Issaquah High School’s theatre is proud to present their modernized production of Macbeth! The play was shown Nov. 7 through 9 and 13 through 16. Issaquah’s students have been working for months to make the play enjoyable and exciting. Thank you to those who supported Issaquah High School’s theatre by coming to Macbeth!
Members of the cast rehearsed every day to fully prepare for their showings. Sophomore Praveena Krishnan, a member of the Macbeth cast, says, “Rehearsals have been tiring, but we’ve definitely gotten a lot of good work in. Most of us are at school until 7 or 8 at night, and it’s hard work. I think that this has helped us feel confident and prepared for the production.” With all of this preparation, Macbeth is sure to be an amazing performance.
Members of technical theatre, also known as tech theatre, also contribute more than their fair share to the play. Sophomore and Assistant Stage Manager Winter Stokke says, “I’m the assistant stage manager, so I kind of work with the organization with props, and telling people what to do, and making sure things are in check.” Stokke feels prepared to fulfill her responsibilities because, “Our directors have communicated things in an efficient, proactive way and we are always free to ask questions.” There are lots of students dedicating their time and efforts to making this production the best that it can be.
Additionally, there is a Construction Crew for the play to help build props and create sets. Members spend a lot of time during and after school doing their best to create and perfect the right setting and mood for the play. Sophomore and member of Construction Crew Maceo Clark says, on behalf of the set, “We spent a lot of time making it, remaking it, making it again. So yeah, I think we’re pretty prepared.” Whether these students are members of the cast, Construction Crew, or technical theatre, they all spend their valuable time helping to create an entertaining experience for our high school community.
This year, Macbeth is delivered through an all-female cast. Krishnan believes this is because “there are a lot of wild, messy scenes in the production, and I believe that an important aspect of modernizing this play is acknowledging that girls, just like boys, can be loud and crude and mean. Generally, when a play has been adapted for an all-female cast, there seems to be some desire to also make the cast softer somehow, or put them in a less brutal situation. We hope that this play can challenge these expectations and shift perspectives.” Overall, the cast wants to discourage and debunk the stereotype that an all-female play must be daintier and more delicate than an all-gendered play.
Now, the play is based off the classical tale of Macbeth, only modernized and adapted to better grab the attention of high school students. Krishnan says, “Essentially, the premise of the play is that seven high school students sneak into the Black Box theatre at night to put on their own production of Macbeth, homemade props and all. As the show progresses, the atmosphere gets more and more sinister, and this builds up until the climax of the play. As a Shakespeare nerd, I personally like this adaptation, because it keeps the pace of the original, but shortens it dramatically for a modern audience.”
Altogether, the play was preformed to perfection. The actors incorporated stunning skills and amazing line deliveries. The audience was kept at the edge of their seats with the dark humor, engaging monologues, and the overall captivating demeanor of the actors. Congratulations to the cast and crew of the play for a spectacular performance!
