Alabama Shakespeare Festival to Present MACBETH

Alabama Shakespeare Festival will present William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Feb. 3 - 24 on the Festival Stage.

Benjamin Bonenfant joins ASF as the ambitious Macbeth, who commits regicide and usurps the throne of Scotland after three witches lead him to believe he is invincible. As with many of The Bard's stories, bloody battles and tragedy ensue.

Bonenfant is based in New York, where he performed in Theatre For A New Audience, Heart of Robin Hood, Richard II and appeared in the television series Bull on CBS. Bonenfant has performed in numerous Shakespearean productions throughout the U.S. and is making his debut at ASF.

Meghan Andrews returns to ASF as she takes on the calculating and manipulative Lady Macbeth, often considered one of Shakespeare's greatest female characters. Andrews has appeared on Broadway and in the national tour of Frost/Nixon. Her regional credits include King Charles III, Doubt, Passion and The Trip to Bountiful, for which she received a Lucille Lortel nomination.

ASF Artistic Director Rick Dildine is directing this production of "The Scottish Play," which is his second time at the helm of a Shakespearean play since joining the theater in 2017. Dildine describes the production as a collaboration of traditional and modern elements that present a timeless Scottish folktale.

"We honor Shakespeare's poetry and the timelessness of the story," said Dildine. "It has costumes, music and weapons from the time period, but it's not a museum play. We look for hints of modernity that allow us to identify as people today. We're making an active, live story."

Dildine describes Macbeth as the story of a human capable of doing terrible things, not as the actions of a villain.

"I felt that the story is about a man who, for the most part, is an upstanding leader - someone who is respected, successful, loyal and honorable. How could someone like that still find himself in a place pursuing dark desires?" said Dildine. "These weaknesses live in all of us. I'm particularly interested in the human condition that gets us to that place."

A mix of historical and contemporary Scottish music helps set the scene, and brutal battles - choreographed by Paul Dennhardt - create the action that drives the tragedy forward.

"So much of this story is told through violence," said Dildine. "One of the greatest challenges has been putting those violent moments together. Audiences will be amazed at these fight sequences."

The cast includes Justin Blanchard as Macduff, Laura Darrell as Lady Macduff, Ann Arvia, Greta Lambert and April Armstrong as the Three Witches, Cordell Cole as Banquo, Todd Denning as Ross and Anthony Martinez as Malcolm. Other supporting characters will be played by Chauncy Thomas, Karsten Reed, Chris Gerson, Chris Mixon and Zack Powell.

Ensemble includes Danny Adams, Justin Choi, Steven Czajkowski, Luke Sidney Johnson, Mauricio Miranda, Nathaniel Sherbine, Harry Thornton and Henry Wootten. Montgomery locals Scott Page and Adrian Lee Bush are the male and female swings, respectively.

The costumes, influenced by Scottish culture and history, are designed by Kathleen Geldard, and fight director Paul Dennhardt coordinates the brutal battles with assistant fight choreographer Caitlyn Herzlinger. Other members of the artistic team include scenic designer William Boles, lighting designer Isabella Byrd, sound designer Melanie Chen Cole, music coordinator Joel Jones and stage manager Victoria Broyles.

Ticket prices start at $25. To purchase, call 334.271.5353, visit the ASF Box Office (Monday - Saturday, doors open at 12:00 p.m.), or purchase online at ASF.net. Evening performances begin at 7:00 p.m.; matinees begin at 2:00 p.m.

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