Nov. 13-Dec. 7: REP stages 'Macbeth'
Resident Ensemble Players present Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' at Roselle Center
8:10 a.m., Nov. 7, 2014--Scotland and the Birnam Wood come to the state when the University of Delaware Resident Ensemble Players mount Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s most compelling and timeless tales of ambition, greed and lust for power, Nov. 13 through Dec. 7, at the Thompson Theatre in the Roselle Center for the Arts.
Tickets are $23-$29, with discounts for students and seniors, and can be purchased online, by phone at 302-831-2204, or in person at the Roselle Center for the Arts, Monday through Friday, from noon-5 p.m.
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“Before there was Game of Thrones, or House of Cards, or Sons of Anarchy, there was Macbeth,” says director Leslie Reidel. “But the play isn’t just about the struggle for a crown or power; the play is domestic tragedy. Macbeth starts as a good guy, like Walter White in Breaking Bad. You start by empathizing with him. He’s a servant of the king and in battle he saves both the king and the kingdom. Then one event takes place that makes him pause and reconsider the direction of his life.”
The three witches that serve as the catalyst in Macbeth are played in this production by life-sized puppets. “The witches and a few other characters are similar to bunraku puppets found in Japanese theatre,” says Reidel. “I’ve done a number of productions with these type of puppets and I’ve found that the otherworldliness they provide creates a wonderful atmosphere for the supernatural aspects of this play.”
REP actor Lee Ernst plays the title role and says that the piece is not just about ambition and power, but is also a love story gone awry. “Macbeth and his wife are a couple still madly in love and dedicated to one another. They give each other strength and courage, but those traits turn out to be a tragic double-edged sword.”
Performances run from Thursday, Nov. 13, through Sunday, Dec. 7. Opening night is Saturday, Nov. 15.
The REP will present free pre-show discussions on Saturday, Nov. 22, and Sunday, Dec. 7, beginning at 1:15 p.m. UD scholar Miranda Wilson will discuss Shakespeare and Macbeth on Nov. 22 and director Reidel will discuss his experience and concept of the play on Dec. 7.
Post-performance talk-backs with the actors in Macbeth will take place following the performance on Thursday, Nov. 20.
Five school matinees are scheduled for Nov. 18 and 19 and Dec. 2, 3, and 4 at 9:30 a.m. followed by talk-backs with the cast.
The Roselle Center for the Arts is located at 110 Orchard Road in Newark. A convenient parking garage is attached to the center.
About the REP
The Resident Ensemble Players (REP) is a professional theatre company located at the University of Delaware whose mission is to engage audiences throughout the tri-state area with frequent productions of outstanding classic, modern, and contemporary plays performed in a wide variety of styles that celebrate and demonstrate the range, breadth, and ability to transform a full-time ensemble of nationally respected stage actors who have been trained in the same way.
The REP is committed to create future audiences for live theatre by offering its productions at low prices that enable and encourage the attendance of everyone in the region, regardless of income.
Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson