Flynn Center Presents
Macbeth
Welcome to the 2016-2017 Student Matinee Season!
Today’s scholars and researchers say creativity is the top skill our kids will need when
they enter the workforce of the future, so we salute YOU for valuing the educational
and inspirational power of live performance. By using this study guide you are
taking an even greater step toward implementing the arts as a vital and inspiring
educational tool.
We hope you find this guide useful. If you have any suggestions for content or format
of this guide, please contact [email protected].
Enjoy the show! -Education Staff
An immense thank you...
The Flynn Center recognizes that field trip resources for schools are extremely limited, thus matinee prices for
schools are significantly lower than prices for public performances. As a non-profit organization, the Flynn is
deeply grateful to the foundations, corporations, and individuals whose generous financial support keeps
matinees affordable for schools.
thank you to the Susan E. Quinn Memorial Fund for sponsoring this matinee performance.
Thank you to the Flynn Matinee 2016-17 underwriters:
Northfield Savings Bank, Andrea’s Legacy Fund, Champlain Investment Partners, LLC, Bari and Peter
Dreissigacker, Forrest and Frances Lattner Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Tracy and Richard Tarrant, TD
Charitable Foundation, Vermont Arts Council, Vermont Concert Artists Fund of the Vermont Community
Foundation, Vermont Community Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, National Endowment for
the Arts, and the Flynn Jazz Endowment. Additional support from the Bruce J. Anderson Foundation, Green
Mountain Fund, & the Walter Cerf Community Fund.
About Middlebury Actors
Workshop (M.A.W)
Middlebury Actors Workshop (M.A.W.) began
in the spring of 2001 when a small group of
experienced actors got together to conduct
an experiment in a communally run theater
company. Two summer seasons consisting of
six ten-minute plays each were performed in
Middlebury to great acclaim. The six founding
members were: Harry McEnerny, Steve Small,
Shannon Bohler-Small, Jeanne Rogow,
Stephen O'Dwyer and Melissa Lourie. These
early productions were produced at the A.R.T.
black box theater at the Patricia Hannaford
Career Center, and at the old un-renovated
Town Hall Theater building. In 2003, Lourie
became Artistic Director and the company
added new members Karen Lefkoe & Cyrus
Moore. Since then, many of Vermont's best
actors have participated in M.A.W.
productions.
Their Mission is to produce plays locally,
provide skilled actors, directors and writers
with a chance to work, and to engage,
challenge and educate our audience.
They are a group of actors, teachers and
directors, most of whom have spent a lifetime
in the theater. They are dedicated to creating
quality work on an intimate scale. Their goal is
to present theater that is both playful and
provocative and to celebrate common human
experiences through the unique interaction of
text, actor and audience.
They are committed to keeping our
production values minimal because we believe
in the power and magic of the actor, who
needs only a worthy text and a willing
audience to create that special combustion
that makes the theater exciting.
Middlebury Actors Workshop is a resident
company of Town Hall Theater, in Middlebury,
Vermont.
Town Hall Theatre
in Middlebury
What to expect
A trim and stark adaptation, existing
in an undefined time,with traditional
elements (swords) mixed with a modern,
brutal perspective.
A company of 20 exceptional local
actors, lead by the incomparable talents
of Craig Maravich as Macbeth and Chris
Caswell as Lady Macbeth.
The three witches, traditional
portrayed as old and wretched, are
portrayed by three local teenage girls:
waif-like, ethereal, and intense.
THis fresh portrayal resonates deeply with
the current climate: ruthless ambition,
dynamics of power and oppression,
violence, and consequences.
Direct from M.A.W.
One of Shakespeare’s most beautifully
written and tautly constructed tragedies,
Macbeth tells the riveting story of a
couple’s descent into a hell of unbridled
ambition that destroys morality, decency,
friendship and honor.
Director Melissa Lourie says, “This play is
so resonant, especially in this election
season, where we see the intense
passions that play out in the quest for
power. We are lucky to have some
choice in the matter. In the
rough-and-tumble world of Macbeth,
power is seized, and blood, as they say,
will have blood.”
Lourie’s lean and timeless adaptation is
set in a stark northern landscape with
supernatural elements, where light and
sound sculpt a tense and eerie world.
Macbeth stars Guest Equity Actor Craig
Maravich in the title role with Burlington’s
leading lady Chris Caswell as Lady
Macbeth. The rest of the superb 20
person cast is drawn from all over
Vermont.
“I am incredibly excited about this cast.
The opportunity to work with Craig
Maravich, who returns to Vermont after a
professional career that has taken him to
theaters all over the country, has been a
joy. I have not seen a portrait of Macbeth
that makes more sense to me. The whole
ensemble, which includes quite a few
young people from Addison County and
beyond, has come together with a focus
and discipline that is really inspiring.”
Middlebury College Professor Peter
Hamlin is composing an original electronic
score, and lighting veteran Matthew
Stone designs the visual elements. Angela
Brande and Marykay Dempewolff are
creating the costumes.
“I love playing with the supernatural
elements. I love finding out what this
character Macbeth is like, and why he does
this thing. Because, as we find out, he’s a
thoughtful, sensitive person...It’s important to
look very closely at human ambition and its
consequences,” she says. “Look around the
world and you see people ruthlessly seizing
power. Then they shut down the press and
kill people and silence opposition. It’s a story
that’s happening all the time.”
-Director, Melissa Lourie
“So much in this play is about ambition
and politics. The moral struggle within
the play — where the moral center is and
how that shifts so quickly — that speaks
to this world that we’re in right now.”
-Actor (Macbeth), Craig Maravich
About Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is certainly the most famous
playwright of the English-speaking world and perhaps he
is the most famous writer period. Despite this
distinction, we actually know very little about his life.
Here’s what we do know:
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, a small
town in England, on April 23, 1564. Records from the
Holy Trinity Church show that he was baptized there on
April 26th of the same year. His parents’ names were
John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. John was a glover
and leather merchant.
Cut to eighteen years later...it is 1582 and an 18-year old
Shakespeare marries 26-year old, pregnant, Anne
Hathaway on November 28, 1582. In May of the following
year, Anne gives birth to their first daughter, named
Susanna. A few years later (1585), the couple has twins,
Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet dies at the age of 11 on
August 11, 1596.
The next record we have of Shakespeare and his
whereabouts is seven years later (1592) when he turns
up in London. By 1594, Shakespeare has become an
actor with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later called The
King’s Men) and he is also writing for the group. Other
members of the popular acting troupe are Will Kempe, a
master comedian, and Richard Burbage, who has built a
reputation as a leading tragic actor. The Lord
Chamberlain’s Men find support from the royalty and are
made very popular by the theatre-going public.
In the mid-1590’s, the Plague forces theaters to close
their doors in London. Shakespeare and the rest of the
troupe spend this time making plans for the Globe
Theater which is to be located just across the Thames
from London proper. The Globe opens its doors in 1599.
During Shakespeare's time in London, Queen Elizabeth I
reigned and the theatre scene was thriving. The Globe
Theater attracted theatre-goers from all walks of life
and The Lord Chamberlain’s Men became one of the
most popular attractions in the city. Shakespeare
became a successful actor and writer. It is believed by
many that Shakespeare died on his birthday in 1616 at
the age of 52. He had published at least 37 plays and
154 sonnets as well as numerous lyric poems. His plays
covered a number of subjects and styles including
comedies, tragedies, romances, and historical plays. His
work was extremely popular in his day and now over
400 years later, he still reigns supreme as the most
produced playwright in the world.
Discussion Questions: Shakespeare Today
Shakespeare is still produced more than
any other playwright in the world!
●
Why do you think Shakespeare’s
work still seems relevant to
today’s audiences?
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What is it about the themes, ideas,
or style that still feels current
today?
Resources to explore
Dromgoole, Dominic. Will & Me: How
Shakespeare Took Over My Life. Pegasus
Books; New York, 2006
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Entertaining, bite-size essays
which illustrate the connections
between Shakespeare’s writing
and the modern day experience.
Complete Works Online
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An online version of the complete
works of Shakespeare where you
can read his plays, sonnets, and
other poems.
Heuristic Shakespeare with Ian McKellan
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Ian McKellan, famed
Shakespearean actor, created an
app to make Shakespeare more
accessible, especially for students.
Complete Works App
●
Searchable app with the complete
works of Shakespeare.
BBC Timeline
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Interactive timeline of
Shakespeare’s life and his
influence through modern day.
The Plot of MACBETH
Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, is one of King
Duncan's greatest war captains. Upon returning
from a battle with the rebellious Thane of
Cawdor, Macbeth and Banquo encounter The
Weird Sisters (witches) who give them a
prophecy: Macbeth is hailed as Thane of
Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and King; Banquo is
hailed as the father of kings to come. With that,
The Weird Sisters evaporate into the mists.
Both men nervously laugh off the prophecies
until Duncan informs Macbeth that he is to
assume Cawdor's title as a reward for his
service to the king. When Lady Macbeth is
informed of the events, she wants him to take
fate into his own hands and make himself king.
Macbeth at first is reluctant to do harm to
Duncan. However, when Duncan makes
arrangements to visit the castle, the
opportunity presents itself too boldly to ignore.
Pressed on by his wife, they plot Duncan's
death. Lady Macbeth gets Duncan's attendants
drunk; Macbeth will slip in with his dagger, kill
the king, and plant the dagger on the drunken
guards. Macbeth imagines he sees a bloody
dagger appear in the air; upon hearing the
tolling bells, he sets to work. Immediately
Macbeth feels the guilt and shame of his act, as
does Lady Macbeth, who nonetheless finds the
inner strength to return to Duncan's chamber
to plant the dagger on the attendants when
Macbeth refuses to go back in there. When the
body is discovered, Macbeth immediately slays
the attendants in order to silence them.
Malcolm and Donalbain, Duncan's sons, both
flee Scotland making it appear that they are
the chief conspirators, and Macbeth is crowned
King of Scotland, thus fulfilling the witches'
prophecy. Banquo, however, has suspicions of
his own based on their encounter with The
Weird Sisters.
Macbeth knows of Banquo's suspicions and the
reasons for them; he is also wary of the second
prophecy concerning Banquo's offspring. As he
prepares for a celebratory banquet on his
coronation, Macbeth hires assassins to get rid of
Banquo and Fleance, his son. Banquo is murdered
that night, but Fleance escapes into the darkness. As
Macbeth sits down to the feast, the bloody ghost of
Banquo silently torments him. Meanwhile, Macduff
has fled to England because he too suspects Macbeth
of foul play. Macbeth transforms into a man whose
conscience has fled him. Upon learning of Macduff's
flight, Macbeth exacts revenge by having Macduff's
entire household butchered. Macduff grieves, but
joins up with Malcolm in England to raise an army
against Macbeth.
Macbeth is given another prophecy by the witches as
he prepares for Malcolm's assault. His throne is safe
until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane, and he will
not die by the hand of any man born of a woman.
Macbeth feels confident in his chances for victory at
this pronouncement. Lady Macbeth, on the other
hand, has been slowly driven mad by her dreams in
the wake of killing Duncan. She sleepwalks, wringing
her hands together, and inadvertently reveals her
part in the murder. As the English armies approach,
Macbeth learns that many of his lords are deserting
him, and that Lady Macbeth has died. A messenger
brings news that Malcolm's army is approaching
under the cover of boughs, which they have cut from
the trees of Birnam Wood. Resigned now to his fate,
Macbeth grimly sets to battle.
None, however, can bring Macbeth down. Finally,
Macduff meets him on the field of battle. Macbeth
laughs hollowly, telling him of the witches' prophecy:
no man born of a woman may slay him. As Macduff
retorts, he was "from my mother's womb untimely
ripp'd," meaning he was delivered by a Caesarian
section (and hence, not technically born of a
woman). Grimly, Macbeth presses on. The play ends
with the death of Macbeth; Macduff greets the others
bearing Macbeth's head. Malcolm is crowned King of
Scotland, restoring his father's bloodline to the
throne.
Synopsis from Shakespeare Resource Center (www.bardweb.net)
Digging into the Language and Text
.
Exploring the Language
Compare Mediums of Expression
Shakespeare’s plays often utilize what is called
iambic pentameter which is a rhythmic
pattern that mimics the way that we tend to
speak in the English language. The use of
iambic pentameter helps the words to flow
more easily and helps to make dramatic
moments in the plays really pop. It also
happens to help actors memorize their lines as
it’s easier to tell if a word is wrong or missing
because it makes the rhythm seem wrong.
Have students split up into pairs to create a
poem in iambic pentameter exploring one of
the themes detected in Macbeth. The poem
can be short but it should be at least long
enough to allow for the audience to hear and
feel the rhythm of the iambic pentameter
(maybe two or three stanzas). Have students
read their poems for the class. Now have each
pair cut or change one word out of every line
of their poems thus breaking up the rhythm of
iambic pentameter. Encourage students to try
to make sure that the poems still make sense.
Have students recite the poem again.
Ask students to consider the differences
between the play as they read it and the
M.A.W. version.
Ask Students:
●
What does the loss of the iambic
pentameter do to the poem?
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How did it change the recitation of the
poem?
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How did it change the audience’s
understanding or interpretation of the
poems?
This video from the Kennedy Center gives a
brief overview of what iambic pentameter is
and why Shakespeare used it so often.
The Folger Shakespeare Library in
Washington D.C. does a good deal of
educational outreach to help students read,
act out, and understand Shakespeare’s works.
This link brings you to some videos of sample
lessons in schools including one on iambic
pentameter.
Ask students:
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What surprised you?
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What aspects of the story were
deliberately left out?
After the show, have students, either as a
group or individually, use a Venn diagram to
highlight the similarities and differences
between the mediums.
Reading the Play Same
M.A.W Version
Activities
Post-Show Collage Activity
Invite students to look through old magazines
and newspapers to find images and words that
reflect their thoughts and feelings as they were
watching the Puremovement dancers perform.
Have students cut out the images and words and
create a collage which represents the
experience, the ideas that came up for them
during the performance, and the impressions
they were left with. Discuss the collages as a
class. Encourage students to tell each other what
they see in others’ collages as well as allowing
students to discuss their own collages.
Reflection Writing Activity
After seeing the performance, invite students to
discuss what they saw and record their
impressions creatively. Students can write a
short poem about the performance they
watched, the ways that their understanding of
poetry may have changed, elements of the
performance that surprised them, and ways that
the poets challenged their ideas about poetry.
Dig Deeper into Casting Characters
Ask students, if you were casting a movie of
Macbeth, what stars would you get to be in it?
Ask each student to work independently and
cast each of the characters above using actors
and celebrities? Students can use magazines or
internet images to create their own character
map displaying their choices. Have students
present their work if they feel comfortable,
explaining why they think their choices are well
suited for Macbeth. (Below are some of the many
Macbeths over time. This activity could be done
for any of the characters.)
Discussion Questions
Pre-Show:
ASK & EXPLORE:
●
●
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●
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When is ambition a positive trait? When is
action preferable to thought?
What are the attributes of a just ruler? What
are the attributes of a good citizen?
How does conflict (external or internal)
impact relationships?
How have cultures throughout history
addressed Fate and personal destiny?
What is the effect of guilt on a person who
has committed a crime or a regrettable act?
During the Show:
LOOK FOR:
●
How do the costumes communicate the
director’s vision? What time period do you
think this piece is reflecting? Does they
change or alter the story, or does it feel true
to your reading and Shakespeare’s
intentions?
Post-Show:
ASK & EXPLORE:
●
●
●
Who do you think in the main villain of the
play? Macbeth? The Witches? Lady
Macbeth? Someone or something else?
Did you feel any sympathy for Macbeth or
Lady Macbeth? Why or why not?
Lady Macbeth has surprisingly few lines in the
play? How did Shakespeare, and the actress
playing her, give her power and meaning?
Moving Through Space/Freezes: Character Traits
WORDS COME ALIVE:
Arts Integration Activities
Providing the opportunity to actively
explore the world of the show helps students
become more engaged and connected
audience members, thinking about artists’
choices and approaching the performance
with enhanced curiosity.
For more information about our arts
integration activities:
● click here
● call 652-4548
● Email Lauren at
[email protected]
Introduce this activity by asking students to describe in 2-3 words
the main characters at the beginning of the play. Possible
characters and descriptors might be :
●
Macbeth—Brave, ambitious, violent, powerful
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Lady Macbeth—Eager for power, ruthless, guilt-ridden, mad
●
The Witches—Mysterious, mischievous, sadistic
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Banquo—Noble, ambitious, loyal
Ask students to then walk around the room at a steady pace
without talking to or bumping into anyone else, filling any spaces
they see. At random times, ask them to “Freeze!” and to become as
still and as quiet as possible. After several seconds, ask them to
“unfreeze” and to walk again. When the group is focused and
walking fluidly, explain that you are going to name a character
from the play and when you call ‘freeze’ they are to make a statue
of that character. When you call, “Come to life!,” they walk around
the room as that character, and when you call, “Become yourself
again,” they continue to walk around the room as before.
As attention allows, name other characters. Encourage the
students to distinguish one character from another in their
interpretations of these characters. To raise the bar after they
have portrayed many characters, ask them to change from one
character to the next in quick succession as your randomly name
the characters.
Ask students: What different choices did you make as you became
different characters? What did your statues reveal about the
characters? What other character traits were revealed as you
moved as the characters?
Thinking Like a Director
Macbeth is one of the most highly-produced plays in the history of theatre and yet every production is
different. Part of the reason for this is that every company and every director will choose to focus on
slightly different parts of the story and will choose to bring out certain themes or ideas differently.
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What are some of the major themes in the story? (e.g. persecution, loyalty, morality, revenge,
love, desperation, etc.) - Which themes (if any) do you think are unique to this time period?
Which themes still have import in today’s world?
If you were directing a production of Macbeth which themes would seem most important to you?
How would you try to emphasize those themes in your production either through blocking
choices, costume choices, set/sounds/lights, actor choices, or some other method?
After seeing the production, think about which themes Middlebury Actors Workshop seemed to
focus on. What did they do to bring these themes to the forefront?
We can’t wait to see you at the theater!
Teachers, a few reminders:
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Fill out the Seating and Travel Survey, so we can best accommodate your group’s needs in regards to dismissal, bussing, students with
different needs, etc.
Share your experience with us! Use the feedback links, or share your students’ artwork, writing, responses. We love to hear how experiences
at the Flynn impact our audiences.
Explore other student matinees at the Flynn this season. We’ve still got seats in some shows and we’d love to help you or other teachers at
your school enliven learning with an engaging arts experience!
The Flynn is a place for ALL students, and these tools can help!
Pre or Post-Show Video Chats:
Hello from
the Flynn!
Help students build enthusiasm or process their experience with a free, 5-10 minute video chat before or after the show!
We can set up Skype/Facetime/Google Hangouts with your class to answer questions about the content, art form, and experience.
Contact Kat, [email protected] to set up your chat!
Autism and Sensory-Friendly Accommodations:
The Flynn Center has been working diligently to break down barriers for audience members with disabilities,
with a particular focus on those with sensory-sensitivities. Social stories, break spaces, sensory friendly materials,
and more are available for all student matinees. Feel free to let us know ahead of time if any of these would be useful,
or ask an usher at the show!
Common Core Standards
The Common Core broadens the definition of a “text,” viewing
performance as a form of text, so your students are experiencing and
interacting with a text when they attend a Flynn show.
Seeing live performance provides rich opportunities to write
reflections, narratives, arguments, and more. By writing responses
and/or using the Flynn Study Guides, all performances can be linked to
Common Core:
We appreciate and value your feedback
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Click here to evaluate our study guides.
Click here for Teacher Feedback Forms for the performance.
Click here for Student Feedback Forms for the performance.
Click here for Parent Forms to help parents engage with
their children around the show.
CC ELA: W 1-10
You can use this performance and study guide to address the following
Common Core Standards:
CC ELA: SL 2, L 3-6, RL 1-10, RH 1-3.
This guide was written & compiled by the Education Department at the Flynn
Center for the Performing Arts with inspiration from Middlebury Actors
Workshop materials. Permission is granted for teachers, parents, and
students who are coming to Flynn shows to copy & distribute this guide for
educational purposes only.