By William Shakespeare
What happens when ambition eclipses civility? The classic tragedy about one couple’s decent into evil in the pursuit of power.
Department of Theatre & Drama 
Power Center
December 10 at 7:30pm
December 11 & 12 at 8pm
December 13 at 2pm
Overview
The Story: How far would an ambitious person go to manipulate their future? Told a prophecy that he will someday rule, Scottish general Macbeth briefly contemplates regicide, but his errant thoughts cannot overcome his nobility until he is emboldened by his equally ambitious and manipulative wife. The aftermath of their scheming takes them onto a ruthless, spiraling path as one atrocity leads to another in order to preserve their rule. As corrosive guilt and fear invades their minds, the pair is driven further into a nightmare of their own making. Loosely based on historical events, Macbeth powerfully explores one couple’s descent into evil in pursuit of absolute power.
Artistic Significance: The shortest and bloodiest of the Shakespearean tragedies, “the Scottish play” has fascinated audiences since it was written in 1606. Noted biographer Park Honan declared Macbeth “the quintessence of Shakespeare’s career.” Philip Kerr, who directed the department’s presentations of Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet and The Tempest, sets the production in a military hospital during the early 20th century. Filled with damaged minds and bodies, Macbeth is a chilling look at the corruption of the soul.
Cast
