One of Shakespeare's most violent tragedies, "Macbeth," will be performed by the Renaissance Center Theater Company beginning today.
This will be the fourth show of the year for the company, which was created in 2006 by the Amherst Renaissance Theater. The group has toured in the area performing a number of scenes from Shakespeare and other Renaissance playwrights.
Much superstition has surrounded the play. Shakespeare supposedly used real witches' spells in the text, causing the play to be cursed. It's said that productions of the play are troubled with accidents. Many consider it bad luck to say "Macbeth" out loud and often refer to it as "the Scottish play."
Director Nathaniel Leonard, however, seems unfazed by these superstitions, using the rightful name of the play throughout an interview.
A Ph.D. student in English Literature here at UMass, Leonard did his first work directing in 12th grade and has directed several plays since then. His biggest shows include "Oleanna" by David Mamet and an adaptation of the opera "Faust." He has also done other "weird random stuff."
The cast for this production draws heavily from the area. Leonard is not the only UMass student participating in the performance. Actors Tom Gostanian and Paul Devlin, who play Malcolm and Banquo, respectively, are both first-year students here at UMass Amherst.
Students from Amherst College will appear in the production as well, with sophomore Kathryn Libby playing First Witch, Lady Macduff, Donalbain and Doctor, and sophomore Natasha Smith playing Second Witch, Messenger, Servant Attendant and Gentlewoman. Amherst Regional Middle School 8th grader Gabrielle Holme-Mille will fill out the last of the "weird sisters."
Sean McHugh, who plays Macbeth, has performed on the North Adams Main Street Stage. He graduated from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2008.
This is not Leonard's first time working with the Renaissance Center, although it is his first time directing for them. In the spring, he appeared in "Measure for Measure," along with actor Walter Carroll, who plays Duncan, First Murderer, and Seyton in the Company's performance of "Macbeth." Carroll is also from the Pioneer Valley.
When asked why the group chose "Macbeth," Leonard explained that they "wanted something small but recognizable that people would want to come and see." He points out the intimate space of the theater calls for something without a large group scene, and "Macbeth" fits this requirement.
In order to maintain the serious tone of "Macbeth," the Renaissance Center Theater Company has kept the set minimal. "Everything in the set is black," explains Leonard, "you get color from the costumes, but the lighting is minimal… everything technical we've kept minimal."
In keeping with a minimalist approach, Leonard has shortened his production of the already short play, deleting the entire "Hecate" scene, which is actually taken from Thomas Middleton's "The Witch" and is not written by Shakespeare.
This minimalist attitude stems from a desire to focus on the relationships between characters rather than the paranormal elements, and a desire to keep audiences entertained. "We're conditioned for two-hour experiences," says Leonard.
Of the characters, Leonard explains, "I've always liked the witches and Macduff. Macduff is human - he makes so many stupid mistakes." With this humanity, Leonard hopes to achieve a relatable production.
But Leonard is quick to note that even though he likes Macduff because we can empathize with him, he's most meticulous in the scenes involving Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. He sees their relationship as the central aspect of the play and even goes so far as to say, "if Macbeth weren't married, it wouldn't be a tragedy."
The Renaissance Center Theatre Company will perform "Macbeth" on Oct. 10, 11, 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m., and on Oct. 12 and 19 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students and seniors.
Michelle Fredette can be reached at mfredett@student.umass.edu
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