In time for Halloween,“Macbeth”, written by British playwright, William Shakespeare, will be performed at Eastern Michigan University’s Quick Theatre. The play is gory tale set in the 11th century about a brutal warrior name Macbeth and his wife whose ambitions for royalty leads to bloody consequences. Lee Stille is the director.

Every other year EMU theatre department performs a Shakespeare production. EMU has not performed the classic story of “Macbeth,” but performed a version inspired by the original titled “Voodoo Macbeth”, a rewrite of “Macbeth” set in the Caribbean performed in 1981.

Stille was intrigued with the classic and believed that it was the right time for this production to be performed and the right time for the message of it to be received. He likes to connect the play to the current war stories of and how children are affected by those situations as human beings.

“Macbeth is a soldier and he is ruthless on the battlefield and we’re asking how does seeing death and destruction affect the human psyche, “he said.

The show is set in the middle ages where superstition and violence reign. It will include projections, wardrobe, blood, and many live-action metal sword battles choreographed by fight choreographer, David Blixt. He is from the Michigan Shakespeare Festival and taught classes at EMU this semester.

The play is a mix of entertainment and reality, both haunting and engaging, and also forewarning, the production contains strobe lights and water-based fog.  

“This play, like any other Shakespeare play challenge us, the audience, in some way and some people may be afraid of going to see Shakespeare, but I found that when I work with Shakespeare that people come away and say you know I got that, I understood it.

“Macbeth” will be performed on Oct.21, 22, 27, 28, 29 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 23 & 30 at 2 p.m. in the Eastern Michigan University’s Quirk Theatre. Tickets are available in person at the Convocation Center, the Student Center ticket office or the Quirk Box Office, by phone at 734.487.2282, and online at www.emutix.com.

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