Launching Westfield High School’s Season of Foolish Deception is the fall main stage Scottish tragedy “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare.
In this staging of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy directed by Scott D. Pafumi, Westfield Theatre is experimenting by setting the royal play in a primitive, yet medieval time period in the Scottish highlands. All costumes and sets will reflect an earthy forest, with an underscoring of voodoo witchcraft.
“Macbeth” is a play about betrayel, deceit and illusion. The show opens with a war between Scotland and its neighbor Norway. When the sitting Thane of Cawdor becomes a traitor, Macbeth (Stephen Hatch), the former Thane, regains his title. However, with the title comes a prophecy from the Three Witches (Chelsea Stenger, Sarah Cowdery, Jade Jones). These three “weird sisters” inform Macbeth that not only will he become Thane of Cawdor, but soon he will become King.
Macbeth’s power hungry wife, Lady Macbeth (Ariel Herman), begins to evilly influence Macbeth into killing the King, murdering his best friend, and slaying an innocent woman and child. Tortured with the guilt of their deeds, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth sink into depths of insanity.
The story culminates with a bloody battle between good and evil. Macbeth meets his end at the hands of Macduff (Dan Hrebanek), who acts as Macbeth’s own foil. Ultimately, the former King’s son returns to the throne, but not until the full story plays out with all its drama and intrigue.
With an intricate plot, traditional dialogue and a new twist, Westfield’s spin on one of The Bard’s most beloved plays will appeal to audiences throughout the land.