Shayna Pallarino
On November 15th, 2024, Mrs. Frissora’s English 2 CPE classes visited The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, in Madison, to view William Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
In a tragedy about the psychological effects of greed, the audience follows Macbeth, played by Ray Fisher, and his growing desire for power. Set in Scotland in the eleventh century, three witches foretell that Macbeth will become king. After his wife, Lady Macbeth, encourages him, he goes on a killing spree in an attempt to make his prophecy come true. His ambition for power causes him to slowly descend into madness throughout the play.
The play was incredibly well done as students could see the hard work and passion that was put into it. The talent of the actors shone through their performances. Although they only rehearsed for two weeks, it seemed as if they had been practicing for years. The Shakespearean language they used seemed natural, and the emotions they conveyed were felt by the room. Throughout the show you could hear the audience gasp, demonstrating how well the play captured people’s attention. Moreover, the set and the lights were eye-catching, adding to the atmosphere of the play. Seulgi Park, a sophomore who attended, states, “It was an amazing experience. The lights created a dramatic tone throughout the play, and the way the actors spoke, whether it was powerfully or softly, kept it interesting and made it easy to understand what they were saying even though it may have been difficult to understand on paper.”
The Q&A hosted after the play was a great way to end the visit as students were able to ask the actors and the director any questions they had. For instance, why they made a certain choice in how they acted, how they quickly switched between playing characters, or how the young actors managed their time with school and acting. It also cleared up some confusion about some scenes that were difficult to grasp because of the language used.
Overall, this field trip was a wonderful opportunity for students to not only have a good time with friends but also to further understand the book they are reading in English class.