Shakespeare Draws Schoolchildren to Campus
More than 4,700 schoolchildren from across southeast Louisiana will have the opportunity to hear the three witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth work their spell, chanting, “Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and caldron bubble.”
Casting spells during Macbeth are the three witches, played by (from left) Tori Gural, Emilie Whelan and Rebecca Frank. (Photo by John B. Barrois.)
Each January, the Shakespeare Festival at Tulane hosts its annual Performance for the Schools, a two-week remount of a summer show for students in the region. The performances, which take place on the uptown campus in Dixon Hall, complement Shakespeare coursework taught in area schools by allowing both teachers and students the opportunity to experience Shakespeare in a live performance.
“This year's Performance for the Schools marks a turning point for the festival's educational program,” says Ashley Robison, the festival's business manager. “As the festival strives to further align its educational programs with the curriculum of New Orleans' area schools, we are announcing a five-year schedule for our program that should allow local educators to better plan their curriculums.”
Beginning this year with Macbeth, the organization will follow with a production of Julius Caesar for the 2012 Performance for the Schools. In the following years, productions of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night's Dream are planned.
This January's expected audiences will be the largest groups to attend since before Hurricane Katrina, Robison said.
Macbeth features Michael Aaron Santos in the lead role and Shad Willingham as MacDuff, with Ashley Nolan returning as Lady Macbeth. Rebecca Frank, Wendy Miklovic and Tori Gural are the coven of witches. Directed by theater professor Ron Gural, Macbeth features set design by David Raphel, costume design by C.C. Covert and lighting design by theater professor Marty Sachs.
One performance also will be staged for the general public on Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Dixon Hall. For ticket information, call 504-865-5106.
