Macbeth Comes to the Sanford Stage

As with all plays, it is wonderful to provide students the opportunity to see and hear them performed live. The production was a culminating activity for the unit of study tenth-grade Savannah Shepherd had just completed in her English class. She explained: “The performers really brought Macbeth to life. I had read the play; but because of the show, I could better understand the emotions behind the plot. It was also much easier to comprehend the Shakespearian language when it was spoken orally and in context with the actions of the actors.”

Rohan Razdan ’19 was also familiar with the play, and he said: “The simple set design, elaborate costuming, and props were great. All of that, along with the musical instruments they used on stage, made me feel like I had been taken back in time. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to see this show.”

English Department Chair and Upper School English Instructor Brianna Smale, who coordinated the program, shared: “Seeing a play performed live always enhances the experience of studying the play in the written form, especially when that play is Shakespeare. Students are able to connect with the words when they're brought to life on a stage. After the performance, I loved hearing my students discuss the production's decision to cut certain scenes and how Lady Macbeth was or was not the woman/wife/queen they imagined.”

This year's performance continued Sanford’s long relationship with the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre Company. The organization is in its 20th year of providing students and adults with a variety of ways to engage with Shakespeare’s language and stories.