Diary of a Show – MACBETH

Fall 2015 play – Shakespeare’s MACBETH

“Congrats to all cast and crew. Exceedingly well done. In many ways, this production was more satisfying to me than last season’s production of said play at Southwest Shakes. You handled the language very well and the show was a visual treat.  Bravo.” – Ric

 

“Joe Flowers and all of the thespians have done an amazing job of bringing Shakespeare’s words to life in a compelling theatrical production!  It was absolutely great! My favorite play yet. Bravo!” – Kristin

SETTING THE STAGE – Building the tree

Shadow Mountain technical theatre students worked with local visual and installation artist Kris Kollasch over several months on the creation of our nine foot tall oak tree. Using textiles, wood, wires, paper, paint, and ingenuity, Ms. Kollasch helped our students create a striking backdrop that transforms the black box theatre into the ancient hills of Scotland. The set design even has a few surprises for the audience – don’t miss seeing it in action!

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CREATING THE CONCEPT – The world of the play

In the initial exploration of the show, the actors created a visual wall of the world of the play. For this version of Macbeth, we set the show in first century Scotland, when Celtic women warriors were fighting against the invading Romans. This ancient Celtic influence provided an earthy, grounded feel that influenced the design of the witches, the set, and the costumes. The Celtic oak tree, which occurred frequently in our research, provided the backdrop for the stage setting and ends up becoming a force itself during the show.

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DOUBLE DOUBLE, TOIL AND TROUBLE – Creating the three witches

Make-up and prop designer (and Shadow Mountain alumni) Delaney Welch created the special effects for the three witches. I wanted to stay away from the classic “witch” look with a pointy hat and nose, so with Delaney’s help we created unique, creepy, and fantastic weird sisters that “look not like the inhabitants of the earth, yet are on it” unlike any you’ve seen before.