Students to stage classic 'Hamlet'

"Hamlet" is perhaps the best known of William Shakespeare's plays and a classic example of drama.

When a boy's father is killed, he seeks to avenge him. There is lost love, tragic death, mistaken identity, exiled Royals and familial betrayal.

In short, it's dark.

It's also an excellent play in which high school students can really grow, said Glenbard East High School teacher James McDunn.

The Lombard school is presenting the classic play starting tonight.

"Our goal is to expose students to the arts," McDunn said. " 'Hamlet' is considered to be the greatest drama of all time."

When Hamlet's father, the king, is murdered, his uncle takes over the throne and marries his mother, the queen. Hamlet sets out to take revenge on his uncle at any cost -- a price he finds is much greater than he expects.

McDunn said they chose to stick with the original version of the play, placing it in 1500s Denmark rather than the many adaptations. Some of those put "Hamlet" in settings as late as the 1940s.

"It is Hamlet in the strictest sense of the word," McDunn said.

If you go

What: "Hamlet"

When: 7:30 p.m. today through Sunday

Where: Glenbard East High School, 1014 S. Main St., Lombard

Cost: Tickets are $5

Details: (630) 424-6640

Cast

Marc Lindquist as Hamlet

Ryan Huetson as Claudius

Casey Graham as Gertrude

Sara Straus as Ophelia

Joe Castaldo as Polonius

Donald Douglas as Laertes

Daniel Judd as Horatio

Eric Iannelli as The Ghost

Andy Dorsey as Guildenstern

Sharron Palm as Rosencrantz

Robert Leahy as Fortinbras

Other cast members: Jenna Armstrong, Melissa Frueh, Jocelyn Garibay, Olivia Guido, Andy Hilligoss, Marybeth Kram, Lisa Lindquist, Brennan Lucado, Michael McClinton, Kat Monk, Kelsey O'Kelley, Natalie Schaub, Jennifer Serrano, Ben Slabik, Hattie Stein, Brian Wajda, Allan Whitlaw