Tragic Macbeth a joy to perform for College Theatre
November 20, 2019
Macbeth, a known Shakespeare tragedy, has proven to be a positive experience for cast members of the College Theatre production. Whether it is for the love of acting, or the passion for Shakespeare, COD’s Macbeth is a testament to the diversity of the student actors.
The play, directed by Connie Canaday-Howard stars Trevor Frueh as Macbeth and Isabelle Jones as Lady Macbeth.
For some actors, this is their first role in a Shakespeare play. Mia Figueroa, who plays Young Siward and Donalbain, explained the learning curve of understanding and performing lines for the play. This is also her first “pants role.”
“The first couple days [Canaday Howard] was like, ‘This is how you’re supposed to do things with the script,’ and I was sitting there with this pen, and my hands (were) cramping up from all these notes,” Figueroa said. “I didn’t know that all this work had to go into the script. Even though I didn’t say that many things, it was enough for me, because I had all these things to absorb and how to do my lines and everything like that.”
Jones almost didn’t audition for the show. After seeing the play, she decided to audition.
“I was trying to juggle my schedule and ended up auditioning because I saw this show when I was a freshman in high school and was infatuated with it,” Jones said. I loved it and thought it was so powerful. I figured I would jump on the opportunity to be in the show.”
Jones said the show impacted her so much because the message is timeless.
“I think the message is so relevant to today, being responsible for your own actions and knowing there’s consequences for your actions,” Jones said.
A behind-the-scenes ritual cast members participate in is called “good show.” An object (in this show, a glow stick sword) is passed around to cast members who are doing an exceptional job.
“It’s usually someone who means a lot to either them or has done a lot for the show or the cast,” Figueroa said.
Philip Laricchia, who played Siward and a king, says “good show” is one of his favorite things about college theatre.
“I feel like it allows everyone to feel good about themselves, and that’s one of my favorite parts about COD theatre,” Laricchia said.
Laricchia, who has been in 5 COD productions, explained the impact that theater has had on his life.
“I think the reason I act is because sometimes I’m really self-conscious socially,” he said. “It’s very hard to put into words. I try to be social, but yet sometimes I feel self-conscious when talking to people. As [opposed to] when I’m on the stage, I can fully take command of myself, and I’m in a world of my own that allows me to be who I can be,” Laricchia said. “Whereas in some places you have to follow strict guidelines, with me I can be whoever I want within the lines of my own character. I think that’s what makes theater the best thing of all. You get to be someone you’re not and get to have fun with it at the same time.”
Figueroa explained her passion for theater as something she needs to do.
“It’s something I’ve been doing since I was really young, and I don’t know why I started it then, but why I do it now is because it’s just something I need to do,” Figueroa said. “It’s a cool way to express yourself. When I’m not in theater it’s like this weird sort of itch, like you know how on Christmas when you were a little kid you just wanted to get a little rip of the wrapping paper out of the present? You had to, and your mom caught you, and you’re like, ‘Oh I’m sorry. Like I had to do it,’ It’s like that sort of thing like an itch. ‘I need to do a show. I need to be with these people. It’s just unexplainable. It’s like a feeling; it’s an itch I need to scratch.”
Macbeth runs from Nov. 14 through Nov. 24. Thursdays through Saturdays shows begin at 8:00 P.M. Sunday shows are at 3:00 P.M. Tickets are $14 for students and $16 for adults.
