Macbeth Program Notes

Director’s Notes

“What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.”

-Duncan Act 1 Scene2

We were two weeks into rehearsal when COVID-19 postponed our production for 6 months. Six months later and theatres around the world from Broadway to KC remain closed. So Macbeth the podcast came to life. Transferring Shakespeare from the stage to the ears of our listeners was a surprisingly easier task than I had imagined. A lot of Shakespeare actor training goes into speaking the text for audience members to ‘hear’ the words. Shakespeare metaphors had to cut through the open aired Globe Theatre and concoct the world of the play in his audience’s imagination. The atmosphere of Macbeth is evoked with his repetition of words like blood, night and time. There are also witches’ spells and Lady Macbeth’s invocation to commit evil acts to conjure up a world of power lust. Like his earlier counterpart Richard III, Macbeth pursues power with a relentless ambition. And once Macbeth gains the throne through nefarious means he is plagued by inner demons that convince him that others are planning equally devious means to take the crown from him. I believe that Macbeth’s downfall is not so much the witches’ prophecy but rather his own tormented psychology that swallows his consciousness and raises his hubris to commit more murder. Macbeth is a taut murder mystery where the audience knows ‘who dunnit’ and the rest of the characters catching up to Macbeth’s ruthless murders. Shakespeare allows you the listener inside the “heat-oppressed brain” of one of his darkest villains. We hope you enjoy Kansas Theatre Works production of Macbeth.

David Mackay, Director

Follow along with the script

Episode Guide--A summary of scenes

Cast Biographies

Cast

DUNCAN, king of Scotland Jacob Edelman-Dolan
MALCOM, his son Michael Duncan
DONALBAIN, his son Ian Boyd-Duncan
MACBETH Cole Rockhold
BANQUO Brett Broadbent
MACDUFF, Nobleman of Scottland Sterling Oliver
LENNOX Sam Neel
ROSS Chelsea Turner
ANGUS Morgan Boyer
SEYTON, an officer attending Victor Romo
A DOCTOR Jacob Edelman-Dolan
A PORTER Morgan Boyer
AN OLD MAN Jacob Edelman-Dolan
THREE MURDERERS Victor Romo as Seyton
Ian Boyd-Duncan
Zachary Smalley
CAPTAIN Sam Neel
MESSENGER Karly Breshears
SOLDIER Zachary Smalley
LADY MACBETH Kaitllyn Burns
LADY MACDUFF Brooke Griggs
SON of Lady Macduff and Macduff Jackson Welsh
FLEANCE son of Banquo Brooke Griggs
A GENTLEWOMAN attending Lady Macbeth Karly Breshears
A GENTLEWOMAN attending Lady Macduff Karly Breshears
WITCHES Lauren Taylor
Emma Price
Megan McGehee
SERVANTS, SOLDIERS, and ATTENDANTS Company
STAGE DIRECTIONS Chelsea Turner

Stage Manager: Addie Price

Assistant Stage Manager: Logan Peralez

Original Music by Alex Wakim.
Quinn Lake on Cello
Trevor Stewart on Clarinet
Music Recorded at Zeptepland Studios by Recording Engineer AM Namee

Production Team:

Sound Engineer/Editor: James Kyle Davis
Scenic Design: Kathy Voecks
Costume Design: Dana Pinkston
Technical Director: Ben Stark
Dramaturg: Donovan Watts
Fight Choreographer: Jacquie Loewen
Assistant Sound Designer: Gabrielle Henry
Sound Editor: Isaiah Cubit
Assistant Director: Hunter Parker
Assistant Fight Choreographer: Jackson Wilks
Scene Shop Supervisor: George Matthews
Costume Shop Manager: Melissa Neville
Stage Management Supervisor: LaVonne Canfield
Prop Master: Rose Wilde
Assistant Prop Master: Molly Reilley

Podcast Hosts:

Ceslie Parker-Waller
Brett Boline

Additional podcast voices;

Tara Sitzman-Darling
Jackson Wilks
Jack Carruth
Wesley Danielson
Gracie Duffey
Jayden Gittle
Sam Martin
Nikela Reed
Francis Sheehan
Ana Vasquez