Thunder echoed through the Churchill County Library last Tuesday afternoon—not from a summer storm, but from dozens of local children helping a cast of young actors bring William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" to life.
Families gathered for the free performance as Library Director John Hong welcomed the audience and introduced Gregory Klino, education manager for the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival's D.G. Menchetti Young Shakespeare Program. The touring educational program brings live Shakespeare performances and workshops to schools, libraries and communities throughout Nevada.
Before the actors took the stage, Klino encouraged children and adults alike to become part of the performance. Audience members created the sounds of wind, rain, ravens and thunder, transforming the library into medieval Scotland before the first lines of "Macbeth" were spoken. Within moments, children who may never have experienced Shakespeare before were fully engaged.
That interactive beginning set the tone for an hour-long adaptation that transformed one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies into a lively experience for audiences of all ages. The young cast portrayed kings, queens, witches and warriors while seamlessly moving between multiple roles, using quick costume changes, dramatic staging and choreographed sword fights.
Bennett Hensley, 21, who portrayed Macbeth, said introducing young audiences to Shakespeare has been one of the most rewarding parts of the production.
"It's a lot of fun. It's a great character to explore," Hensley said. "The kids seem to be enjoying it. The audience gets good reactions."
Yukta Chaudhary, who portrayed Lady Macbeth, said stepping into one of Shakespeare's most recognizable roles challenged her as an actress while building her confidence.
"It's amazing. It's a lot of fun," Chaudhary said. "As Lady Macbeth, it's very powerful. I'm doing new things, so it's very rewarding, and I'm very proud of myself."
Carson Boyer, who portrayed Macduff, said the production's climactic sword fight quickly became one of his favorite scenes.
"It's just a dance," Boyer said of the carefully choreographed fight scenes. "Practice makes perfect."
Tyrell Hunt, who portrayed Banquo while also serving as the show's road manager, said the Young Shakespeare Program uses theater to teach skills that reach beyond the stage.
"We use Shakespeare as kind of a framing device," Hunt said. "We also expand into emotional intelligence, self-control and self-confidence ... useful tools for anybody to have."
For many families, the performance offered more than an introduction to Shakespeare. As the audience filtered out of the library, children were still talking about witches, sword fights and Shakespeare's unforgettable characters while cast members posed for photographs and visited with families. For one afternoon, a story written more than 400 years ago came alive for Churchill County's youngest theatergoers.
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