Macbeth at Carter Barron: The Sleeping and the Dead are but as (Motion) Pictures

The sleeping and the dead are but as pictures.‘Tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil.  (Macbeth, 2.2.69-71)

Folger Theatre has been invited by the National Park Service to screen our 2008 production of Macbeth this Saturday at dusk in the Carter Barron Amphitheater in Rock Creek Park.

In case you missed it the first time round, this Macbeth was a co-production by Two River Theater and Folger Theatre and was co-conceived by director Aaron Posner and the magician Teller (of Penn and Teller. Yes, that is a West Wing link.) 
The production sold out the Folger, was extended, and later recorded and made into a DVD (trailer) which you can purchase at the Folger Gift Shop or at this link. 

The gates to the Ampitheater open at 7:00pm and the movie will begin at dusk (approximately 8:15pm). The address is 4850 Colorado Avenue, NW and there are directions and such like toys as these on the Carter Barron website. 

How’d they do that?!

This production is incredible. I came across it before I ever knew about the Folger because it turns out that the production photo on the right is the first Google image hit for “Macbeth” and “dagger”.

I was working on a university production at the time and went to the designers and was like “Hey! This is awesome! Can we do it?” and they were like, “Ahaha No.” But the Folger Theatre can! And did! And you can see it this weekend for the entirely reasonable price of free. 

As a taste of the witches’ brew to come, the first three minutes of Macbeth are available below for your gustatory delight.

Warning: top of show may contain at least two of the following: the murder of an innocent house manager, a nave-to-chops-unseaming, and three men in a dress. (Well, three dresses, but you get the picture.) 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdiwQpGLqHY]

But don’t just take our word for it. Many others were also fans. The New York Times called the Folger Theatre’s Macbeth, “a knockout” and The Wall Street Journal said, “This riveting Macbeth ought to be seen by as many people as possible.”

Let us know on The Facebook or The Twitter if you will be joining us and feel free to bring friends! Picnicking is also encouraged – extra points for anyone who brings fennysnake fillets.

This potion is BLAND!

There will also be a Macbeth quiz (with a prize!) before the screening starts so be sure before you go to re-read the play with Folger Digital Texts. 

Several actors and the director are featured in the upcoming 2014-2015 Folger Theatre Season. Macbeth (Ian Merrill Peakes) will be the Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead , directed by Aaron Posner, and Lady Macbeth and Macduff (Kate Eastwood Norris and Cody Nickell) will both be in Mary Stuart (as Mary and Leicester). Come see them this weekend and join us at the Folger Theatre this season to see them in 3D.