THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Leraldo Anzaldua

For consideration: If not auditioning in general Spring Casting – please prepare 1 Shakespeare monologue between 1min-1:30min in length

TL;DR: Macbeth hears that he is going to be king; he and Lady Macbeth kill people so he can become king; both of them die.

Macbeth Summary
Three witches tell the Scottish general Macbeth that he will be King of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth kills the king, becomes the new king, and kills more people out of paranoia. Civil war erupts to overthrow Macbeth, resulting in more death.

ADVISORIES

*** This show will feature staged violence with bladed other weapons and instances of assassination.

***This show may have depictions of witchcraft, occult, or supernatural themes.

***This show may have moments of intimacy.

Schedule:
Rehearsals begin Monday Nov 29
Mon – Fri 7:00pm-10:00pm
No Rehearsal Jan 17 MLK Day
Tech Dates TBD
Performances Jan 20,21,22 in Maxwell Hall

This show will be cast predominantly with female presenting or non-gender specific actors.  Primary titled role is cast with male presenting/ identifying MFA Actor.

The show intends to feature live percussionist/musician/vocalist *small stipend available.

Macbeth – Male Identifying/ presenting *cast with M.F.A. Grad Actor
Macbeth is a Scottish general and the thane of Glamis who is led to wicked thoughts by the prophecies of the three witches, Macbeth is a brave soldier and a powerful man, but he is not a virtuous one. He is easily tempted into murder to fulfill his ambitions to the throne, and once he commits his first crime and is crowned King of Scotland, he embarks on further atrocities with increasing ease. Ultimately, Macbeth proves himself better suited to the battlefield than to political intrigue, because he lacks the skills necessary to rule without being a tyrant. His response to every problem is violence and murder. Unlike Shakespeare’s great villains, such as Iago in Othello and Richard III in Richard III, Macbeth is never comfortable in his role as a criminal. He is unable to bear the psychological consequences of his atrocities.

Lady Macbeth – female presenting/identifying *cast with M.F.A. Grad Actor
Macbeth’s wife, a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power and position. Early in the play, she seems to be the stronger and more ruthless of the two, as she urges her husband to kill Duncan and seize the crown. After the bloodshed begins, however, Lady Macbeth falls victim to guilt and madness to an even greater degree than her husband. Her conscience affects her to such an extent that she eventually commits suicide. Interestingly, she and Macbeth are presented as being deeply in love, and many of Lady Macbeth’s speeches imply that her influence over her husband is primarily sexual. Their joint alienation from the world, occasioned by their partnership in crime, seems to strengthen the attachment that they feel to each another.

The Three Witches – female presenting
Three “black and midnight hags” who plot mischief against Macbeth using charms, spells, and prophecies. Their predictions prompt him to murder Duncan, to order the deaths of Banquo and his son, and to blindly believe in his own immortality. The play leaves the witches’ true identity unclear—aside from the fact that they are servants of Hecate, we know little about their place in the cosmos. In some ways, they resemble the mythological Fates, who impersonally weave the threads of human destiny. They clearly take a perverse delight in using their knowledge of the future to toy with and destroy human beings.

Banquo - female presenting
The brave, noble general whose children, according to the witches’ prophecy, will inherit the Scottish throne. Like Macbeth, Banquo thinks ambitious thoughts, but he does not translate those thoughts into action. In a sense, Banquo’s character stands as a rebuke to Macbeth, since he represents the path Macbeth chose not to take: a path in which ambition need not lead to betrayal and murder. Appropriately, then, it is Banquo’s ghost—and not Duncan’s—that haunts Macbeth. In addition to embodying Macbeth’s guilt for killing Banquo, the ghost also reminds Macbeth that he did not emulate Banquo’s reaction to the witches’ prophecy.

King Duncan - female presenting
The good King of Scotland whom Macbeth, in his ambition for the crown, murders. Duncan is the model of a virtuous, benevolent, and farsighted ruler. His death symbolizes the destruction of an order in Scotland that can be restored only when Duncan’s line, in the person of Malcolm, once more occupies the throne.

Macduff - female presenting
A Scottish nobleman hostile to Macbeth’s kingship from the start. He eventually becomes a leader of the crusade to unseat Macbeth. The crusade’s mission is to place the rightful king, Malcolm, on the throne, but Macduff also desires vengeance for Macbeth’s murder of Macduff’s wife and young son.

Malcolm - female presenting
The son of Duncan, whose restoration to the throne signals Scotland’s return to order following Macbeth’s reign of terror. Malcolm becomes a serious challenge to Macbeth with Macduff’s aid (and the support of England). Prior to this, he appears weak and uncertain of his own power, as when he and Donalbain flee Scotland after their father’s murder.

Hecate - female presenting/identifying
The goddess of witchcraft, who helps the three witches work their mischief on Macbeth.

Fleance - female presenting
Banquo’s son, who survives Macbeth’s attempt to murder him. At the end of the play, Fleance’s whereabouts are unknown. Presumably, he may come to rule Scotland, fulfilling the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s sons will sit on the Scottish throne.

Lennox - female presenting
A Scottish nobleman.

Ross - female presenting
A Scottish nobleman.

The Murderers - female presenting/ non-gendered
A group of ruffians conscripted by Macbeth to murder Banquo, Fleance (whom they fail to kill), and Macduff’s wife and children.

Porter - female presenting/identifying
The drunken doorman of Macbeth’s castle.

Lady Macduff - female presenting/identifying
Macduff’s wife. The scene in her castle provides our only glimpse of a domestic realm other than that of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. She and her home serve as contrasts to Lady Macbeth and the hellish world of Inverness.

Donalbain - female presenting
Duncan’s son and Malcolm’s younger brother.

ALSO NEED –

1-3 percussionist/ musicians/ vocalists/ sound fx support

Basilio – King of Spain.  Obsessed with astrology and legacy.  Nearing the end of his life.  Male, open ethnicity.  (Cast w/MFA Graduate Student, understudy TBD)

Segismundo – Son (and prisoner) of Basilio.  The stars have foretold the destruction he will bring.  Brutish and cunning.  Male, open ethnicity.  (Cast w/M.F.A. Graduate Student, understudy TBD)

Estrella – A princess.  Niece of Basilio, and cousin to Astolfo.  Probably the smartest of the royals.  Wants in on Astolfo’s claim to the throne.  Female, open ethnicity.  (Cast w/M.F.A. Graduate Student, understudy TBD)

Astolfo – The Duke of Warsaw, nephew of Basilio, and next in line for the throne (or so he thinks).  A fop, entirely self-consumed and eternally lustful.  Male, open ethnicity.

Rosaura – A young woman in pursuit of vengeance.  She finds herself pulled into the political machinations of Spain’s royal court.  Ambitious, intelligent, and terrified.  Female, open ethnicity.  (Cast w/M.F.A. Graduate Student, understudy TBD)

Clarin – Rosaura’s “manservant” and faithful companion.  Just trying to survive, and usually does so by cracking a joke.  Often says the wrong thing at the wrong time, so it’s a wonder Clarin’s made it this far.  This character will be played as male-presenting.  Female or non-binary, open ethnicity.

Clotaldo – Advisor to Basilio.  Less concerned with the mystical, and more with the practical.  More of a father to Segismundo than Basilio’s ever been.  He is father to Rosaura, though neither of them knows it yet.  Male, open ethnicity.

Servant – A servant in the royal house, she has witnessed far too much cruelty.  Female or non-binary, open ethnicity.

1^st Soldier – Commander in Segismundo’s rebel army.  Male, open ethnicity.

2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th Soldiers – Soldiers in Basilio and Segismundo’s armies.  Male, open ethnicity.

BOWLING FOR BEGINNERS
By Diana Grisanti
Directed by Jenny McKnight 

Do you have what it takes to go all the way? Have you climbed Jacob’s Ladder until your legs turned to mush? Or been haunted by the memory of a 7-10 split? Bowling for Beginners takes you inside the world of collegiate champion female athletes — of dedication and athleticism, of big dreams but small crowds. Strap on your wrist brace, and get ready to strike.

Casting note from the playwright: The stereotype is that bowling is a sport of the white working class. Collegiate bowling, however, attracts athletes from a breadth of racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Plus, bowling is popular internationally, so it’s not uncommon for programs to recruit internationally. My point is: multi-racial, color-conscious casting is a must.

SCHEDULE: 

Rehearsals begin January 10  
Monday – Friday, 7:00 – 10:30 
No rehearsal January 17, MLK Day 
Tech begins Feb 24 
Runs in Rep with Uncle Play as part of the At First Sight Festival, Mar 5 - 12

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS: 

Members of the D1 Women’s* Bowling Team: 
Karina – Pure talent, obsessed with stats, intends to go pro. 
Riley – Talented, but has to work hard. Skilled at sarcasm. 
Ellen – Winner of the Canadian Youth Championships, three appearances at the Junior Golds. Also an accomplished trumpet player. Trying to figure out which passion to follow. 
Sarah – Looking for love. Also terrified of finding love. 
Cassidy – A recent transfer to the team. Talented and intense. 
Pearl – A real Team Player, would go to therapy more often if she had the time.  

* Karina, Riley, Ellen, Sarah, and Pearl all identify as cis women. Cassidy identifies as an AFAB nonbinary person. Gender presentations can (and should!) vary.  

The Athletics Department Lady 
Holly de Stefano – ‘a woman in a pantsuit’. Holly is the Vice-Dean of Strategic Creative Communications for the Athletic Department, and the Co-Chair of the NCAA’s Student Impact and Engagement Commission regarding Title IX and Non-Revenue-Generating Sports, and proud of it.  

The Ensemble 
Actor 1 – any gender. Plays Focus Group Member 2, Trumpet Player, Humble Expert, Spokesperson, Anna 
Actor 2 – any gender. Plays Focus Group Member 1, Coach, Oil Machine, Hottie #1, John 
Actor 3 – any gender. Plays Strength Coach, Focus Group Member 3, Oil Machine, Hottie #2, Faculty Member, Football player 
Actor 4 – any gender. Plays Librarian, Baker, Soccer Girl, Smoothie Vendor, Bernice Sandler

FROM THE AUTHORS: Carrie is a poster child for cruel victimization that grows to epidemic proportions. The show should be treated with respect and dignity- her story should be acted with emotional conviction. We are not interested in seeing the show done in a campy or kitschy style. Treating the material seriously, however, doesn’t mean it should be performed without humor, excitement, or fun; on the contrary, it absolutely needs these elements.

OVERALL NOTE: With the exception of three adult characters, our cast consists of high school seniors living through the intense final weeks leading up to Senior Prom and graduation. Notwithstanding that these kids are highly iconic figures in the adolescent landscape, they should also very much be individuals. In terms of casting, gender and ethnicity are open for all roles, although vocal range must be observed. 

KEYWORDS FROM CONCORD THEATRICAL: Betrayal, Christianity, Death, Friendship, Love, Parenting/Family, Religion, Adolescence/Childhood, Women's Experience

SCHEDULE: 

Rehearsals begin February 7  
Tech begins April 1
Performances run April 13-16

CARRIE WHITE: Painfully shy outsider who, in spite of her best efforts to belong, has been a victim of her classmates’ cruel jokes since childhood, as well as her mother’s strict, biblically ordained control at home; transforms from ugly duckling into graceful, and then vengeful, swan; vocally, she must be capable of lyrical sweetness as well as fierce power. Vocal Range G3 to E5.

MARGARET WHITE: Woman of visceral extremes; balances her fervent religious convictions with equally sincere true-believer spirituality and tender, maternal love for Carrie; in the end, she proves to be a religious extremist; like Carrie, with whom she shares several duets, her voice must range from expressive and melodic to ferocious and frightening. Vocal Range: G3 to G5

SUE SNELL: A popular over-achieving student. Her unthinking participation in a cruel act of bullying causes a crisis of conscience that leads her on a complicated emotional and psychological journey to make amends. Smart with just a touch of shrewd edge. The play is told through her memory. Vocally, she has a pop ballad voice that delivers sincerity and strength. Vocal Range: A3 to E5

TOMMY ROSS: A popular star athlete, valedictorian, and all-around stand-out. Yet, he also has unexpected, quirky sensitivity and is just starting to mine his personal life and feelings – a budding poet. His voice should have an effortless pop quality. Vocal Range: B2 to G4

CHRIS HARGENSEN: Rich, spoiled, and dangerous. Serious daddy and anger management issues. Her voice is pop/rock percussive: rangy and powerful. Must be an equally strong dancer. Implied sexual content. Vocal Range: E3 to E5

BILLY NOLAN: A dangerous, trashy, stupid-like-a-fox bad boy beholden to Chris’s bidding. His voice is that of a wailing rocker. Implied sexual content. Vocal Range: B2 to A4

MISS GARDNER: The girls’ no nonsense P.E. teacher. A tough disciplinarian, Carrie also arouses within her a surprising instinct to protect. Warm and powerful pop belt. Vocal Range E3 to Db 5

MR STEPHENS/REVEREND BLISS: This well-intentioned English teacher and guidance counselor struggles to help his students realize their potential. A dedicated educator, he’s stretched thin in his duties, woefully underpaid, and a bit overwhelmed as to how to handle the Billy Nolan’s of the classroom combat zone. Also portrays Reverend Bliss the Radio Evangelist. Vocal range A2 to G4

NORMA: Popular prom committee president who is a friend of both Chris and Sue at the top of the show. Vocal Range: E3 to E5

FREIDA: Sue’s brainy pal, an easy-going, get-along follower and a tireless extracurricular committee volunteer. Vocal Range: E3 to E5

HELEN: Immature, easily shocked, with a strong need to belong. Vocal Range: E3 to E5

GEORGE: Tommy’s friend since childhood. George idolizes him. Perhaps a little too much…Vocal Range: A2 to C5

STOKES: A bit of a nerd, happy to be included in Tommy’s group. Vocal Range: A2 to G4

FREDDY: Wise-cracking class clown and official yearbook photographer. Insecure. Vocal Range: A2 to C5

We will be adding additional Ensemble members to play Chamberlain High School students, Church Choir Members, & Interrogators.