Hamlet (Drunk)
Hamlet (Drunk)
by William Shakespeare
directed by Katie Merriman
presented by Bard and Bourbon
featuring the talents of Brittany F. Byrnes, Grace DeWolff, Reva Fox, A.J. Magoon, Anya Palmer, and Tawnie Thompson
with lighting design by Colin Gawronski
It's Hamlet by William Shakespeare... with drinking.
May 26th @ 7:00pm - preview, dry show
May 27th, 2022 @ 7:00pm - Brittany F. Byrnes (Hamlet) drinks
May 28th, 2022 @ 7:00pm - Reva Fox (Horatio/Polonius) drinks
May 29th, 2022 @ 5:00pm - dry show
May 30th, 2022 @ 7:00pm - Grace DeWolff (Laertes) drinks
June 2nd, 2022 @ 7:00pm - PWYW at door, Tawnie Thompson (Gertrude) drinks
June 3rd, 2022 @ 7:00pm - Anya Palmer (Ophelia) drinks
June 4th, 2022 @ 7:00pm - Brittany F. Byrnes (Hamlet) drinks... again!
Cast
Brittany F. Byrnes (Hamlet)
Brittany (she/her) is so excited to be back and at ‘em with her first show since the pandemic! Her past credits include Emilia [Othello], Aaron [Titus Andronicus], and Mikaela [Only We Know Best!]. She will be joining the stage again this summer as Elinor Dashwood [Sense and Sensibility]. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Reva Fox (Horatio/Polonius)
Reva (she/her) is thrilled to be back with Bard and Bourbon reprising the roles of Polonius and Horatio. Reva is a director and actor as well as the Arts and Culture Director at the Harry and Rose Samson Family JCC. This summer, you can see her working with Brittany Byrnes again in Sense and Sensibility at Acacia Theater. Recent acting credits include, Chelsea in On Golden Pond for SummerStage of Delafield, Sorah Leah in The Great Golda Meir Murder Mystery for the JCC, Magistress in Wayward Women for Theater Red, Peter Quince in Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Beatrice in Much Ado about Nothing, Polonius/Horation in Hamlet all for Bard and Bourbon, Linda in Death of a Salesman for Imagination Theatre, Banquo in Macbeth at Soulstice, Risa in Any Given Monday for Pink Banana, and Penelope in The Penelopiad for Luminous Theatre. Recent Milwaukee directing credits include: The Diary of Anne Frank at the Milwaukee Entertainment Group, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Much Ado About Nothing (co-director) both for Bard and Bourbon, Working, Company Class Musical - First Stage Summer Academy; Lion King Kids, Summit View; The Trial of FDR for the Holocaust Education Center; Top Secret, for Soul Food at Madison’s Forward Theatre; The Smell of the Kill: Renaissance Theatreworks; and numerous shows for Kohl’s Wild Theater. Thanks always to Abe and Nathaniel for all of the laugher, support, and patience!
Anya Palmer (Ophelia)
An up-and-coming talent, Anya Palmer (she/they) is determined to make her mark on both the film and theatre scenes. During quarantine, she took the opportunity to improve her skills by taking online improv and voiceover courses at The Second City as well as ASC (Acting Studios Chicago), giving her the chance to work with veteran actors like Cooper Shaw and Brad Grusnick. In her debut production, she worked on the fully virtual production of Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information. Shortly after, they were given the opportunity to work on two world premier shows at Sunstone Studios, the most recent having been the WWII drama, ’Neath the Hills of Bastogne. This will be Anya’s first time tackling Shakespeare as well as their first experience performing drizzidy drunk (as the youths say). Outside of acting, Anya can be found watching YouTube videos in her room and/or buying collars that “match the season” for her dog, Zoe.
Grace DeWolff (Laertes)
Grace Dewolff (she/her) has been a theater maker in Milwaukee for most of her life, and an educator for years, recently launching her own Shakespeare education company Classroom Shakespeare. You might have seen her in Bard and Bourbon’s Richard II, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Midsummer, Romeo and Juliet, or the first time they did Hamlet sevenish years ago. Recent credits also include Lysander in Voices Found Repertory’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was a dang blast.
A.J. Magoon (Claudius)
A.J. (he/him) is happy to be making his Bard and Bourbon debut. Favorite past roles include Thom Pain in THOM PAIN (based on nothing) with Theatre Nervosa, Jason/Tyrone in HAND TO GOD (Voices Found Repertory), Raleigh in LAST TRAIN TO NIBROC (Acacia Theatre Company) and Dromio E/Dromio S in THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (Summit Players Theatre). He also serves in administrative capacities with Summit Players Theatre and Next Act Theatre. As this show’s designated sober actor, A.J. encourages you to invite him out for a root beer after the play. www.ajmagoon.com
Tawnie P. Thompson – Gertrude
Tawnie (she/her) is an actor, fight choreographer, podcaster, and voiceover artist. Her most recent work can be seen with the Theatre of the Mind Players on both YouTube and Podcast, though she is incredibly excited to get back onto a live stage, following the global pandemic. Tawnie is thrilled to remount this production with friends old and new. Her drink of choice is a good craft beer and she highly recommends that everyone make a trip to Wizard Works Brewing for their First Rabbit Porter!
Production Team
Katie Merriman (Director)
(she/her)
Colin Gawronski (Lighting Designer)
Colin Gawronski (they/them) is a lighting designer and theatrical technician native to Milwaukee who has worked extensively with Danceworks, Inc, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, and Black Arts MKE/Bronzeville. They have worked with other local companies such as Renaissance Theaterworks, Milwaukee Opera Theatre, UWM Dance, Next Act, Wildspace, PrideFest Milwaukee, Bard and Bourbon, Gina Laurenzi Dance Project, and In Tandem Theatre. Colin has also worked with the Sacramento Music Circus, the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and with the Indianapolis and Chicago Fringe Festivals. Favorite productions include: STEW, OUT OF MANY ONE, FIRES IN THE MIRROR, IGNITE: A HIP HOP EXPERIENCE (since 2013), SECRETS FROM THE WIDE SKY, RUSSIAN TRANSPORT, FRANKIE AND JOHNNY, STORIES FROM A LIFE, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, SERENDIPITY, MAURITIUS, THRILL ME, IN A BLACK MOOD, MY FAIR LADY, LAMPS FOR MY FAMILY, and VAGABONDARE. Give Love Always.
Tawnie Thompson
Fight Director
(she/her)
Kirt Merriman
Set Pieces
(he/him)
Mia Palmer
Stage Manager
(she/her)
Special Thanks
Special thanks to the Harry and Rose Samson Family JCC and Laura Dobrowitz