Tumbleweed Theatre got bloody with Macbeth this year

Tumbleweed Theatre got ready for their third annual summer presentation of William Shakespeare in Brooks, with 2007's production of Macbeth that was performed from July 20-22 and 27-29 in Evergreen Park in Brooks, Alberta.

"We stepped out here a little bit by going with a much more serious play," says Macbeth director Nicole Jennissen who was excited to be helming her first production of 'A Little Bard on the Prairie.'

"However I thought one thing you'd find is that there were actors in this community who could carry that extra weight of performing drama and tragedy very very well," she said.

The tale concerns the usurping of the throne of Scotland by Macbeth at the sinister urging of his wife, Lady Macbeth that leads to a kingdom divided and the country pressed into a violent war. It is often seen as an tale of the dangers of lusting for power and betrayal of friends.

Macbeth ended a successful third season for Tumbleweed, after this spring's improvisation evenings Mixed Nuts and last falls production of the locally-written Casa de Coffee.

"We had a whole bunch of fresh blood in terms of actors on stage this year for Macbeth," adds Tumbleweed co-founder Michael Glynn Macdonald.

The cast for Macbeth numbered over 20, the largest any Tumbleweed production has ever assembled. The cast was a complete combination of experience and youth, familiar actors to Tumbleweed Theatre, and new faces.

While the production took place in Evergreen Park, the company decided to take advantage of the foliage of the park and incorporate it fully with the set this year.

"I found the new location fit so very well with the fact that the production is Macbeth," says company co-founder Rob Brown.

"It was a different kettle of fish being outside with nothing but open space for the cast to bounce their voices off," said Jennissen, adding the cast rose to the challenge.

"We had a group of real strong people acting on stage this year, especially with all of the sword play and witch choreography that happens in the play."

 Production Baby:  Kiera Burkholder