Macbeth
Broadway Drama Previews
March 28 2008
Opened April 8 2008
Limited run to May 24 2008 Run
11 previews & 52 performances Producers
Duncan C Weldon, Paul Elliott, Jeffrey Archer,
Bill Ballard, Terri Childs, et al
Creative
William Shakespeare author
Robert Goold director
Anthony Ward production design
Howard Harrison lighting design
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Opening Night Cast |
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Patrick Stewart |
Macbeth |
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Michael Feast |
Macduff |
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Kate Fleetwood |
Lady Macbeth |
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Byron Jennings |
Duncan
Scottish Doctor |
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Rachel Ticotin |
Lady Macduff |
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Martin Turner |
Banquo |
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Oliver Birch |
Lady Macbeth's Servant |
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Ben Carpenter |
Donalbain |
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Polly Frame |
Witch
Gentlewoman |
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Scott Handy |
Malcolm |
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Hywel John |
Bloody Sergeant
Murderer |
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Christopher Knott |
Old Seyward
Murderer |
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Niamh McGrady |
Witch |
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Bill Nash |
Angus |
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Christopher Patrick Nolan |
Seton |
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Gabrielle Piacentile
Phoebe Keeling VanDusen |
Macduff's Daughters |
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Mark Rawlings |
Lennox |
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Jacob Rosenbaum |
Macduff's Son |
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Tim Treloar |
Ross |
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Emmett White |
Fleance |
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Synopsis
Macbeth and Banquo, who have just
defeated the enemy in a great battle, are accosted by three witches
as they walk on a heath. The witches prophesize things to come for
the two men, among then that Macbeth will be king and Banquo will
father a line of kings
Lady Macbeth wants to make the first
part of the prophesy come true quickly, so urges her husband to kill
the king, Duncan. He does as she wishes, she throws suspicion on the
King's servants, Macbeth kills the king's innocent guards. Duncan's
sons Malcolm and Donalbain flee, engendering more suspicion
Macbeth is now king
He quickly dispatches assassins to
kill Banquo and his son Fleance in an attempt to change the second
part of the witches' prophesy. Having also been warned by them about
Macduff, he has everybody in Macduff's household killed. Macduff and
Malcolm return from exile in England to confront Macbeth. Facing
Macduff during a great battle, Macbeth is convinced of invincibility
against any man
It turns out not to be so
Broadway Show History
The last major staging of Macbeth
in New York was Kelsey Grammer's
ill-fated outing in June 2000. Slated to run about six weeks it
closed after 10 days and 13 performances
Prior to that Shakespeare's "Scottish
play" had been on the boards at least 45 other times, going back to
May 3, 1768 at the John Street Theater. Some notable, maybe,
productions:
May 1870 Edwin Booth at his
self-named theater (23rd Street at 6th Avenue)
1905 thru 1918 Robert B
Mantell as Macbeth eight times with his repertory company
1910 thru 1913 E H Sothern
played Macbeth with the Sothern & Marlowe Repertory in at least five
stagings
1915 thru 1930 Fritz Leiber
played Macduff or Macbeth at least five times, spread among the 44th
Street, 48th Street, Shubert and Ambassador Theaters
1918 at the Plymouth Theater
and again in 1921 at the Broadhurst Theater the great Walter Hampden
played the great Scot
February 1921 Lionel Barrymore
at the Apollo Theater (42nd Street) for 28 performances
March 1931 Michael Redgrave is
in for 29 performances at the National Theater
April 1988 Christopher Plummer
and Glenda Jackson at the Mark Hellinger Theater for 77
performances, the most of any staging we can find to date |
