Hamlet at New England Studio Theatre

Michael is the Founder and Artistic Director of New England Studio Theatre. He also currently serves as Director and Assistant Professor of Theatre at CT State Community College, Tunxis. He has also taught at Eastern Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, and served as Director of Education at Playhouse on Park. As an actor, director, fight choreographer, and educator, Michael has worked regionally throughout New England, in New York, and in the UK. He has appeared in over 30 productions of Shakespeare’s plays, including title roles in Macbeth, Richard II, and Romeo and Juliet. He has also worked extensively as a voice actor, including over 50 audiobook titles. He is a graduate of the MFA Professional Acting program at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Derek Corriveau is excited to return for New England Studio Theatre's second production. He has worked with many CT theatre companies for over thirty years including The Bradley Playhouse, The Little Theatre of Broad St, The Complex performing Arts Center, Spirit of Broadway, Chelsea Players, American Classics Rep. and Chestnut Street Playhouse. He has worked with the Ivoryton Playhouse in Anything Goes (Luke), Children of Eden (Adam/Noah) and Moon Over Buffalo (Richard). American Repertory at UCONN in Six Degrees of Separation (Larkin) and has toured with the National Theatre of the Performing Arts with educational theatre tours of To Kill a Mockingbird (Bob Ewell) and The Story of Anne Frank (Otto Frank) which was based on the book Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies.

Heather Oakley is an actor, director, and theater educator who taught theater curricula in New York City for over twenty years. She trained at The Atlantic Theater Company’s Acting School, founded by David Mamet and William H. Macy, and was invited to join its faculty, teaching Meisner-based Moment Lab, Scene Study, and Film Acting to NYU undergraduates and Conservatory students. Locally, Heather has worked with Chestnut Street Playhouse and The Granite Theatre. Selected credits include As You Like It, A Christmas Carol, Bus Stop, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Laramie Project, Our Town, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife. Heather is grateful to Michael, Kristin, everyone at CSP, and the phenomenal cast and crew. Love and thanks to her friends and family. She is delighted to continue creating meaningful work with wonderful collaborators.

Lydia was born in Providence, RI and quickly found her place on the stage at Trinity Rep’s Young Actors’ Summer Institute. She attended Boston University’s School of Theatre from which she graduated with a BFA in Acting. She holds a certificate from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art specializing in Shakespeare in Performance. Hamlet will be her second production with NEST, previously playing the role of Sonya in their inaugural production, Uncle Vanya. Some other favorite roles include Hovstad (An Enemy of the People), Beth (Little Women), Ex-Girlfriend (ONCE), Eliante (The School for Lies), Trinculo (The Tempest), and Leontes (The Winter’s Tale). She now lives in New York City. Keep up with Lydia on her Instagram @itslydiawinter | thelydiawinter.com

Charlie has been acting since hippies roamed Haight-Ashbury. He has one of the first BFAs in theatre. He is an actor, director and writer that has worked from Los Angeles to New York. His skills no longer include Horseback riding, but now Pickleball. Alas, an actor never retires, they just…

Ben has been active in theatre and performing arts for more than 30 years, and has enjoyed every minute of it. He was most recently seen providing music for Flock Theatre’s production of Hedda Gabler and as Waffles in NEST’s production of Uncle Vanya. Notable past roles include Malcolm in Macbeth and Cuddy Banks in the Witch of Edmonton with Flock Theatre.

Aaron Lathrop has primarily worked in puppetry for the last twenty years. Touring, puppetry cabaret, starring in Avenue Q and working on a couple Jim Henson company productions are among some of his highlights. He was an Elmo. His film career is short and studded with fantastic fame adjacency. He truly hopes no one ever sees his one starring role. He is thrilled to return back to his roots doing Shakespeare on stage.

Bob wanted to be an actor when he was in college. Nothing held him back except lack of talent. He ended up teaching theatre. When he stopped teaching, however, the old itch returned. He started appearing in student films. Talent was less necessary; it turned out he was good at projecting age. He's often cast as a priest, a rabbi or a kindly neighbor--and occasionally as a retired professor.

Matt is excited to be performing with New England Studio Theatre for the first time. In school, he enjoyed playing roles such as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods, and Felix in The Odd Couple. He’s glad to be back in the world of theater after graduating, and he appreciates the opportunity to perform with NEST.

Amy Bentley is a professional stage, screen and voice actress. A proud member of SAG-AFTRA, Amy has narrated over 390 audiobooks and is the proud recipient of an Audiofile Earphones Award. She is thrilled to take the stage for the first time with NEST. New York credits include: Iphigenia (at the LaMama), 29 x/y and Almost Maine . Regional & International Credits: Beehive the 60s Musical, Taming of the Shrew (Kate), Macbeth (Lady Macbeth), Twelfth Night (Maria), Equus (Jill), Sweeney Todd (Mrs Lovett), Three Sisters (Olga - Edinburgh Fringe). Film/TV: The Murder Pact on Lifetime (Lindsey). Amy received her BA in Theater Performance from WCSU. Many thanks for a lifetime of support from her loving family and husband. Learn more at: WWW.AmyMelissaBentley.com

Sky Buchan is an actor based in Norwich, CT. He holds a BA in Drama from Hofstra University with double minors in Music and Religion & Contemporary Issues. Past Hofstra credits include The Trojan Women (Talthybius), Kodachrome (The Young Man/Gravedigger), A Midsummer Nights Dream (Assistant Director/Fight Captain) and You Can’t Take It With You (Henderson), Dinner For The End Of The World (Brad). Other credits include A Few Good Men (Tom, Lawyer, Orderly), School of Rock (Adult Ensemble), Matilda (Adult Ensemble), Escape To Margaritaville (Ensemble). Instagram: @sbuchan3

Daniel Dykes 戴龘甯 is excited to return after playing Uncle Vanya in NEST's debut production last year. Other acting credits include Macbeth, Mr Darcy, Agamemnon, Molière, Captain von Trapp, Emperor Joseph in "Amadeus," "A Few Good Men," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Footloose," "The Wake of Jamey Foster," "The Barber of Seville," "The Vast Difference," "The Importance of Being Earnest," "The Foreigner," "Twelve Angry Men," "Our Town," "Ah, Wilderness!," the Harvard Law School Parody, The National Puppetry Conference, the Essex Steam Train’s Christmas show, Mystic Seaport Museum’s "A Tale of a Whaler," and approximately 40 other plays. He last appeared in a reading at The Depot in Hampton, Connecticut.

Cynthia is newer to the world of stage acting, having taken part in two productions last year with Playhouse 44 of Avon. Their varied hobbies include but are not limited to textiles, history, singing, historic cooking, and writing. When not working as a machinist you can find them on both stage and screen, as they have been juggling filming a feature-length movie alongside Hamlet.

Dave Mellisy is pleased to make his NEST debut in the roles of Guildenstern and the Second Gravedigger. He returned to the stage last year, after a two decade hiatus, in the Chelsea Players’ “At the Still Point,” directed by fellow Hamlet cast member Dan Dykes. Previous roles include Charlie Baker in The Foreigner, Albert Peterson in “Bye Bye Birdie,” Willard Hewitt in “Footloose,” and Lenny Ganz in “Rumors.” Outside the theater, Dave composes and records original music, and works as a road designer and civil engineer.

This is Tony's first performance with New England Studio Theatre. He has played in such roles as Danny M2 (Antipodes), Wayne Hopkins (Puffs), and Sebastian (Twelfth Night). He is excited to bring his performance as Lucianus to life. He is currently in his last year at Central Connecticut State University studying acting.

Since first appearing on a Houston stage in 1990 Jim has been involved with over 100 shows, on stage, back stage and in the tech booth. Favorite roles: Teddy (Arsenic and Old Lace), Banjo (Man Who Came to Dinner), Capt. Lesgate (Dial M for Murder) and of course the 30 years of productions that he got to share with his wife Jaci. This performance is dedicated to her.