The First Act of “Macbeth”
The beginning of the drama program’s newest production
By Katrina Ross Rodriguez
American Players Theatre’s version of Macbeth
Photo via American Players Theatre
“Macbeth”, the notorious Shakespearean tragedy, will be making its debut on our school stage in the spring. With auditions taking place in early November and fundraising in early December, expectations are set high for this next production! Mr. Mabrucco, an English and Drama teacher at Mary Ward and head of the drama program, and Ms. Ungaro, a student teacher, were interviewed about the early production process.
Mr. Mabrucco described Macbeth as bloody, vengeful, and terrifying. He mentioned that in comparison to “Working” last year, he wanted to challenge the audience’s concept of what a play is and push boundaries in terms of how he directs and what he does.
“I want to make the audience uncomfortable in an artistic way. I’m excited because this year’s grade 12’s are very talented and they’ve had a real interest in doing Shakespeare. I’m excited to see how they’re going to tackle the challenge of the Shakespearean language, because it’s weird, so how do we make that accessible for a modern audience? I think that they’re more than up to the task and I’m looking forward to working with them,” he said.
Mr. Mabrucco also exclaimed what he wants students to expect from the production and to view “Macbeth” from a fresh perspective.
“I don’t want them to think that Shakespeare is boring and hard to understand. It’s a story about revenge, it’s a story about trying too hard and failing and it’s a story about relationships and supporting each other in relationships. These are all things we still have now in modern day, and just because it’s set in a different country, different world and a different life, doesn’t mean it’s not relevant to what we’re experiencing now. I don’t want them to think it’s boring. It’s not, we’re going to make it interesting. What else can they expect? Let me just put it this way: I have a pretty sizable budget for fake blood this year.”
Ms. Ungaro, who was previously a student at Mary Ward, also expressed what she was most excited about.
“Since I was a past student here and I was in past productions, I’m interested to see a new director, new eyes, new opinions and see how the stage has changed since I was here.”
Finally, Mr. Mabrucco explained his final remarks to the readers of the article, conveying the importance of arts and the talent of students.
“The arts are really important in high school. I feel like a lot of people think, ‘I’m not going to be an actor, why would I go see a play or take drama? I just have to get those units in,’ and that’s all well and good, but school can be more than that, and a play is a great way to show the real possibilities of what a school can do. We have very talented students and I think that it’s a shame that they’re just stuck hiding behind the fear of units. I’d like to show off how talented our program is and how talented our students are, and I hope everybody comes to see it and enjoy it!”
The hard work has just begun for this production and excitement is on the rise. Be prepared for blood, revenge and even more fun when “Macbeth” hits the stage!
