Shakespeare in the Square Presents Macbeth 10/29

Shakespeare in the Square, a student group at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, will perform William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth for two performances, rain or shine, in Washington Square Park's Holley Plaza, Saturday, October 29 at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. The performances are free and open to the public. Seating is not provided.

Actors and other professionals in the theatre world believe this play, which tells the tale of a regicide and its aftermath, is cursed and will not speak the play's name out loud-particularly inside the theatre-and refer to it simply as "the Scottish play." Giving further credence to the existence of a curse is the Astor Place Riot in Manhattan in 1849, which was caused by two competing performances of Macbeth. The action of the play begins when three witches prophesy the rise to power of Macbeth, Thane of Glamis. Urged on by his wife, Macbeth follows a course of murder, betrayal, and witchcraft.

Macbeth is produced and performed entirely by NYU undergraduate students. The production team comprises: co-directors Rose Bochner and Sabrina Jaglom; producers Dan Hasse and Spencer Kennard; Morgan Sitzler, costume design; and Chris Dubrow and Sarah Cowell, music directors.

Cast members are: Chris Bellant, Rose Bochner, Hal St. Louis Farrelly, Scott Groffman, Dan Hasse, Jon Hess, Chris Kappel, Taylor Myers, Anthony Pape-Calabrese, Levente Pusztai, Caleb Shomaker, Charles Sherwood Rudish, James Swanson, Lelia Symington, and Noam Tomaschoff.

Shakespeare in the Square was co-founded last November by Bochner, who is also artistic director, and Hasse, who is the executive director. The two freshmen set out to provide the only opportunity to watch and perform Shakespeare's work as it was intended-"under the sun and in front of a loud, standing, possibly distracted audience."

For more info contact: shakespeareinthesquare@gmail.com