Mad King Productions: Macb*tches
Those familiar with Shakespeare’s “Scottish play” know Macbeth as a tale of ambition and power, one in which the manipulations of Lady Macbeth lead to violence and disruption. But writer Sophie McIntosh took a unique angle on the story in her 2022 play Macb*tches, which shifts the source of the drama from the question of who will rule a kingdom to the question of who will rule a college drama department, as a production of Macbeth leads to angst among upperclassmen when freshman Hailey gets cast in the role of Lady Macbeth.
According to director Stina Madriaga-Stone, the show works not just as a spin on the Macbeth story itself, but a story that explores the gendered dynamics of the theater world. “I … really appreciate the way this show scrutinizes the female experience in the world of entertainment,” she said. “It examines internalized misogyny, explores how patriarchal theater grooming forces women to fight one another for the few ‘good’ roles available, and interrogates the abusive, male-dominated power dynamics of collegiate drama programs. I really feel this story is a great way to show women in theater that they are not alone and that things do not have to, nor should they, continue the way they are.”…