Actors Come Alive in 'I Hate Hamlet'

A cloud of aerosol hairspray fills the dressing room. Women, and men alike, sit in front of vanities applying makeup, slicking down hair, re-positioning wigs … and, in some cases, becoming someone else.

“The guys are rivaling us with makeup,” said a freshly primped Maggie Marshall moments before hitting the stage in Tuesday night’s dress rehearsal of the “I Hate Hamlet.”

That is, except for Anthony Cipollo, of Warminster, who, in his lead role as Andrew, couldn’t look more typical in jeans, sneakers and a button-down shirt.

“I really identify with Andrew,” said Cipollo, a Coca-Cola merchandiser who, like the character he portrays, longs to make a living as an actor. “What am I doing: Art, or something that pays well?”

The Yin to Cipollo’s Yang in Paul Rudnick’s theatrical comedy is the ghost of John Barrymore, played by Kevin Korowicki, of Doylestown. Upon emerging to convince the TV star to take on the role of Hamlet, Korowicki - who, clad in a bright-colored cape, brash makeup and larger-than-life persona, is strangely reminiscent of David Bowie - laments, “Am I dead, or just incredibly drunk?”

A fan of the Philadelphia-born Barrymore, Korowicki said his opportunity to become the late actor, if only for the Hatboro theatre troupe’s production, is beyond incredible.

“I play a ghost, how else can I beat that?” Korowicki asked. “I hope I do him justice.”

If you go

The Village Players’ production of “I Hate Hamlet” begins Friday and continues on weekends through June 25. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for shows on Friday and Saturday and $10 for Sunday’s matinee.