The classic Shakespeare play "Macbeth" is going corporate at the Minnetrista Cultural Center July 15 through July 19.
The play's concept was updated for "Shakespeare Under the Stars" presented by the Ball State University Department of Theatre and Dance. The show is free and guests can bring a picnic to enjoy during the show.
Pre-show activities will begin at 7 p.m. and "Macbeth" will start at 8 p.m.
From 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. a youth performing arts group will perform scenes from other Shakespeare plays including "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Julius Caesar."
Live music will start at 7:30 p.m. and continue until the play begins.
Judy Yordon, director of "Macbeth," said the adapted play is about business and CEOs.
"The concept is updated, but the language is not," Yordon said.
Yordon decided to update the play "because it was more relevant to the contemporary audience."
Yordon adapted the play so that Macbeth, played by Joshua Coomer, is the head of a computer company she named Cumberland Computers. In the original play, Macbeth has hopes of becoming the king of Scotland, but in the adaptation Macbeth wants to be promoted to a position for which the president's son is next in line.
Lady Macbeth is played by Carrie Schlatter-Schwer.
"In corporate, it's cut-throat and in "Macbeth" literally a lot of people's throats are cut," Yordon said.
Yordon worked on the script for almost six months in order to get it the optimal length of 2000 lines.
"It's amazing how little I had to change," she said.
References to greed, power and money were already present in the original "Macbeth" script so adapting it to a corporate business story made sense, Yordon said.
The cast has been rehearsing since June 2. The cast includes Ball State students, alumnus and members from the community
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
