Macbeth
at Stone Bridge High School

Reviewed on December 7, 2013

Yena Seo
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

Often referred to as the Scottish play, Macbeth chronicles the virtuous Macbeth whose kingship is prophesied by a trio of meddlesome witches known as the Weird Sisters. Written in 1606, Macbeth was one of Shakespeare's last tragedies to be performed, and has become a renowned classic of English literature and theatre. As the story unfolds, Macbeth begins a series of murders and regicide that includes his best friend Banquo, in order to secure the throne and descends into paranoia, ridden with guilt from his actions.

Stone Bridge High School avoided taking the well-trodden path of Macbeth by setting the play in the American South in the year 2060 after a global catastrophe in which all of the earth's recoverable petroleum dried up. Following the apocalypse, the noble Queen Duncan emerged to lead a small village, only to be attacked soon after by a gang of hill people, who live off old caches of nuclear waste. From there, the plot of Stone Bridge's Macbeth began.

While many of the technical aspects of Stone Bridge's production were impeccably crafted, its brilliant costuming and makeup stood apart in both design and execution. Torn and ragged clothing in neutral hues were worn by Duncan's people, a silver mask and dreadlocks distinguished the witch queen Hecate, and radiation from the nuclear waste was suggested through color and detailing of the Weird sisters, each wearing a different neon color, with a different number of buns adorning each witch's head. The relationship between costumes and makeup allowed for seamless transformations in characters, allowing the audience to witness both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's transition into madness and treachery through fluorescent touches in their hair and clothing, while Banquo's ghoulish makeup provided an eerie and haunting silhouette. The professionalism in the show was illustrated in creative original music composed by Adam Weiss, creating a fast-paced and unique sound to the production.

Stone Bridge's entire cast carried the show with fantastic energy and was able to undertake the challenge of performing with southern drawls. Ryan Bateman tackled the immensely difficult titular role of Macbeth, conveying an unsettling mixture of anger, guilt and ambition as his morals dwindled and he fell into a downwards spiral of treachery and torment. Opposite him was Elizabeth Morton as Lady Macbeth, whose ruthlessness was demonstrated in her articulation and loathsome mannerisms. Both leading actors succeeded in portraying their characters' guilt-driven madness and paranoia, making them seem even pitiable at times.

Sierra Carlson as Banquo, a part traditionally played by a man, brought high energy to her active, good-hearted character, easily gaining sympathies from the audience during her untimely death. Returning as Banquo's ghost, Carlson was truly terrifying, from her subtle twitches to her haunting gait and stare. The three Weird Sisters, played by Aliya Qureshi, Emma Strong and Gretchen Dunne, were able to be uniform while still portraying each witch's individuality, their synchronicity and eerie voices displaying full commitment to character. Ian Peterson and Sean O'Rahilly gave commendable and passionate performances as Lord MacDuff and Prince Malcolm.

This classic tale of murder and madness was brilliantly executed by the cast and crew of Macbeth. Their commendable decisions and zealous performance proved victorious as Stone Bridge High School's production of Macbeth excelled in carrying out this dramatic marvel for a truly entertaining night of theater.

Maddie Clark
Loudoun Valley HS
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

Macbeth is known to the theater world as a "cursed" play, one to not be mentioned at any cost. Stone Bridge High School's production of "the Scottish play", however, was anything but.

Considered William Shakespeare's darkest and most tragic play, Macbeth utilizes themes such as the corrosiveness of power and the psychological damage that can follow it. While the play was originally written in the early 1600s, it fits surprisingly well in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, as potently portrayed by Stone Bridge. The year is 2068, all of the world's oil has been used, major governments are no more, a vast majority of the world's population is dead, and those left have resorted to a medieval village system of living. Queen Duncan's (Jamie Arians) village in southern Appalachia is in the midst of a prosperous and peaceful time at the start of the production. The well-known, albeit modernized, story of Macbeth follows, completed with nuclear-hoarding rebels and witches chanting over a bubbling nuclear waste can.

Lord and Lady Macbeth, played by Ryan Bateman and Elizabeth Morton respectively, had a wonderfully dramatic decline into paranoia and insanity. Both were dynamic in their characterization of the vicious, tyrannical, and power hungry alpha personalities. Lord MacDuff (Ian Peterson) was amazingly powerful, especially in the scene the deaths of his wife and child are revealed to him. Lady Banquo (Sierra Carlson) was portrayed wonderfully in a traditional male part; she was exciting and energetic, and the camaraderie between her and Macbeth, which is crucial to his mental deterioration, was invariably present.

The delightful ensemble, composed of three different groups, was equally as exciting and dramatic as the leads. The weird sisters stood out immediately. Comprised of three witches (Aliya Qureshi, Emma Strong, and Gretchen Dunne), each with her own distinct personality and mannerism, were the perfect mix of captivating, ominous, enchanting and sinister. Duncan's army, a ragtag group of fighters, was equally terrific in its physical mannerisms. This was especially evident in the beautifully choreographed fight scenes. The effervescent final battle was awe inspiring, despite a minimal lack of character motivation.

While the production was spectacular, the music was even better. Composed by senior Adam Weiss, the pre-recorded mood music stole the attention of the entire audience. It perfectly mixed the chaotic and synthesized atmosphere of a modern apocalyptic setting with the folksy charm of simple Appalachian melodies, all while paying tribute to the original Scottish heritage of the show. In fact, the sound design as a whole was extremely pleasing--noticed for all the right reasons. The daunting task of managing 15 wireless mics, recorded music, and a plethora of sound effects was pulled off without a hitch.

A magnificent entwining of a dystopian setting and a famously dark and twisted story, Stone Bridge High School delighted enthralled audiences with a terrifyingly powerful production, bringing fresh life to the wicked and ominous story written by Shakespeare hundreds of years ago.

Tessa Youngner
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to ShowBizRadio.net

The lights black out. The music is cued. The curtains are drawn. However, the audience pauses to burst into applause as the potently solemn sentiment of another tragedy hitting the already desolate apocalyptic southern location of Stone Bridge High School's Macbeth washes over the auditorium. This famous Shakespearian tragedy first performed for King James I in early 17th century, follows the journey of Macbeth (Ryan Bateman) as he moves up the ranks to become king of the land. Upon receiving prophecies from three witches as he and Banquo (Sierra Carlson) return home as war heroes, Macbeth and his power hungry wife, Lady Macbeth (Elizabeth Morton), plot to murder in order to make this a reality. An unbelievable fate becomes an unthinkable reality as Macbeth spills the blood of the royal Duncan and releases a chaos of murder, distrust, insanity, guilt, and darkness that lead him to his ultimate doom.

Leading the cast, Bateman's portrayal of Macbeth complimented the stylistic theme of the play. Bateman reflected this unique Macbeth as a desperate, poor southern American in this futuristic, tumultuous land perfectly even when he first stepped on the stage. His embodiment of that themed archetype and energy brought the show to another level. Morton's portrayal of Bateman's opposite was enticing to watch as her raw instincts and choices were presented. The audience was carried on the emotional journey of Lady Macbeth as Morton subtly morphed her to the point of insanity. Though only heavily featured in the first three acts, Carlson's performance as Banquo stole the show. The stage presence and naturalness of Carlson was astounding as she displayed a maturity in her craft beyond her years. Ian Peterson's performance as Lord MacDuff was wonderfully heart-breaking as the audience could feel his despair permeate the air. The dedication, commitment, and thought Peterson made to his performance were clearly evident. The supporting actors of this production truly stole my attention and admiration.

The thought, emotion, and high caliber of the backstage aspects of this show were above that of a typical high school performance. Adam Weiss' composition for this production was hauntingly wonderful. He embodied the story and meaning so well that one could potentially only listen to his music for this show and still gain the full meaning and power of Macbeth. Sierra Carlson's props, Aliya Qureshi's hair and makeup, and Elizabeth Morton's costumes all also displayed the same depth in consideration and portrayal of the story. Each piece was done intricately and interestingly so that it grabbed the audience's eye yet congealed together to create unity in the atmosphere and style. The sound was easily heard throughout the show and the pre-recorded effects added an interesting and chilling twist to this stage play. It is very rare as much meaning and purpose put into technical aspects as Stone Bridge put in their production and the impact of this was powerful and deeply appreciated.

Stone Bridge High School's interpretation of Macbeth is easily one of the most avant-garde Shakespeare productions on a high school stage. The time and dedication put into this show was truly evident and carried by the actors and technicians full-heartedly which allowed the modern style and tradition of Shakespeare to morph well. They have definitely achieved the chilling effect of a tragedy as a continued vision of the "golden round" moving on and on will surely continue to follow the audience members outside of the theater.

Jessica Littman
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Loudoun

The mystique of far off lands, magical prophesies, and bloodshed has always enticed audiences to the story of Macbeth. Stone Bridge High School performed this classic tale with aplomb to make for an excellent production. Shakespeare's epic came to life on the stage with a post-apocalyptic twist that captivated the audience with wild makeup, original music, and radioactive decay.

Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, is said to have been originally performed in 1611.This tale follows Macbeth, a general, who meets three witches with a prophecy that he will one day be king. Knowing this, he murders the present king to expedite the process. One murder leads to the next, as Macbeth and his wife are eaten by guilt and slowly go mad. Stone Bridge took the classic story and set it in a post-apocalyptic world where the oil has run out, and the thirst for power is strong. Macbeth's quest leads him to treachery, loss, and eventually death.

Leading the show, Ryan Bateman (Macbeth) portrayed the iconic role with energy, characterized movements, and a consistent southern accent. His dynamic venture through the second half of the show left the audience excitedly wondering what he would do next. By Bateman's side for the majority of the show, Elizabeth Morton (Lady Macbeth) justly caused nervous apprehension among audience members as she progressed slowly into insanity. Although some actors were inconsistent with their characters, they maintained an energy and commitment to choices that carried the show. Sierra Carlston (Lady Banquo) carried herself in a way that brought smiles to the audience members' faces with her charisma. Every time she was onstage, her presence and authenticity overtook the scene.

The ensemble of the three witches truly made an impact among the viewers. Aliya Qureshi, Emma Strong, and Gretchen Dunne all created distinct characters and portrayed three entirely separate versions of the evil witches. The witches' minions also brought life and energy to the scenes they were featured in. Although at times the audience got lost in the story, the ensemble held their expression and energy for the duration of the performance.

Most of the technical elements for this production were quite impressive. The set, although simple, added to the setting; the versatile and dilapidated-looking pieces fit with the post apocalyptic theme. The sound was audible through the duration of the show and included effects and student-composed music that greatly enhanced the scenes. The lighting was creatively used to distinguish between thought and speech of the characters. Although was sometimes delayed or inconsistent, the lights added an element of tone and mystery to the scenes. The hair, makeup, and costumes were strikingly well done; each character had their own distinct look that changed with them throughout the show.

Working with such a classic script as this can be challenging, but the Stone Bridge High School drama department accepted the challenge and made it their own. Macbeth turned out to be a fine production filled with treason, twists, and tragedy.

Zach Benson
Heritage High School
Submitted for publication to Bulldog Tribune

In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the struggle for power is a dangerous battle that can turn even a war hero into a madman. So prefaces Stone Bridge High School's anomalous take on William Shakespeare's classic, Macbeth. The technical element of the production was marvelous, including original music and detailed costumes, while the actors did their best with the complex Shakespearean language to convey a unique experience.

Going down as one of Shakespeare's most tragic plays, Macbeth, written in the 17th century, tells the story of the title character's dive into madness on his rise to royalty. Traditionally, the tragedy begins with Macbeth (Ryan Bateman) receiving a prediction from a group of witches, saying that he will soon become the Thane of Cawdor, and thereafter the King of Scotland. Macbeth, as well as his friend Lady Banquo (Sierra Carlson), brush off the witches' hypothesis, only to learn afterwards that the previous Thane of Cawdor will be put down, thus putting Macbeth into power. After Lady Macbeth (Elizabeth Morton) finds about this prediction, she convinces Macbeth to kill the current head of Scotland, Duncan (Jamie Arians), in order to guarantee his fate. After the deed is done, both Macbeth and his spouse dissolve into madness as war breaks out between the Scots and the Rebels. Stone Bridge's production, however, sets the story in post-apocalyptic southern America, after the world is depleted of oil. While the plot and characters remains consistent, a futuristic atmosphere is set, providing the audience with an interesting view on an almost 400 year old story.

Stone Bridge's unique interpretation of Macbeth allowed for the show's technical element to shine. Costumes were very well thought out, giving the witches, rebels, and army extremely contrasting characteristics. Props also allowed for the post-apocalyptic setting to become apparent. The most exciting element of the show, though, was the original music, composed by senior Adam Weiss; the orchestral themes were perfectly timed and extremely well-mixed, fitting into each transition and scene with ease. As for the actors, a few stole their scenes with their distinct actions. For example, Aaron Parker (First Murderer) provided a rare humorous moment by licking his finger after Macbeth asks if blood was spilt after an assassin; this slight choice was distinct from anything else in the play and gave the audience a laugh in an otherwise tragic plot line. The three witches were also extremely well diversed with their accents and choices, and their chemistry was evident. It was obvious that viewers had an overall admiration of these moments.

This unique twist on Macbeth was an unforgettable performance that Stone Bridge should be extremely proud of.