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Macbeth will battle ambition and prophecy on the Las Positas College stage for the next two weekends.
The college’s theater arts department presents the story as a modern take on the age-old Shakespearian play.
In “Macbeth”, a warrior descends into blood-thirsty madness. With encouragement from witches and his wife, he kills — spoiler alert — the King of Scotland.
The play presents a “journey into the heart of ambition, betrayal, and dark magic”, according to an announcement by the theater arts department.
“One of the things I love so much about the story ‘Macbeth’ is the idea of humans wrestling with how much control they have of their lives,” director and producer Titian Lish said. “As we assess the power of our own ambition, we have to also entertain with curiosity that we may actually not have as much control as we want. And for those of us who like control, this can be a real eye-opening revelation.”
The LPC production has been adjusted for modern audiences while maintaining the key points of the plot, Lish said. The adaptation has script edits for brevity and clarity. It also removes scene changes to keep the audience connected with characters.
The performances include non-traditional casting and alternative wardrobe selections, costume designer Jennifer Gough said in a statement. This means characters will fashion leather jackets and harnesses or flowing fabrics, inspired by high-fashion designers like Alexander McQueen.
“We’ve taken time to work with actors to understand their interpretations of their characters so we can costume them in ways that allow them to comfortably embody characters who may not align with their own gender identity,” Gough said in a statement.
The show’s complex anti-hero is played by Cecily Hansson.
“Having the opportunity to play the role of Macbeth has been such a welcoming challenge for me as an actor,” Hansson said in a statement. “Shakespeare’s creation of such a dynamic, conflicted, and, at times, maniacal character is so thrilling to explore.”
The 18-actor crew also features Lucas Childree, Bee Azevedo, Jared Henry, Thomas Henry, Leïana Ceitelis and Alex Lobao. And the show’s technical director is John Kelly.
Lish recommends the show for people over 12 years old. “The language is elevated, and the themes are dark,” she said. There are moments of heartbreaking violence and that could be hard for younger audiences to understand”.
“Macbeth” runs from this Friday (Oct. 25) through Nov. 3 at the Mertes Center for the Arts Black Box Theater at the LPC campus on 3000 Campus Hill Drive in Livermore. Friday and Saturday performances are held at 7 p.m. Shows on Sundays are at 2 p.m. The production this Sunday (Oct. 27) will be sensory-friendly, meaning no strobe lights, smoke or higher sound levels.
For tickets or more information, go to lpc.ludus.com or laspositascollege.edu/theater.
Correction: A previous version of this story listed an incorrect closing date for the play. The final show of “Macbeth” is set for next Sunday (Nov. 3) at 2 p.m. Embarcadero Media Foundation regrets the error.
