The Working Actor's Journey

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Going beyond Polonius as a "bumbling old man" to explore his status, motives and journey ➤ Examining Ophelia's fear and loyalty as she describes Hamlet's strange visit ➤ Unpacking the court's competing explanations for Hamlet's transformation   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Sara...

From 2019, here's my interview with actor Richard Riehle (pronounced Really!), who took his final curtain call on October 15, 2026 at age 78. Richard had a 50+ year career with 400+ onscreen credits (plus decades of theatre). We discuss being open to possibilities, how he does the audition and then walks away, exciting projects that don't work out, a  speech from Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale ,...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ A deep dive into Hamlet's first act and the pivotal scenes we've revisited ➤ Exploring the ghost's complex role with regard to Hamlet's journey ➤ Feedback and reflections from the cast on their performances   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Tom Farber --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to get notif...

From 2019, here's my interview with theatre manager, philanthropist, consultant, director and actor Alan Mandell, who took his final curtain call on October 13, 2026 at age 98. We discuss radio drama and theatre in Toronto, being part of The Actor's Workshop through volunteer office work, collaborating with Samuel Beckett on the San Quentin production of Waiting for Godot , what success means to h...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Piecing together all the previous insights ➤ The evolving relationships between characters ➤ The significance of the ghost's appearance and its implications   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Ava Burton --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to get notified of our next rehearsal session. *** These sessi...

🏁 In this session (the 12th and final one on just this scene!), highlights include: ➤ Hamlet's introspection following the Player's performance ➤ The themes of conscience and motivation in Hamlet's journey ➤ An exploration of acting and its emotional depth   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Adriana Roze --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE t...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Hamlet's interactions with Polonius and the Players ➤ The importance of the Players in Elsinore ➤ Exploring the themes of performance and authenticity   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Ben Farrow --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to get notified of our next rehearsal session. *** These sessions ar...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Hamlet's reflections on the Players and their significance ➤ The themes of memory and performance in the context of revenge ➤ Hecuba's mourning and its impact on Hamlet's journey   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Sara Giacomini --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to get notified of our next rehearsa...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ The Players and their significance in Hamlet's journey ➤ Hamlet's relationships with Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Polonius ➤ Analyzing the themes of deception, truth, and the art of acting   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Terry Kerr --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to get notified of our next...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Exploring Hamlet's interactions with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern ➤ The significance of the Players and their arrival at Elsinore ➤ Analyzing Hamlet's reflections on identity and humanity   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Sharon McCune --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to get notified of our next...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ The complex friendship between Hamlet, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern ➤ Analyzing the role of the players and their impact on Hamlet's emotional journey ➤ Exploring Hamlet's struggle with his identity and the nature of humanity   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Michele Schultz ---...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Delving into friendship and deception with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern ➤ Exploring the themes of ambition as Hamlet questions others' motives ➤ Analyzing the implications of truth and lies in the court of Elsinore   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Sarah Mabes --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Delving into Hamlet's encounters with Polonius and the layers of madness ➤ Exploring the dynamic relationship between Hamlet, Ophelia , and their families ➤ Analyzing the implications of deception and truth in the interactions between characters   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: A...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Diving deeper into Polonius as he navigates the complexities of Hamlet's madness ➤ The dynamics between Gertrude, Claudius, and Polonius as they discuss Hamlet ➤ Unpacking the implications of love, obedience, and parental control in the relationships   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover pho...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Diving into Polonius' character as he navigates his role in the royal court ➤ Exploring the dynamics between Hamlet, Ophelia, and their families ➤ Analyzing the implications of madness and love in the play   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Ben Farrow --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to get notifi...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Analyzing Polonius' instructions for spying on Laertes ➤ Ophelia's alarming encounter that leaves her frightened and confused ➤ Claudius' maneuvering about the threat posed by Fortinbras   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project.  📷 cover photo: Nick Bettens --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to get notified of our next re...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Meeting Rosencrantz and Guildenstern , Hamlet's friends with a secret mission ➤ Exploring Polonius' reaction to the description of Hamlet's strange behavior ➤ Analyzing Claudius' and Gertrude's responses to Hamlet's madness   Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project. 📷 cover photo: Elizabeth Swain --- 🛑 S...

From 2018, here's my interview with the incomparable Peter Van Norden, who took his final curtain call on July 8, 2026 at age 75. We discuss how musicals shaped his life, training at the Neighborhood Playhouse with Sanford Meisner, learning from Meryl Streep, and much more. I'm grateful to have worked with and learned from Peter as a young actor - he clearly loved what he did and was so generous t...

Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room for this season (10!) as we continue our HAMLET Project. --- 🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤  Diving deeper into the relationships introduced in Act 1 ➤ Exploring Polonius' nature as he instructs Reynaldo to spy on Laertes ➤ Ophelia's emotional turmoil as she describes her encounter with Hamlet cover photo: Sharon McCune --- 🛑 SUBSCRIBE to get notified...

Welcome back to The Rehearsal Room as we kick off Act 2 of our HAMLET Project in SEASON 10 🙌 , where we explore one scene (or section) of Shakespeare's Hamlet - one month at a time. New sessions are still being produced; we recently crossed one year working on this play and are about to begin Act 4. Yes, a LOT happens in Acts 2 and 3. 😉 For this month, we'll look at Act 2, Sc 1, and then Act 2,...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ The tension and intrigue that fill Hamlet's encounter with the Ghost ➤ Exploring the themes of secrecy and trust as Hamlet asks his friends to swear silence ➤ Hamlet's emotional journey as he grapples with these revelations We continue with The HAMLET Project, where we explore one scene (or section) of Shakespeare's  Hamlet  - one month at a time. To our k...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Hamlet's emotional journey following his encounter with the Ghost ➤ The complexities of the Ghost's character and his impact on Hamlet ➤ Exploring how Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus navigate the revelations We continue with The HAMLET Project, where we explore one scene (or section) of Shakespeare's  Hamlet  - one month at a time. To our knowledge, this is...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Exploring the complex relationship between Hamlet and the Ghost ➤ Insights into the Ghost's motivations and emotional turmoil ➤ The implications of revenge and Hamlet's moral dilemmas We continue with The HAMLET Project, where we explore one scene (or section) of Shakespeare's  Hamlet  - one month at a time. To our knowledge, this is the first long-form, o...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ A deep examination of the dynamics between Hamlet, Horatio, and the Ghost ➤ Insights into Polonius' role and his influence on Ophelia and Laertes ➤ How Ophelia is often misrepresented in traditional interpretations We continue with The HAMLET Project, where we explore one scene (or section) of Shakespeare's  Hamlet  - one month at a time. To our knowledge,...

🏁 In this session, highlights include: ➤ Exploring the relationship between Hamlet and the ghost , focusing on memory and loss ➤ An analysis of language and punctuation in Hamlet's initial lines ➤ Insights Marcellus' and Horatio's fears regarding the ghost's intentions We continue with The HAMLET Project, where we explore one scene (or section) of Shakespeare's  Hamlet  - one month at a time. To...