Minimalist Macbeth has Maximum Impact
In stripping one of Shakespeare's most beloved tragedies to its core, Macbeth director Adriana Baer created new challenges and opportunities for the production's sound and movement visionaries. With a sparse set, condensed script, and trio of women embodying all the characters, sound and movement are essential in creating a sense of place and delineating roles.
Baer turned to Amanda K. Cole and Sharath Patel to help realize her vision of bringing a taut, women-centered take on Macbeth to Portland Center Stage at The Armory.
The fact that Baer, Cole, and Patel all have worked together before gave them the freedom to take risks and try the unexpected.
"When you're working with someone who trusts you that much and challenges you that much, I love it, and it makes me really happy and excited to go to work," said Patel, the show's sound designer.
Actors Chantal DeGroat, Dana Green, and Lauren Bloom Hanover play all the roles – up to 15 parts, in one case. Certain roles get passed around. Cole, making her debut at The Armory as the production's movement and intimacy director, worked with the actors to specify the stance and energy of each character. Even little details, such as whether a character's feet point forward or turn in, help to define and identify that person.
The unusual, organic set and props also challenged Cole and Patel to think differently. The set is inspired by the sand dunes of both the Scottish and Oregon coasts. [That's two tons of actual sand, by the way (video).]
Patel, who also serves as sound designer for In the Heights, tapped into his global network of fellow audio archivists to source ambient sound files for Macbeth. He melds the sounds of the English countryside and Scottish waves with those he gathered from Depoe Bay and the Sea Lion Caves on the Oregon Coast to create a rich, layered aural tapestry.
L to R: Amanda K. Cole works with Dana Green and Lauren Bloom Hanover on a fight scene in rehearsal for Macbeth.
The unconventional setting also opened up new possibilities for Cole.
"It's exciting to have the freedom to try the unexpected," Cole said. "We're not using swords in the last fight, we're using sticks. We're primarily using unexpected objects as weapons, like a belt from a costume or sand from the set. It really has challenged me, and it's been very freeing."
In addition to choreographing the characters' movements and the fights, Cole worked with the actors to stage intimate scenes. Cole's done this type of work for almost a decade, though "intimacy director" is a relatively new, post-#MeToo term.
"The intimacy director pays attention not only to the choreography but also to ensuring the emotional safety of the actors. It's wonderful to see that role being brought to the table more," Cole said. "The work often begins by talking about what's happening in the script and contextualizing how the sex or intimacy contributes to the story. I help the actors communicate their needs and boundaries and advocate for those boundaries to be respected and adhered to."
The result of that advocacy is a better experience not only for the performers but also for the audience.
"The audience can sense when the actors feel safe and comfortable, and when the intimacy advances the story," Cole said.
More about Macbeth:
Reviews of Macbeth
"Superb ... a very haunting Macbeth, made even more haunting by Stephen Dobay's sparse gray set, Carl Faber's dim lighting, and Heather Christian's original score of a cappella music. I recommend it very highly." – BroadwayWorld
Live Sketch Artists for Macbeth
We invited local comic artists to a dress rehearsal of Macbeth to sketch their impressions of the show. View the beautiful results!
Caribbean Flavors Take Over The Armory Bar
Ever wonder how the Specialty Cocktail you got at The Armory Bar relates to the show? Here is the breakdown of where the inspirations come from, featuring the drinks created for In the Heights and Macbeth.
Current & Upcoming
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Adult Class : TWELFTH NIGHT, Before & After
Join veteran actor Joe Costa for a unique opportunity to take a “deep dive” into both Shakespeare’s text of Twelfth Night, and the PCS Production. Participants will read the play out loud as a group, with “intermissions” provided for lively discussion of themes and content. Interested participants will have a chance to act in selected scenes, guided by the instructor.
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Witness the Magic of unscripted Elizabethan comedy! Step into the offbeat world of Love, Shakespeare, where seasoned Portland comedians attempt something audacious: performing a fully improvised Elizabethan play based on your suggestions!
Albina Music Trust presents A Brown Branch Christmas
Celebrate this holiday season with A Brown Branch Christmas at Portland Center Stage. Now in its fourth season, this two-night big band celebration features directors Domo Branch and Charlie Brown III guiding a heavy 15-piece lineup of regional and national musicians.
BIPOC Affinity Night DJ Party with ALoSo
Join us for a double feature BIPOC Affinity Night, featuring a live DJ set by ALoSo, plus holiday craft market vendor tables, art exhibits by Albina Music Trust Wall to Wall Sound and Jason Hill's Favorite Things, with complimentary select drinks provided by Multnomah Whiskey Library and Deschutes Brewery while supplies last.
Winter Teen Academy: Scene Work
Calling all teens! Are you looking to expand your acting skills and be the best scene partner you can be for your fellow actors? In this class, we will dig deep into scene study, character motivation, and active listening, while learning the necessary questions to ask in every rehearsal situation. You'll develop fuller characters and deeper relationships on stage by partnering in scene work — and have lots of fun too!
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