It was Halloween. Smiling sophomores excitedly huddled in their assigned groups in the cafeteria, waiting to get on the buses. They were going on a field trip, and they were probably going to get the spooked: after all, there were ghost heads that popped through tables, bloody hands, and rattling screams. They were on their way to see Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s Macbeth.
Macbeth is a staple in the English 10 curriculum, and this field trip engaged students in the play in a way that they may not have been able to do just reading it.
“Shakespeare is not meant to be read for yourself; it’s meant to be heard and watched,” said Tamieka Chavis, who played Lady Macbeth in the production.
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The Weird Sisters talk to Macbeth. Photo courtesy of Seamus Miller and Shealyn Jae
Francesca Ly, a sophomore, agreed with this sentiment and said she “would personally say that it’s better to see [the play] just because it’s so much easier to understand.” Ly also said that she found it interesting how the company “decided to take on Macbeth and did their own thing.”
Another sophomore, Serena Almina, said that she thought that watching the production “brings more life to the play itself,” adding “I think my favorite part was every time the witches came out, because it was really cool, and the people that played the witches really expressed who they really were.”
The play lasted about 95 minutes, and after it was over there was an “artist talk-back” which was chance for the cast and director to answer audience member’s questions. After the talk-back, Ly said she “thought that the person who played Macbeth was really cool and really nice,” and Almina expressed her admiration for Chavis.
Parts of the play were cut to help it fit into the time limit said Seamus Miller, the Director. Parts cut included “What, you egg//Young fry of treachery!” a line many students were excited to see performed. Despite this, the field trip proved enjoyable for the tenth graders who participated.