This fall, the Lake Park Theatre Department put on a showing of Hamlet Hears a Who, a retelling of Hamlet imagined as if Dr. Seuss had written it. Lighthearted, funny, and entertaining, the play was a perfect fit to perform for local middle schools.
A notable moment before the play happened when one of the theater’s crew members got on the stage just before the opening act. In an attempt to get the audience of young kids excited for the show, the crew member prompted everyone to shout “6-7” at the same time. This was a highlight that really excited the audience.
With direction from Mr. Erik Uppling and stage manager Matt Hudak (LP ‘27), the play was a big hit for the middle schools that visited, and also the audience that watched during the viewing days. The play followed Hamlet (Ricky Gomez, ‘27), who learns his uncle Claudius (Victor Tellez, LP ‘27) murdered his father (Daksh Dhiman, LP ‘28) and, while pretending to be mad, sets out on a rhyming, lighthearted quest for revenge in true Dr. Seuss style.
With Ophelia (Eliza Johanek, LP ‘28) as Hamlet’s heartbroken love interest and her brother Laertes (Tyler Graham LP ‘26) fiercely protective of her, the play highlighted the tension between their family and Hamlet in a lighthearted, comedic way, turning moments of conflict into some of the show’s funniest scenes.
When asked why he chose the play, Mr. Uppling, the theatre director, said it “stood out” to him the first time he read it. Ricky, who played Hamlet, added that his favorite part was the ending death scene, since it was “really funny.”
The fan favorite for the play is likely to be Horatio, Hamlet’s loyal friend and voice of reason, played by Johnny Henderson (LP ‘27). Henderson’s natural, humorous tone appealed to the audience of mostly middle schoolers during the scene where he comedically changes his voice to talk to the gravedigger models (Abby Raitnen, LP ‘27 and Teresa Wyatt, LP ‘27), introducing a funny love story that had all of the middle schoolers cheesing.
Not only did the story and acting make the play engaging, but the lighting, designed by Finn Galizia, Julia Troutman (LP ‘27), and Johanna Voyles (LP ‘28), perfectly matched the spotlights on characters and the moods of each scene. Johanna explained that the lights were chosen deliberately, as they “wanted to kind of give [each scene] a different color based on what was going on.” For instance, green represented drowning and death (no spoilers here), while blue symbolized a moonlit night.
Along with the lighting, sound was also used deliberately to add humor throughout the play. Managed by Thalia Rhodes (LP ‘27), the sound design featured Roblox “oof” effects and classic sword clashes. On top of that, Thalia explained that the “ringtones were already chosen in the script and there were recommended ringtones for each character,” but the added sound effects gave the production an even more personal and creative touch.
Overall, LP Theatre continues to deliver creative and engaging performances. Their shows aren’t just for middle school audiences — they’re productions that deserve the support of the entire student body. As Hamlet actor Ricky shared, theatre is “a supportive environment that supports so many people who can paint, create, act, be backstage, and so much more.” As a great stage for performance arts, attending LP theater plays is a great experience.
The children’s play has become a proud tradition at Lake Park, with Aladdin performed in 2023 and many more in years past. If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining night out, be sure to check out the rest of this year’s productions — including Six: The Musical.
