Cast
Jered Becker (John Barrymore) made his Chicago debut in SSP’s production of Bell, Book and Candle last season and then appeared as Bert Jefferson in SSP’s The Man Who Came to Dinner. Having moved from Wichita, Kansas, his previous credits include acting in/directing Guildhall Players’ production of The Country Girl and Wichita Community Theater’s production of Agatha Christie’s The Hollow. Previous acting roles include Guildhall Players’ Three Sisters and Wichita Shakespeare Company’s Much Ado About Nothing and Murder on the Orient Express at the Forum Theater.
Ben Chalex (Andrew Rally) is a performer who loves what he does. His most recent works include Brightside’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Rocky), Overshadowed’s I’ll be Seeing You (Frank) and Open Space Art’s My Life as a Cowboy (Michael). He is so excited to bring I Hate Hamlet to the stage and has loved the challenge the character has given him. He thanks you so much for supporting Chicago theatre and hopes you enjoy the show!
Abigail Jimenez (Felicia Dantine) is proud to join the cast of I Hate Hamlet for her first production with SSP. She previously performed in Safe Landing: How the Owls Saved Me (Mariana u/s) with Authentic Chicago Ensemble and in short films Still Foreign (Abigail) and Siempre Tuya (Adalina). She also performs with an all-female improv group called Wilma at The Home Comedy Theater.
Emma Parsons (Deirdre McDavey) is a performer, choreographer, director and one of those doe-eyed optimists who believes in empowering shared community through the arts. You may have seen her most recent work in Wolves: A Predatory Fairy Tale with Couch Penny Ensemble, Fox & Spade’s Couch Tomb, EFC’s Patchwork Festival 2025 winner The Three Husbands of Sarah Tilbury or her directorial debut Tender Napalm with Backyard Theatre Company, where she is also a proud artistic associate board member. She is overjoyed to make her first SSP appearance playing her dream role and thanks the entire production team, her cat (just because), everyone she’s ever forced to run lines with her and you, for supporting local theatre. Come groove with her this summer in collaboration with Backyard’s devised movement class “Motion Index”!
Jake Schwingshakl (Gary Peter Lefkowitz) is excited to make his Chicago theatrical debut with SSP, appearing in his first stage production since moving from Milwaukee in 2023. In recent years, he has directed several shows including Shrek The Musical and The Lightning Thief, and for the past year, he’s produced his own stage reading/drinking game, To Drink or Not To Drink.
Ellen Shaw (Lillian Troy) is delighted to return to Saint Sebastian Players, where she previously appeared in The Man Who Came to Dinner (Nurse Preen). Some of her favorite credits include The Language Archive (Alta), for which she was a Jeff Award nominee in 2024, as well as The Bog Witch Variety Hour (Shirah), Lighthouses in the Desert (Gail), The Trip to Bountiful (Carrie Watts), The Gin Game (Fonsia Dorsey) and Love Letters (Melissa). She is a Florida transplant who struggles with Chicago winters, but for the other three seasons, she truly thrives in her adopted city.
Charlotte Harris (Swing/understudy) is thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the I Hate Hamlet process! Some credits include Rapornzel (PrideArts Center), A Penny for Your Intrusive Thoughts (The Second City) and The Man Who Came to Dinner (SSP). She thanks her friends who said to keep going.
Production Team Members
John Austin (Co-Producer) retired from a career in legal education in 2013. Since then, he has been involved in Chicago theatre, training as an actor at the Second City Training Center and receiving informal training from members of SSP in the many behind-the-scenes activities it takes to bring a live theatre production to the stage. He sends thanks to all the people he has had the privilege of working with on this production of I Hate Hamlet—and especially to his co-producer, Lauren Miller.
Paul Chakrin (Stage Combat Choreographer) is happy to work with SSP! He has previously choreographed fights for City Lit Theater’s productions of Glassheart and Night of the Hunter and has appeared onstage with City Lit (Innocence of Seduction, Voice of Good Hope and The Safe House); Lifeline (Neverwhere); and Imposters Theatre (Windwalkers). In addition to violence design and acting, he is a photographer and art student.
Valerie Gerlock (Social Media Manager) is a company member with SSP, serving on the Literary Committee and as the social media manager. She has appeared on their stage in multiple productions, including the Jeff Award-nominated Boeing-Boeing (Gretchen) and It’s Only a Play (Julia). A Wright State University graduate, she has appeared in Charley’s Aunt (Donna Lucia) at SSP, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena) at JubileeTheatre and her Orchid Award-winning performances in The Mousetrap (Mollie) and Blithe Spirit (Ruth Condomine) with the Fairfield Footlighters. When not on stage, Valerie has worked behind the scenes as a dialect coach, social media manager and director with various theatres, including SSP.
Zach Kunde (Director) is thrilled to be back with SSP, this time as a director. No stranger to the stage, he has worked with more than 20 Chicago-area companies, and I Hate Hamlet marks his official Chicago directorial debut. After nearly a decade of teaching and directing high school students, he felt it was time to bring a full production to the city he loves. “A gigantic thank you to every member of the production team and cast, whose daily dedication makes every late night completely worth it. And thank you to SSP for bringing me on and for encouraging boundless creativity and never pulling things back to the confines of reality, whether it be physics or space time, nothing has been impossible. Just a really big problem to solve, and the entire process has been absolutely exhilarating, the best puzzle I’ve ever helped solve!”
Lauren Miller (Co-Producer) is delighted to be working with SSP on I Hate Hamlet! She recently co-produced Four Places (4Chairs at Bramble) and The Man Who Came to Dinner and Barefoot in the Park (both at SSP). Onstage credits range from the solo show Squeamish (A Bump in the Night), to Measure for Measure (Barnardine/The Shakespeare Project), to musicals such as Sister Act (Mother Superior/Metropolis), Nunsense (Mother Superior/SSP), Cabaret (Fr. Schneider/Big Noise), Nevermore (Poe’s mother/Jedlicka) and Drood (Puffer/SSP); theatre roles include the Jeff-nominated Boeing Boeing (Bertha/SSP), Light up the Sky (Stella/Citadel) and Steel Magnolias (Ouiser/Okoboji). Upcoming: Follies (Heidi Schiller/Porchlight). Lauren is represented by Big Mouth Talent. MeetLaurenMiller.com
Zachary Riker (he/they) (Stage Manager) is a Chicago-based theatre maker, mail room clerk and full-time hooligan. He is thrilled to return to SSP and is eternally grateful to his friends, family and cats for their constant love and support. Credits include stage managing Patchwork in years 1, 2, 3 and 5, as well as The Wonder and Richard III (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre); The Survivalist (RhinoFest); The Mark of Kane and Innocence of Seduction (City Lit Theater Company); Fear Experiment 13 at the Park West (Mac & Cheese Productions); and Charley’s Aunt (SSP). His acting credits include Peter in When Peter Met Wendy (RhinoFest), Edith in Blithe Spirit and various voices in Throwing Shade (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre) and Euvella in Rocket City, Alabam’ (MadKap). He has been costumer for Proof (MadKap) and Richard III (Eclectic Full Contact Theatre).
Jill Chukerman Test (Public Relations Director) has handled public relations/publicity/media for every SSP production and activity during her many years with the company. Among her favorite roles of the 35 SSP productions she has performed in are Barefoot in the Park (Ethel Banks), You Can’t Take It With You (Penny), Social Security (Barbara) and As You Like It (Celia)—all earning her Sebastian Awards—as well as Love, Loss and What I Wore (Gingy), Steel Magnolias (M’Lynn), Crossing Delancey (Isabelle), She Loves Me (Amalia), The Fantasticks (Luisa) and the world premiere and revival productions of Jonathan Hagloch’s musical Elvicula (April). She directed last spring’s Sebastian Award-winning Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, and she is president of SSP’s board of directors.
Thoughts from the Director
“Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.” — Terrence Mann
I Hate Hamlet is a love letter to everyone who works in theatre, both onstage and behind the scenes.
About six months ago, two things started at the same time. I began training for a full marathon, and we began work on this production. Unsurprisingly, people were impressed by the marathon. I heard things like “wow” and “that’s incredible.” When I told people I was directing a play, the response was usually much simpler. “When does it open?”
That contrast stuck with me.
Running a marathon is hard. It takes discipline, time and commitment. But what I came to appreciate during these past months is how much theatre demands of the people who make it. The hours are long. The work is constant. And most of it happens quietly, without much recognition. Theatre is much, much harder than 26.2 miles.
And yet, this group showed up every week and did the work. Over and over again.
What you are about to see is the result of that commitment. Not just from one person, but from an entire company of people who gave their time, their energy and a part of themselves to bring this story to life. This is our collective finish line, and we can’t wait to cross it with you cheering us on.
I am incredibly grateful to this cast and crew, and I am very glad you are here to share it with us. We hope you enjoy our love letter to Shakespeare, to Barrymore and to the strange, wonderful world of theatre.
-Zach Kunde