The Dearborn County Register - ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’

Oct 24 2008

‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’

Written by Erika Schmidt Russell [News Editor]
Friday, 24 October 2008
Looking for witches, ghosts, murder and mayhem not to mention blood and guts this Halloween? Look no further than Lawrenceburg High School next week, when a group of dedicated students present “The Scottish Play” - MacBeth. The Lawrenceburg Shakespeare Company, now in its third year, is presenting its most difficult play yet, but doing MacBeth fits with Halloween, said director Jennifer Eliason, one of the adults behind the group. Costumes, weapons and professional choreography were paid for through a grant from the Dearborn Community Foundation. “People should come to see this play because it will blow their Halloween socks off,” said an enthusiastic Eliason. While there are some modern twists, with dance and special effects, “we stay true to the Shakespeare script,” said Eliason. The cast is enthusiastic as well, with returning veterans Katlyn Reece, Stacie Tanksley, John Humphrey and Nathan Myers. For Reece this role is different because she’s playing the female lead - Lady MacBeth. She played a servant in Twelfth Night, and with this role there was a lot of dialogue to memorize. Playing Lady MacBeth is “a challenge, and (she’s) a very controlling individual. She loses her control and becomes upset about, eventually losing her mind. It took quite a bit of practice to feel comfortable, and lots of time to practice and try new things,” said Reece, who is close to having her portrayal of Lady MacBeth where she wants it. The LSC cast and crew have been working on the play since June and while there are frustrating moments the group is a family and love and hate each other and work together, said Reece, who like most of the other principals is a senior. Misunderstood, manipulated, murderous MacBeth is played by Myers who really wanted the role but “I’d have taken any other part - I just wanted to be in the play,” he said. The language is difficult, but learning to wield a sword is “a lot easier than memorizing Elizabethan English,” said Myers, who has not studied the play in school but has read it on his own. “I’m a Shakespeare lover. I’ve been raised on Shakespeare, and this has been a lot of fun. Honestly, this is going to be our best show ever out of the four we have done. This is my last show, so I’m going to make it the best show. I want people to remember that one crazy kid who played MacBeth,” said Myers, one of the last founding member of the LSC. For John Humphrey the play has personal meaning because his character, Malcom, comes of age during the course of the play. Malcolm is a “boy thrown into an adult situation … I can relate because I’m a senior now and I’m 18. He’s under an immense amount of pressure but he finally grows up and matures,” said Humphrey. LSC won’t be Humphrey-less once he graduates in May to pursue forensic biology, his younger brother Alex is in MacBeth. Being involved with LSC has been great, and this year he and several other students are involved with the Cappies, or Critics and Awards Program for high school drama. The Cappies involvement has been a great experience, allowing him and others to watch and learn from other high school performers around the Tri-State, he said. Also involved with Cappies is Stacie Tanksley who plays Hecate, queen of the witches. The LSC will host 44 other high-schoolers to review the show Wednesday night, Oct. 29. Although the pressure will be on, Tanksley isn’t nervous about having her work critiqued and reviewed for all to read. “I feel our show will be really good, and I trust all of the cast,” said Tanksley. All four repeated the Lawrenceburg Shakespeare Company motto about why folks should see MacBeth. “Be epic, not high school!” With special effects, and modern twists to the classic tale of murdering kings, MacBeth will be far from a typical high school play. And there is one other important reason to see MacBeth - it’s cheaper than going to a movie. Tickets for students are $3 and tickets for adults are $5. MacBeth runs at Lawrenceburg High School 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29, and Thursday, Oct. 30, and at 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1.