Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Macbeth by William Shakespeare


Macbeth

OFF SQUARE THEATRE COMPANY’S FALL SHAKESPEARE PRODUCTION

Jackson, Wyoming, November 4 through 14: Off Square Theatre Company announces the opening of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, as this season’s fall production.

Off Square Theatre continues is fall tradition of producing Shakespeare. This season is William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Even though it is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, it is filled with many of the bard’s greatest observations. Returning to the stage are resident company members Judith Townsend, Caryn Flanagan, Bob Berky, Cord Reynolds, Kelly Bouma and Curt Haws. There is a cast of 18 professional actors costumes in 14th century Scottish garb. There are five fully staged sword fights. Early reservations are encouraged.

Macbeth is the story of a Scottish lord and his wife and their ruthless ambition to achieve the crown of Scotland. After encountering three witches during a battle to preserve the kingdom, Macbeth is told that he will become king. Encouraged by his wife and the prophecy of the witches, he murders the rightful King of Scotland to gain the crown. In order to keep it, however, he finds himself caught up in a downward spiral of more murder and madness. The murdered king’s son, Malcolm, enlists the aid of the English army to re-capture his father’s throne. While in England, to offer his allegiance to Malcolm, Macbeth kills Macduff’s family, a fatal mistake. It is Macduff who ends Macbeth’s spree of ambitious murder. Both Macbeth and his wife pay for their crimes with their lives. Macbeth is considered one of the great plays of all time and is filled with suspense, intrigue and mystery.

Off Square Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director, John R. Briggs, directs Macbeth. Briggs has directed at regional theatres throughout the United States, including Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Theatre, Buffalo Studio Theatre, Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, Florida Stage Company, and the Barter Theatre. Since coming to Off Square Theatre he has directed Peter Pan, Crazy Love, The God Committee, Eleemosynary, Romeo and Juliet, Deathtrap, The Jungle Book, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scrooge, K2, Petticoat Rules, and Lettice and Love.

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Costumes are designed by Jen Blake and Terry Schwab. Fights are staged by new comer to Off Square Theatre, Michael Johnson, internationally renowned combat choreographer. Michael Tilley composed an original score. Michael comes from Boulder, Colorado, and is best remembered to local audiences as the music director of Off Square’s acclaimed productions of Always, Patsy Cline, Seussical The Musical and Petticoat Rules.

Macbeth previews Wednesday, November 4 and 5, then opens the 6th at 8:00 pm, and continues through November 14. There is Sunday matinee November 8 at 3pm and a Saturday matinee November 14 at 2pm . All performances take place in the Center Theater in the Center for the Arts, 265 Cache Street, Jackson, Wyoming. To purchase tickets, call the Center Box Office, 307-733-4900 or go online at www.offsquare.org. Tickets are: Previews $10. All others $25 for adults, $20 for seniors/students and $15 for children under 11.

For additional information on Macbeth, contact John R. Briggs or visit www.offsquare.org.

ABOUT Off Square Theatre Company – Established in 1998, Off Square Theatre is Wyoming’s only professional theatre company. Off Square moved into the Center for the Arts in 2007 as the Center’s Resident Theatre Company. Off Square produces plays and musicals throughout the calendar year in the Center Theatre and the Black Box Studio Theatre in the Center for the Arts. Off Square also provides educational theatre training classes to students and adults, summer theatre camps, and is the sponsor of the Off Square Players, a conservatory-type theatre-training program for students 12 to 18.