April 25, 2002
Contact: Leslee Caul (509) 963-1750
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Tickets are on sale for Central Washington University theatre arts department’s season finale, William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” directed by Brenda Hubbard, which opens May 9 in the Tower Theatre.
The last of Shakespeare’s four great tragedies, Macbeth is considered by many scholars to be his darkest work. Macbeth, driven by his domineering wife, takes a bloody path to quench his lust for power. Add to this a supernatural dimension, in the form of witches, madness and insomnia, all conspiring against Macbeth and his kingdom. Evil begets still more evil and in the end all the powerful fall.
“We have always been transfixed by blind ambition and the connection between the brutality of the society and its affect on the individual,” says Hubbard. “This play has remained extremely popular with modern audiences, as exemplified by the 17 film versions made and countless stage productions that are performed the world over every year. We hope our rendition adds to the successful history of this most fascinating and disturbing play.”
Professor Derek Lane serves as the production’s sceneographer, meaning he is in charge of all design elements. Using the standard Shakespearean verse, the CWU production mixes classical, even ancient, design elements with both modern and ultra-modern elements which land the show in a non-specific time period that is at once yesterday, today and tomorrow.
“Disparate elements are unified to create the world of the play,” says Lane, who has chosen a “tennis court” arrangement for the seating units. “Instead of setting the play in a thrust, with audience on three sides, there are two facing banks of seating, which provides for a longer play space for the many battle scenes.”
Working with Lane is a student design team, each person assisting in one of the varied design elements. They are Betsy Cutler, assistant scenic designer; Amanda Mendelsohn, assistant costume designer; Lexie Blessing, assistant makeup designer; Erin Westfall, assistant lighting designer; Cory Ball, assistant sound designer; and Christina Simmons, properties manager.
Theatre buffs might also know this is a play shrouded in superstition. The legend of the “curse” of Macbeth dates back to the original production on Aug. 7, 1606. Legend goes that the young boy playing Lady Macbeth (because only men acted on Elizabethan stages) was stricken with a sudden fever, died, and it was the Bard himself who stepped into the role on opening night. Since then, the play has been riddled with mishaps throughout its production history, ranging from unexplained accidents to sudden and violent deaths among cast members.
The answer to the curse might only be found in the annuls of folklore, however there are some strong theories on why the play is “cursed.” It was believed that Shakespeare might have used real incantations from black magic ritual for the weird sisters (witches), and those who found the incantations sacred put a curse on all subsequent productions. Some believe it is the ghost of the real Macbeth who haunts the play. The third, and more plausible explanation revolves around ticket sales. When a theatre company was having financial problems the proprietor would often introduce a production of “Macbeth.” Audiences would flock, expecting a mishap, and revenues would soar, while actors would wonder if they were getting paychecks.
An even more logical answer can be found in the play itself. The show contains several battle scenes, choreographed by George Bellah, theatre arts department chair. “With so much physical action and violence on stage it’s understandable that people would get injured in the production of the play,” says Bellah. “Particularly in productions without the safety precautions that are observed in modern theatrical combat sequences.”
And Bellah warns that the CWU production will be no less violent. “If you sit in the front row, you’ll have the best seats in the house,” says Bellah. “But you’ll want to stay in that seat until intermission. The fight choreography is intense and although all safety precautions are being observed, the action will seem really close for those up front.”
Like all good superstitions and folklore, the Macbeth curse lingers on throughout the years and many traditions have sprung from the curse, including many nicknames to keep the acting troupe from uttering the ill-fated title inside of the theatre. “The Scottish Play,” “The Scottish Tragedy,” “The Comedy of Glamis,” and simply “The Play,” are all “safe” titles used by theatre folk. But for those who misspeak and utter the cursed word, have no fear because there is a remedy. To lift the curse you must leave the room, turn around three times to the right, spit on the ground or over each shoulder and then knock on the door of the room and ask permission to reenter.
Macbeth plays in the Tower Theatre May 9 and 16 at 7 p.m., May 10, 11, 17 and 18 at 8 p.m. and May 12 at 2 p.m. The show runs approximately two-and-a-half hours, which includes a 15-minute intermission.
The Tower box office is open noon to 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tickets can also be purchased by phone with a VISA or MasterCard. The box office will also be open one hour prior to each performance; however, advance tickets are recommended, as seating is limited.
For tickets and information, contact the box office at (509) 963-1774, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-3323. Tickets are $10 general admission, $9 for senior citizens, and $8 for students.
