Name: Jack Zaryckyj
Role/Title: Director
Why Acting/Directing? I love it so damn much!!!
Why Shakespeare?
Shakespeare’s plays have been consistently popular for the four hundred years since they were written. This demonstrates the universality of the characters and circumstances that he wrote about. There is a complexity, especially in the later plays. This is due to the fact that Shakespeare left many of his characters’ motivations ambiguous, which allows for interpretation. These different possible interpretations explain why a person can go see the same Shakespeare show many times, because there is always a new angle to look at it from, or new things to learn about the characters and their situations.
How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare & this production?
It’s been four years now, so I don’t remember the exact circumstances, but I know that I auditioned for Romeo and Juliet and got a couple of great little roles—my favorite of which was the Apothecary. I’ve been involved with Hampshire Shakespeare as an actor, director, set carpenter, and props master over the last four years.
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| A scene from "Hamlet," directed by Jack for HSC, 2010 |
‘Lackadaisical.’ I love the sound, but it definitely doesn’t describe me.
What is your Least Favorite Word?
‘Utilize,’ because its definition is the opposite of its colloquial meaning—it actually means to use something for a purpose that it was not intended for. The same goes for ‘nonplussed.’
What sound or noise do you love?
The dull popping sound when you break the seal on a new jar of pickles or applesauce.
What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of the filter in the aquarium in my bedroom—it keeps me awake!
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Musician, though I’d have to have some musical inclination for that (I can play the recorder!).
What profession would you not like to do?
Anything that keeps me behind a desk all day, I think anything to do with Wall Street or banking would not jive with me.
What is your earliest memory of theater?
When I was seven I played the Angel Gabriel in the Nativity at church. I remember that I was so nervous about knowing my lines that I was already practicing them on the way home from church on the day I was cast.
Why is Theatre Necessary?
Theater, in one form or another, has been around as long as people have. Performance—a person taking on a persona that is not inherently their own—was an important aspect of many ancient rituals, the first plays. Theater has been perceived as holy, as prostitution, and everything in between for centuries. Being so diverse, theater has deeply penetrated many aspects of culture. Theater is important because it is all around us everyday, whether at work, home, or school. We can’t escape it, because it is inherently human. To drop what a person is in his or her everyday life and became something else—a god, demon, king, or regular Joe—is a fantasy that is universal and that can become a reality on stage. Furthermore, such performance is a tool to clarify the human experience, what it is to feel intensely, to despair or love or to hate, and how that affects a person to their core and informs their actions. To watch such clarity is cathartic to an audience. Why else would people choose to sit done on a hot night covered in bug spray to see a performance?
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| Prince Hamlet, with Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, Directed by Jack |
I remember in sophomore year of high school I read Julius Caesar, and I couldn’t stand it. It felt like every page was a struggle and I just could not understand it. This is the way that Shakespeare is often introduced to people, which is a real shame. What a turn-off, to be forced to fight with a text, instead of being allowed to experience the words in a more human way, to see it performed. It wasn’t until two years later, when I was lucky enough to land the role of Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing, that I was able to begin to grasp the meaning of Shakespeare’s words. I have been reading, performing, and directing Shakespeare ever since. One of the most exciting aspects of directing a Shakespeare play is that the actors teach you something new about the text every rehearsal. After a summer of directing Hamlet, and seeing three solid weeks of performance, I feel that I understand that play infinitely better than any Shakespeare text I have simply read.
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Jack W. Zaryckyj (Director) is excited to take on his second directing project with Hampshire Shakespeare Company. Last year, he directed "Hamlet" for the Hampshire Shakespeare stage. While attaining a B.A. in Theater from Mount Holyoke College, he was involved in acting and technical theater. Break a leg this year everyone!
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