By: Myleigh Lanham
The 2016-17 MWSU theatre season continued with the production of Shakespeare’s famous work, “Macbeth.”
The production used minimal stage effects but was full of unique aspects, like director Tee Quillin’s unusual casting choices. The cast was predominantly female, with a woman playing the main male character. Shira Murphy led with the role of Macbeth, while Antonio Daniels-Braziel played as Lady Macbeth.
Unlike the Shakespearean days, MWSU’s production is a reversed tribute to the play. Back then, women weren’t allowed onstage. Instead, male actors were cast in multiple roles, and played both male and female parts.
Antonio Daniels-Braziel is a theatre major and a familiar face on the Western stage. He said the experience of him ever having to gender-swap again in his career is incredibly low so he was happy to have the chance.
“It wasn’t too much of a challenge, I just had to remind myself not to act like a man playing a woman and expel gender all together by just playing the character,” Daniels-Braziel said.
Many hours were spent preparing for the performance. Junior Abby Sexton, who played multiple parts in the play, rehearsed on and off the stage to learn her character.
“There is a lot of character development because each character has its own thought process,” Sexton said. “It’s kind of hard to go from one to the other so quickly because you have to immediately get into the mindset of that other character.”
However, Sexton added that it’s fun to have a different thought process of the storyline and be able to see the show from different character’s
perspectives.
Sexton also said that she hoped the audience would take away an enjoyable show.
With its Shakespearean language, it can sure capture an audience’s attention.
“I hope the audience walks away from this show realizing that not all theatre is glitter and bubblegum,” Sexton said. “There are those dramatic stories, and especially with it being Shakespeare, I really just want them to walk away enjoying the story that we are telling.”
Audience member, Cami Pendleton, watched as her friends performed and enjoyed the show.
“The gender roles were swapped which was really cool,” Pendleton said. “The cast just had this energy that was really great; it was awesome.”
The production of “Macbeth” is a story about a Scottish general, Macbeth, who is enticed with power and responsibility. After a trio of witches inform Macbeth he will become king, Lady Macbeth tells him he must murder King Duncan and he seizes the throne. The murder drives Macbeth mad, causing him to become a tyrannical ruler and commit murder after murder. The murder spree catapulted Lady Macbeth’s and Macbeth’s deaths.
