Cauldrons Bubbled as Something Wicked This Way Comes

(Note: All pictures are by Savvy Hudgins as I forgot to bring my phone or camera!)

Last night was Montana Shakespeare In the Parks  production of 'MacBeth'. 

I have a love for 'MacBeth' as this was a play studied in English in high school (shortly after it was written it seems that long ago). We had to memorize a certain amount of lines from the play and I picked one of Lady MacBeth's scenes where she gets the note from MacBeth about the witches and what they say will happen.

Anyway...

Savvy was off work luckily, and a HUGE Shakespeare and theater buff, so off we went to the park with our trusty comforter and found a spot close to the front. A taco, burrito and wine in a can later, the play commenced.

Set in a dystopian future setting, the costumes were great! Savvy has requested one of the witches wigs because it looks like the wool I have for spinning.

To back up a little bit, the 'stage' which is used for these productions is (1) extremely portable, which it has to be, to cart around and visit 61 towns during their production season and (2) uses minimal, and I mean as in bare, additional scenery. But it wasn't missed. They didn't need elaborate backdrops to make it work and work well. 

In fact, Savvy's cosplay from a couple of years ago would have fit right in very nicely with the costuming.

Banquo and MacBeth

As much as we were loving the play, Savvy and I discussed costuming and the 'technical' aspects of the production afterwards. Because they are outside, in the open, the actors have their chairs behind the stage and all their pieces of costuming and props go in it during scene changes. All the costumes were layered, so things were removed and/or added, depending on the scene.

A relatively simple (at least it appeared that way to me) sound system made sure everything could be easily heard. Additional sound effects, especially when the witches were around, added to the effects.

Did I mention MacBeth, played by Nate Cheeseman, was a trifle on the hunky side? Definitely made two hours sitting on the ground worthwhile.

MacBeth and Lady MacBeth plotting

The three witches and MacBeth for their second meet-up.

MacBeth and MacDuff fighting at the end of the play.

My opinion of the evening?

• Weather was great, not too hot or too cold
• Crowd was great, watched intently and provided little distraction (and that's with food being passed around)
• Costuming was superb and I watched intently for future ideas. Savvy already wants a witches outfit with the beehive do.
• The bare stage lent itself to the darkness of the play. I think any additional scenery would have been uncalled for. 
• The cast had it down and gave a great performance.

Well worth it, especially for a free production (we gave a donation, as should everyone) and it did also help Helena Food Share with donated canned foods.

Tonight is 'You Can Never Tell', a comedy by Shaw, and Savvy is off work at 5...just in time to get there for the show!