TWN in first collaboration with Nantucket Arts Council for "15 Minute Hamlet"
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE THEATRE WORKSHOP OF NANTUCKET The cast of "The 15 Minute Hamlet."

In its first association with the Nantucket Arts Council, the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket is performing "The 15 Minute Hamlet" as part of the NAC's upcoming Shakespeare Festival that started July 13 and runs through July 20. The Hamlet production will be staged on Friday and Saturday, July 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. in Bennett Hall on Centre Street.

An abridged version of the original play,written by playwright Tom Stoppard, "The 15 Minute Hamlet" highlights the story in a hilarious, 13-minute version with a two-minute encore. Summer TWN resident company member Caitlin Wiater is director.

"We are so excited to share the love of live theater and the celebration of Shakespeare with anyone who will give us 15 minutes," she said. "Stoppard's writing is fantastic, and to marry that with a wonderful cast and crew combined with the interest and enthusiasm for this piece during the NAC festival seems a natural complement."

Six actors are engaged in roles, including Daryll White of Ireland, Kate Flaherty, an Irish actress and model, Vince Veliux, an island actor who portrays Hamlet, Vanessa Calantropo, a classically trained actress and TWN's summer resident company members Joe Gilmore and Donald Dallaire, actors and designers from New York who are also doing the costuming and hair for "The 15 Minute Hamlet."

Jordana Fleischut, the TWN producing director, is pleased to have this affiliation with the Arts Council and looks forward to more opportunities for all island performance organizations to work together.

"This is just the beginning of what is possible as we all work together for the betterment of the community," she said. "We all win. I chose this offering for the festival because it is so outrageously funny and will most definitely serve to amuse anyone who comes to see it. We have a huge castle setting, lots of props, great sound and light design and fun, elaborate costumes."

Stoppard wrote "The 15 Minute Hamlet" in 1979. He has won acclaim in his long career for many original works and adaptations, among them his 1966 "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead," which in 1968 won the Tony Award for Best Play and New York Critics Award for Best Play of the Year. He also coauthored "Shakespeare in Love" with Marc Norman. The script won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. I