PIQUA — The Edison Stagelight Players will present William Shakespeare’s Macbeth directed by Matt Beisner. Performances will be held Oct. 21 through Oct. 30 in the Robinson Theater at Edison State Community College’s Piqua Campus.
Macbeth, widely considered to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest works, tells the story of a ruthlessly ambitious Scottish lord who seizes the throne with the help of his scheming wife and a trio of witches. The Edison Stagelight Players’ traditional retelling of the story will have you on the edge of your seat.
“It’s been three years since we’ve had a theater production at Edison State, and I wanted to make sure we started things back up with a classic,” said Director Matt Beisner. “Plus, what better show to choose around Halloween than one with witches, curses, murder, paranoia, and deception? And we are having way too much fun with it!”
Beisner continued, “My objective as a director is, first and foremost, to make sure the story is understood. Shakespeare can be very difficult to comprehend if our actors aren’t ‘speaking the speech trippingly on the tongue’ as Shakespeare’s own Hamlet proclaimed. This play has a ton of great lines and speeches, and my goal is that we frame those just right.”
“We’re setting the production in an 11th Century Scotland as Shakespeare originally intended. The barbaric and rugged feel of the show lends itself to a traditional telling.”
Performances will be held Friday, Oct. 21; Saturday, Oct. 22; Friday, Oct. 28; and Saturday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m. each night. A matinee performance will be held on Sunday, Oct. 30, at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets for the show are $10 for adults or $5 for students and senior citizens and are available for purchase with cash or check at the door. For more information, call 937-778-8600 or email Beisner at [email protected].
The cast includes Dean Shipley of Tipp City as Duncan, King of Scotland; Kyle Flaute of New Bremen as Malcolm, Son of Duncan; River Pistone of Sidney as Donalbain, Son of Duncan; Kyle Casey of Troy as Banquo, General of the King’s Army; Stuart Ableman of Sidney as Macbeth, General of the King’s Army; Jocelynn Garner of Piqua as Lady Macbeth; James Maloney of Troy as Macduff, a Scottish Nobleman; Bridget Collins of Troy as Lady Macduff; Ashton Beisner of Troy as Magnus, Son of Macduff; Gabe Millet of Piqua as Ross, a Scottish Nobleman; Rachel Ogestelli of Troy as Lennox, a Scottish Nobleman; Brock Hartzell of Piqua as Angus, a Scottish Nobleman; Enrique Rivera of Huber Heights as Caithness, a Scottish Nobleman; Emily Beisner of Sidney as First Witch; Clarissa Kiehl of Piqua as Second Witch; Melinda Spivey of Fairborn as Third Witch; Ayden Rench of Covington as Young Siward/Sergeant; Dee Shamblin of Sidney as Seyton, an Officer Attending Macbeth; Chris Garner of Piqua as Doctor; Broaddus Wade “El Senor” Shamblin of Sidney as Porter; Scarlet Pistone of Sidney as Gentlewoman Attending Lady Macbeth; Alexander Gilson of Sidney as Second Murderer; Kyle Lyons of Houston as First Murderer; Elena K.T. Evers of Vandalia as Messenger; and Aria Casey of Troy as Fleance, Son of Banquo.
Members of the crew are Director/Producer Matt Beisner of Troy; Assistant Director/Stage Manager/Sound Design Jen Scott of Sidney; Makeup/Hair Coordinator/Props Emily Beisner of Sidney; Production/Sets Chris Garner of Piqua; and Costumes Lisa Snider of Troy.
