Hamlet goes to high school

by Marcella Ortega

Daily Lobo

Shakespeare is fine and dandy. But making fun of Shakespeare is divine.

"Hamlet the Vampire Slayer," written by Jason Witter and Aaron Frale, is a parody of the Shakespeare classic that combines the original storyline of Hamlet with elements from the television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

"Our original idea was Hamlet goes to high school," Frale said.

The writers became interested in the parody when they heard the Vortex Theater was holding auditions for the production of the original "Hamlet."

Witter, who is also the director of the play, said the parody shows the lighter side of the story and is not intended as an insult to the Vortex production.

"I spoke with the director of the Vortex 'Hamlet' before we did this, and they are totally on board with it," he said. "Both sides are cool with the other's production."

Witter said they wanted to put Hamlet into a modern setting that people could relate to.

"Buffy took care of all that business because Buffy is a contemporary show, and she's in high school, so she's got all those dilemmas to deal with as well as dealing with killing demons," he said. "It seemed like it worked since Hamlet is kind of a depressed high school kid himself."

The story line follows Hamlet as he is faced with the toils of dating a controlling feminist, Ophelia, becoming a successful male cheerleader, and executing revenge upon his vampire uncle, Enrique Claudio, who is also his mother's Latin lover.

"We took a lot of stereotypical modern conventions and incorporated them into the stock 'Hamlet' characters," Witter said.

The parody also includes Shakespearean characters such as a gothic Romeo and Juliet and vampire slayers, Macbeth and Othello, who come to the hero's aid.

Kevin Elder, who plays Hamlet, said the opportunity has fulfilled certain dreams for him.

"I've done Shakespeare before, but never Hamlet," he said. "It's considered an actor's dream to play Hamlet, so I think it's fitting that I'm playing him."

Elder said the play is not just a meaningless parody.

"There actually are some political ideas behind it," he said.

Witter said the characters Rosenchad and Guildenbrad, Hamlet's thick-neck fraternity buddies, address the issue of homophobia.

"They are making fun of guys who are really homophobic and super concerned with people thinking they are gay in any kind of way," he said.

Steve Lucero plays the character Rosenchad.

"I like his inner workings. His heart," he said. "He doesn't want the world to see his true demons. He hides them behind homophobia."

Lucero said the performance will teach people about themselves.

"They will see something onstage that will reflect what's inside their soul, and they will leave the building a better person," he said.

Lucero described the play as highly metaphorical.

"The stabbing in the heart is a metaphor for the truth stabbing you, and the blood is not blood," he said. "It's more truth."

Lucero described the characters as metaphors themselves.

"The vampires are the corporations sucking out our truth. Our true nature," he said. "Hamlet, he's just an everyday guy trying to make it in this world."

Despite the deep insights and ideas of the performers, Witter maintained the parody is all in fun.

"I think that making people laugh is the most important thing we can do," he said.