MACBETH

First

Second

Third

Duncan

Malcolm

Cast

(In order of speaking appearance)

Ross

Macbeth

Banquo

Gentlewoman / Macduff’s

Attendant / Lady Macduff

Production Team

Assistant Director

Stage Manager

Sound Designer

Costume Designer

Assistant Costume Designer

Fight Director

Lighting Consultant

Photographer

Ortner ‘25

Morgado Brito ‘24

Lucid Clairvoyant ‘23

Maxime Hendrikse Liu ‘23

Hendrikse Liu ‘23

Lizzy Steeves ‘25

Logan Rulloda ‘25

Special Thanks

To the Brown RISD Hillel, Brown Arts Initiative (BAI), Production Workshop (PW), Something on the Green (SOTG), Musical Forum (MF), and the Brown Theatre Collective (BTC). Thanks also to B Reo, Ania Briscoe, Cosima Gardey, Catherine Jones, Orion Bloomfield, Kaitlin Goldin, Madeleine Adriance, Navaiya Williams, Ella Spungen, and Connie Crawford.

Content Warnings

Please be advised that this performance contains depictions of death, violence, suicide, substance abuse, misogyny, and racism. The production also includes bright lights that may briefly flash.

Director’s Note

In June 2011, I first attended California Shakespeare Theater’s summer camp. The days passed in a blur of acting classes, voice and text, Shakespeare history, improvisation, and (my favorite) stage combat. The camp ended with a performance of a Shakespeare show, zealously abridged down to a half hour. I was hooked: on theater, on Shakespeare, and on the magic of stage combat — and thus CalShakes set me on the path to who I am today: an avid storyteller and an aspiring fight and intimacy director. Shakespeare kindled my first passion in theater, so it seems fitting that my last production as an undergraduate here at Brown will be an abridged Shakespeare show.

This show is the culmination of all my experience in Brown theater a labor of love not only for theater as a craft, but for everyone who has taught me along this journey. This show wouldn’t exist without the support and guidance of countless connections from these four years. Chiefly, I never saw myself as a director until Kaitlin Goldin and Madeleine Adriance each put their faith in me. Working alongside them and Navaiya Williams not only helped me grow as a storyteller and a human being, but also showed me the type of theater I hope to always create: accessible, sustainable, values-based, and community-focused theater that engages the most pressing sociopolitical issues.

And so: welcome to Macbeth. This play has haunted me for the past five years, since I first asked: what if Macbeth was a woman? As a trans woman of color, genderflipping and reinterpreting Shakespeare through social justice lenses is how I claim space in an area of theater that (like our society) is still too dominated by white men. So I began reimagining Macbeth’ s story Macbeth as a proud and capable woman, criticized for her ambition by the same system that consistently undervalues her; a woman who would do anything for the one she loves. This led me to genderflip the witches as well: re-casting their omnipresence and false promises as the force of the white heteropatriarchy itself. Now, Macbeth asks: what would you do for the people you love? And in the face of systemic oppression, wouldn’t you also wish for the estate of the world to be undone?

Cast Bios

Aaron Alper (Ross)

Aaron Alper is delighted to be back in Providence and back on the stage, not necessarily in that order. Previous credits include Nasir in Dry Swallow, Baldy O'Shea in A Man of No Importance, and The Villain in Every Other Show I've Ever Been In. She is thankful for her family and friends. She is grateful. She is joyous. She is 10 feet tall and cannot be conceived of. She is coming for you. Right now. Run. Run.

Baylie Hartford (Malcolm)

Baylie is a sophomore concentrating in Middle East Studies and Visual Storytelling (if she ever gets around to completing the IC paperwork.)

Favorite past shows include The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and The Odyssey, both at the wonderful Cape Rep Theatre in Brewster, MA. She is stoked to be part of this show—her first at Brown—and would like to warmly thank everyone involved in the production!

Chinmayi Rajaram (Macduff’s Daughter / Gentlewoman)

Chinmayi Rajaram is grateful to have her first acting experience be alongside such a wonderful cast. She has been beyond impressed by the skills her cast possesses in the art of dying. Chinmayi is a second-semester first year who deeply wishes to major in something productive but will probably end up studying something that will scandalise her parents like Medieval Poetry.

Fiona Matthews (Duncan / Siward)

Fiona Mathews is a first-year concentrating in History and TAPS and they are thoroughly thrilled to be in their first production at Brown with such a lovely cast! Previous Shakespeare roles include Hermia in Midsummer, Portia in Julius Caesar, and Posthumus in Cymbeline. Fiona prepared for this role by being betrayed by those closest to them and then dying multiple times (spoiler alert), but they are so excited to be back, alive, and performing in this show for all of you!

Isaiah Dawkins (Banquo)

Isaiah Dawkins, a senior concentrating in neuroscience, is stoked to share the stage with such an amazing cast and crew during his final moments at Brown. Like Banquo, he is kind, loyal, charismatic, intuitive, and strong. After graduation, he'll be moving to The Big Apple to pursue his dreams of becoming a famous… researcher. Enjoy the show!

Katie Serra (Macbeth)

Katie Serra is a senior English concentrator who is excited to demonstrate her newly acquired ability to wield a deadly weapon. Who says actors don't have practical skills? She is thrilled to be closing out her time at Brown with such an amazing cast and crew!

Kira Bierly (Lady Macbeth)

Kira Bierly is a first-semester senior, pursuing a double concentration in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies (TAPS) and English. She has performed in numerous student and departmental productions during her time at Brown. Outside of class, she serves as the TAPS DUG and as a leader of the Meiklejohn Program. She hopes you enjoy the show!

Madeleine Adriance (Macduff / Third Witch)

Madeleine is a first-semester senior studying Theatre with a focus in playwriting. She is beyond excited to be doing her first ever Shakespeare show, especially under Maxime’s inspired direction! At Brown, she has acted in Godspell (as Judas) and Fefu and Her Friends (as Emma); and written the shows The Living Ones, Dendroo! (with Marijke Perry), and Cheesy Love Songs (with Nathan Winoto). Much love to the Transit St. Girlies, her roommates Amir and Will, and the entire cast for putting up with her terrible jokes :’) it’s been an honor stabbing you all!

Maiya Ramsaroop (Lady Macduff / Attendant)

Maiya is a sophomore studying Literary Arts and Modern Culture & Media, with a focus in film production. She contemplated triple majoring in TAPS, but decided to settle on taking the classes and squeezing in some fun little shows on the side, including the famously pleasant Macbeth. She is happy to join this lovely cast of Macbeth as Lady Macduff, and she is very proud of the murderous show awaiting you all. Everything is intentional. Take that as you will… Enjoy!

Zach Weachter (First Witch)

Zach is a silly little guy who is also a Senior concentrating in Computer Science and Cognitive Neuroscience. They are so excited for you to see Macbeth — the 32nd theatrical production in which they have acted! In their free time, they enjoy singing, screaming, enchanting, beguiling, and perplexing.

Nan Dickerson (Second Witch)

Nan is a freshman in her second semester at Brown. She is still figuring out a concentration— she is trying to decide between Biology, Art, and English. She played the Chorus in a production of Antigone, as well as Benvolio, Puck and Viola in various Shakespeare productions at her high school. She is excited to have a good excuse to run around wearing a leather vest.

Sanyu Rajakumar (Sergeant / Fleance)

Sanyu is absolutely elated to make his much-awaited return to Shakespeare. As a junior studying computational biology, Sanyu desperately yearns for artistic fulfillment and fears for his mental health following this show. To faithfully reproduce his 30 lines of text, Sanyu has, at no one’s request, incessantly spoken in a “scottish” accent and committed regicide. He would also like to clarify that, despite all appearances, Fleance is indeed a teenager.