Rogue Shakespeare Presents Macbeth

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Rogue Shakespeare, the 2013–14 MFA company of Mary Baldwin University’s Shakespeare and Performance graduate program, in association with the American Shakespeare Center, announces the first show in their five-play season: William Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

Shakespeare’s famous play follows the story of Macbeth, a lord and soldier, who receives a prophecy from three weyard sisters which tells him that he will gain titles and ultimately become king. This prophecy, and the encouragement of his wife, spur Macbeth to take matters into his own hands and kill King Duncan. One bloody act leads to another and Macbeth discovers that his actions to secure his throne only increase his enemies.

Rogue Shakespeare is a company consisting of 11 women and one man. We practice cross-gendered casting in all of our productions as we examine treason, ambition, and gender. Our Macbeth is no exception: actress Kelly Elliott plays the title role opposite Celi Oliveto as Lady Macbeth. The cast will perform Macbeth in a sacred circle with all the actors on stage for the entire play reflecting the storytelling traditions of both Scotland and our neighbors in Appalachia. Director Riley Steiner created this production with educational settings in mind: its flexible theatre-in-the-round staging, minimal set, and 60 minute duration make it ideal for performances in schools.

Macbeth will have an initial run of six performances at theS.P.A.C.E. @ 107 E. Beverley in Staunton at 8p.m. on October 5 and 12 and at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Oct 6 and 13. These performances are free to the public with donations gladly accepted, but space is limited so please arrive early for general admission seating. To book Macbeth for an educational performance email rogueshakes@gmail.com for pricing details. Rogue Shakespeare also provides a variety of workshops for students of all ages.

Rogue Shakespeare’s other plays this season are William Shakespeare’s Richard II and John Marston’s The Insatiate Countess, opening in December, Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus in January, and Lope de Vega’s Fuente Ovejuna in March. Make sure to also join us for our staged reading series throughout the year and our festival of plays in the first week in April. Visit rogueshakes.com for more information. Rogue Shakespeare is inspired by scholarship and stagecraft, fusing these fields in order to seek new perspectives on early modern drama. As an ensemble-based company, we believe in igniting a collaborative conversation between text, performers, and audience about issues that matter to us today.

Rogue Shakespeare’s members are:
Kelly Elliott, Mary Beth Geppert, Rebecca Hodder, Stephanie Howieson, Melissa Huggins, Cyndi Kimmel, Dane Leasure, Julia Nelson, Celi Oliveto, Jessica Schiermeister, Charlene V. Smith, and Riley Steiner.

MFA Faculty:
Doreen Bechtol, Dr. Ralph Cohen, Dr. Matthew Davies

For more information:
rogueshakes@gmail.com
www.rogueshakes.com

PARTNERS:
go.marybaldwin.edu
www.americanshakespearecenter.com
www.thenewspace.org