The cast list for this year’s fall pla The cast list for this year’s fall play, “Hamlet,” was announced Monday and consists of 16 students playing roles and four students participating in other ways. Because of the amount of parts the play involves, some cast members will be playing more than one part, and the play has been abridged to better fit into the preferred length of time.

Director and Professor of Theatre, Edward L. Powers, said he chose to do Hamlet partly because it was time for another Shakespearean play in the Waynesburg University theatre.

“It is important to keep Shakespeare alive in the theatre,” said Powers.

Powers wanted to choose a Shakespearean play that would be familiar and interesting to the audience and present a challenge for those performing.

“Shakespeare is a challenge not only for the actors, but it’s also important for the audience as well,” said Powers.

Although most of those who auditioned for the play are upperclassmen, who have already been involved in at least one play at Waynesburg University, this was freshman criminal justice major, Veronica Kayona’s first time auditioning for any production at the university.

Kayona said she decided to get involved in the theatre because she was looking for an activity to be part of outside of classes, and then she became excited about the fall play.

“Shakespeare is someone I appreciate because he brought so much to the theatre,” said Kayona. “So, I thought Hamlet would be good to audition for.”

Kayona was involved in two musicals and a theatre class in her high school before graduating, and said that she quickly warmed up to the Waynesburg stage during auditions.

“[The] first time going up on the stage, I was nervous, but after doing the read-throughs of the script, [I] was perfectly fine, because I got more and more comfortable with it,” said Kayona.

Many cast members who are used to Waynesburg productions are just as excited for the show as those who are new.

Senior English major, Shawn White, playing the part of Hamlet, said he is “so excited” about Professor Powers’ fall play choice.

“To end my college career with a Shakespeare is so amazing,” said White, “and ‘Hamlet,’ nonetheless.”

Although he has been in many plays, including playing the lead role of Leon in last year’s fall play, “Fools,” White believes playing the role of Hamlet presents a new challenge for him to tackle.

“Portraying the complexity of Hamlet is going to be a challenge, for sure,” said White. “I have to be careful not to portray Hamlet too stoically, but also not as a complete loon. His struggle with sanity is a delicate line to portray, but I think I can do it.”

White said “Hamlet” will likely be the last play, other than the one-act plays, that he will be involved in before he graduates, but he “couldn’t imagine a better show to end with.”

“Hamlet” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center on campus Nov. 8-11.