King Lear (Texas Shakespeare Festival). Macbeth and Merry Wives of Windsor (Hoosier Shakespeare Festival). A Christmas Carol (Children’s Theater of Madison). The Book of Will (Promethean Theatre Ensemble). Oh, These Times! and Romeo and Juliet (Midsommer Flight). The Clinic (Congo Square Theatre). George’s Daughter (Ghostlight Ensemble Theatre). For Mom, Nana, and my Grandmas. “But He, that hath the steerage of my course, Direct my sail!” Proudly repped by Lily’s Talent.

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Abigail St. John is an Education Artist, Actor, and Clown. Abigail is SO excited to be bringing the story of Hamlet to you. She has been with Shakespeare & Company’s education team for the past two and a half years and has had the privilege of working with over 700 students through the many different education programs that Shakespeare & Company has to offer. Which is mind blowing! Abigail is always on the lookout for the best BBQ spot and wants your recommendation. She wants to thank her mom, Blake Waters, and her Berkshire chosen family for their support and for their endless love. It’s never too late to start theater, if you’re looking for a sign here it is.

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This is Alex’s fourth season at Shakespeare & Company and first time designing for the Educational Tour. Alex’s passion and career is in stage props as well as all things arts and crafts. Alex loves blacksmithing and hanging out with friends. They invite you to laugh/cry along with us and enjoy the show!

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Now retired as Costume Director, Govane is in her 45th year with Shakespeare & Company and enjoying costume design as her primary commitment. Selected credits at S&Co: The Victim, The Taming of The Shrew, Comedy of Errors, Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise, Golda’s Balcony, An Iliad, Measure for Measure, King Lear, Martha Mitchell Calling play and film, Twelfth Night, As You Like It, The Tempest, Ugly Lies the Bone, Or..., It’s a Wonderful Life, Henry V, Mother of the Maid, Shakespeare’s Will, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Private Lives, Loves Labor’s Lost, Kaufman’s Barbershop, The Learned Ladies, Women of Will, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Taster, Mengelberg and Mahler, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Shirley Valentine, The Ladies Man, Enchanted April, Ice Glen, Lettice and Lovage, House of Mirth, Glimpses of the Moon and many years of the Holiday productions and costumed, staged readings and the Education Department’s Fall Festival and Tour productions. Selected Regional credits: Grant & Twain, Emilie..., The Long Run, In Darfur, Arabian Nights, Red Noses, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Metamorphosis, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, Alice in Wonderland, Our Country’s Good.