Hilo Community Players proudly announce the cast for the 35th Annual Shakespeare in the Park as follows:

The Royal Family

• King Edward The Fourth………………………………….. Kalani Spain
• Elizabeth, Queen to King Edward IV………………………Laura Caswell
• Duchess of York, Mother to King Edward IV…………….Cathy McPherson

Young Sons to the King and Queen

• Edward, Prince of Wales……………………………….…Anthony Rosario
• Richard, Duke of York………………………..……………Bella Freedman

Family to Queen Elizabeth

• Earl Rivers, Brother ………………………………………Stephen Freedman
• Marquis of Dorset, son……………………………….……Kait Wilson
• Lord Grey, son……………………………………………..Jin Piper

Brothers to the King and their family

• Richard, Duke of Gloucester,  King Richard III…………Nathan Yocum
• George, Duke of Clarence…………………….…………Randal McEndree
• A young Daughter of Clarence [Margaret Plantagenet]…Mahina Hoolahan
• A young son of Clarence…………………………………Ben Chance

Entourage of Richard, Duke of Gloucester

• Duke of Buckingham…………………………………….Rob Hunt
• Sir William Catesby……………………………………..Ian Schroeder
• Lord Hastings……………………………………………Jake McPherson
• Lord Stanley,  Earl of Derby………………………….…Saul Rollason
• Sir Richard Ratcliff…………………………….………..Sydney Wilson
• Duke of Norfolk ……………………………………..…John Kooistra
  • Earl of Surrey, His son………………………………….Angela Nakamura
  • Murderer #1…………………………………………..…Leslie Kelly
  • Murderer #2 & Sir James Tyrrel ……………………….Peter Veseskis

The Royal Ladies:

• Margaret, Widow of King Henry VI………………….. Soraya-Elena Perez
• Lady Anne, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales…..…..Keala Richard
• Ladies-in-Waiting & Singers:

Karla Ahn, Bren Chance, Dickie Motherwell,  Evette Tampos

• Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of York…………….Margaret (Peggy) Russo
• Tressel & Berkley (masked)……………………Sydney Wilcox, Blesson Allen

Entourage of Henry, Earl of Richmond

• Henry, Earl of Richmond ……………………..….Blesson Allen
• Sir James Blunt…………………….……………..Randal McEndree
• Sir Walter Herbert………………………………. Stephen Freedman
• Earl of Oxford………………..…………………. Jake McPherson

The Clergy:

• Cardinal & Archbishop………………..……..…… Wolf Daniel Braun
• Bishop of Ely……………………………………….Kalani Spain
• Christopher Urswick, A priest………………………Scott Kester

Londoners:

• Lord Mayor of London…………………………………..Scott Kester
• Sir Robert Brakenbury, Lieutenant of the Tower  & Sheriff of Wiltshire:

…………………………………..…………………… Brian McMichael

• Citizen #1, London Merchant, & Messenger #1- Iris McPherson
• Citizen #2, London Merchant, & Messenger #2 – Denyse Woo-Ockerman
• Citizen #3, London Merchant, & Messenger #3 – Leah Wilson
• Pursuivant – Denyse Woo-Ockerman
• Scrivener & London Merchant – Iris McPherson

London Street Urchins: 

Leilani Alvarado, Kyra Bockrath, Crescent Chance, Vision Datanca, Haley Parr

Please, send an email confirming you accept your role to jakemcpherson@gmail.com.

Congratulations to the cast. We would like to thank everyone who came to auditions. There were some difficult decisions, because there were so many excellent auditions. Thank you, all.

The first read-through has yet to be determined.

Auditions scheduled for Hilo Community Players’ Shakespeare in the Park

The Hilo Community Players announce auditions for the 35^th annual production of Shakespeare in the Park.  Richard III will be directed by Jackie Pualani Johnson, co-founder of the outdoor offerings and drama professor at UH Hilo.  Auditions will be held on Friday, May 4^th, at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 5^th, at 10:00 a.m. at the East Hawai’i Cultural Center Annex.

The play centers on Shakespeare’s notorious Duke of Gloucester, the deformed, manipulative villain who rises to power in England in the late 1400s, to become Richard III.  Numerous actors are needed for the tragedy focusing on the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty, including the title role of  the sometimes charming, but unquestionably evil King Richard.

Shakespeare’s play includes substantial roles for women: Elizabeth, Queen to King Edward IV; Margaret, Widow of King Henry VI; Duchess of York, Mother to King Edward IV; Lady Anne, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales, and a young Daughter of Clarence [Margaret Plantagenet].  Several children (circa age 10) are needed to create the roles of princes and princesses, along with at least 25 male actors, consisting of those devoted to Richard’s machinations and those on the other side of the battle field, loyal to Richmond.

Parents who are interested in having their children participate should bring their children at noon on Saturday, May 5^th,  to the East Hawai’i Cultural Center Annex to meet the director and discuss the anticipated commitment.

Show dates are the first 3 weekends in July.

For further information, contact:  jpjohnso@hawaii.edu.

Congratulations to all the cast members of the 34th Annual Shakespeare in the Park. The Merchant of Venice promises to be a fun adventure for all. The director, Ms. Catherine McPherson, regrets that she was not able to cast everyone who came to auditions. There was a lot of extremely fine talent, but there are only so many roles.

As you read the list, please note that some actors have been cast in more than one role.

Portia:   Justine Thompson

Nerissa:   Laura Caswell

Balthazar:   Tara West

Stephano:   Alston Albarado

Morocco:   Jason Echavez

Arragon:   Kalani Spain

Antonio:   Rob Hunt

Bassanio:   Phillip Russell

Salanio:   Amy Jackson

Salarino:   Evette Tampos

Gratiano:   Jake McPherson

Lorenzo:   Jordan Ward

Leonardo:   Alston Albarado

Shylock:   Lewis Moore

Jessica:   Summer Campbell

Tubal:   Jason Echavez

Lancelet Gobbo:   Bella Freedman

Old Gobbo:   Scott Kester

Jailer:   Scott Kester

Duke:   Kalani Spain

Servant (2.9):   Cheyenne Tuggle

Clerk (4.1):   Katy Craine

Magnificoes:   Scott and  Alston

Servants:   Cheyenne and  Katy

Attendants:   Alston, Tara, and  Kalani

On January 29, the members of Hilo Community Players gathered to honor their best, brightest, and infamous at the annual Tiki Awards Banquet held in a seaside pavilion at Onekahakaha Beach Park in Hilo.

Awards and recipients were as follows

Batboy, the Musical:

Best Performers: Josh Adams and Yisa Var

Mark de Moss, Best filled dress award and Daron Scarborough, Janet Jackson costume malfunction award

Love’s Labour’s Lost:

Best Performers: Nicholas Brosseau and Catherine McPherson

Mark de Moss, All the fun and none of the work award and Noah Gomes, Wait! What show am I in again.

The Michael Dupratt Award Volunteer of the Year award – Tiger Stanley

Technician of the Year: Forrest Bremmer

Best Costumer: Helie Rock

Best Lighting and Design:  Amy Jackson for Batboy, the Musical

Best Set Designer: Randy Raphael for Batboy, the Musical

Best Show: Bat Boy

Lifetime Membership Award:  Steve Peyton

LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST

HILO COMMUNITY PLAYERS

33RD ANNUAL SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK!

TONIGHT!!

The longest running theater tradition in the state of Hawaii continues with it’s 33rd year! This year, Hilo Community Players is proud to present Love’s Labour’s Lost, directed by Amy Jackson.

Four young noblemen vow to devote themselves to study for 3 years foregoing all contact with women and other such pleasures, but 4 ladies from France arrive on the scene and hilarity ensues. Can the noblemen keep their oaths to study? Will they break their vows and study only the women?

Add the common folk from the area, a school master, a curate, and a fantastical Spaniard, and you have a recipe ripe for good times for all.

The actors are a wonderful mixture of veterans of the Hilo stage and new faces. You will be enchanted by the versification and amused by the bombast. There is fun for all family members.

Evening performances are:

Thursdays through Saturdays, July 1, 2, 3;       8, 9, 10;     15, 16, and 17 at 7:30 p.m.

There are two Sunday matinees on July 4 and 11 at 2 p.m.

KALAKAUA PARK – DOWNTOWN HILO

As always, Shakespeare in the Park is offered as our gift to the Hilo Community, FREE OF CHARGE. We are grateful for the support we receive from our wonderful audiences.  Donations are gratefully accepted – MAHALO!!

Hilo Community Players has produced Shakespeare in the Park for 32 years, and we are thrilled to announce the cast list for Love’s Labour’s Lost, our 33^rd Annual Shakespeare in the Park. Congratulations to this fine cast.

FERDINAND, King of Navarre              Robert Hunt

BEROWNE,    lord attending on the King            Nick Brosseau       

LONGAVILLE, lord attending on the King            Ian Schroeder

DUMAIN,     lord attending on the King              Evan Silberstein

BOYET,   lord attending on the Princess of France            Jake McPherson

DON ADRIANO DE ARMADO, fantastical Spaniard           George Ramirez

SIR NATHANIEL, a curate      Chelley Edwards

HOLOFERNES, a schoolmaster            Carol Coggin

DULL, a constable  Catherine McPherson

COSTARD, a clown                Leslie Kelly

MOTH, page to Armado       Iris McPherson

THE PRINCESS OF FRANCE   Felix

ROSALINE, lady attending on the Princess         Bria Callaway

MARIA,    lady attending on the Princess           Justine Thompson

KATHARINE, lady attending on the Princess       Laura Caswell

JAQUENETTA, a country wench           Stephanie Becher

Many fine actors auditioned for this show, and the casting choices were difficult. The co-directors, Amy and Jake, wish to heartily thank all the people who turned out for auditions. Your presence made our job fun and anguishing. This is a big show and will take the work of many people to pull it off. If there is any work backstage you wish to contribute, please contact us through this web site.

Mahalo nui loa!