Two and a half months worth of rehearsals will take center stage as the Theater Department presents William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” opening on Oct. 20 and Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern” opening Oct. 27.

“Hamlet” tells the story of the prince of Denmark, who retaliates for the murder of his father by his uncle and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are two characters that are watching Prince Hamlet and just trying to find their roles in life.

John Zamora, theater arts instructor, says that one of the reasons why he decided upon directing “Hamlet” was because it was one of his favorite plays growing up.

Of the 27 roles that are featured throughout the play, each of the students who is playing the roles adds a unique flavor to his respective character roles, Zamora says.

“Most of the cast has taken classes with me numerous times,” he adds, “so (each student) brings (some of that) experience with them.”

Hamlet is a young man when he finds out his father is murdered so the play’s emotion may be difficult to grasp at first for some actors.

Zamora says that this is why “the play is rehearsed in blocks is so that the students will get a general idea of what kind emotion is be presented.

Those within the cast said that they are excited to be in both plays being that most if not all the roles are both in Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Gilbert Martinez, theater arts major who plays Hamlet, agrees that he does have a lot of emotional characteristics, but there is also something else.

“There’s a lot of layers to Hamlet,” he emphasizes, “because not only is what he feels about the murder of his father important, (Hamlet) is also very intelligent (so much so) that I could write an entire paper on him.”

Tony Bartolone, a minor in theatre arts, who plays The Player, said his character is a cross between actors Robin Williams and Jim Carrey because he is a con artist.

Tye Justis, theatre and film major who plays Laertes said that he too think that within his character there are layers.

Alana Ogio, undecided major, who plays a soldier named Francisco commented that although her role was for a male that she is happy, “that I beat out the men for the part” because it goes to show that not only men can only do male leads.

During a fight scene with Hamlet, Laertes has a fair match of wits with him before Laertes is only looking out for himself.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern also play a crucial role in “Hamlet” as two of his close friends who eventually betray him.

Maria Lopez, theater arts major, plays Rosencrantz, “Who is not very smart,” as she says, “because he just follows the rules.”

Lopez says that she and her twin sister Barbara, who plays Guildenstern, don’t have many lines in “Hamlet.”

However, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s director Kevin Hoggard says that both roles are brought into focus within the play he directs.

The primary reason why Hoggard wanted to direct Stoppard’s play is because of the twin sisters, “because originally the roles of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were written for men.”

The hope that Zamora has is that those who come and see “Hamlet” is that they will end up having an appreciation for Shakespeare.

However, for Hoggard there is another element to “Hamlet” himself, besides Shakespeare’s pen.

“He was an actor and when he wrote, he put himself as the actor in those plays, such as ‘Hamlet.'”

“Hamlet” runs through Nov. 4 and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern” runs through Nov. 5.