Camp Shakespeare Presents ‘Macbeth’

Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches

The Witches —

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake

In the cauldron boil and bake.

Eye of newt and toe of frog,

Wool of bat and tongue of dog,

Adder’s fork and blindworm’s sting,

Lizard’s leg and howlet’s wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Thus begins the conjuring in William Shakespeare’s “Scottish play,” the rhymes and “weird sisters” well-remembered from high school English class, a tale of ambition, wild imaginings, blood, rich in language, rapid in movement and riveting in conflict, its world inhabited by witches, owls, and wolves, and “bloody men,” a world bursting with the sound of knocking and bells, astonishing us with a moving forest. And in the telling of this, we have Shakespeare’s finest poetry.

Such is the challenge for the new group of Camp Shakespeareans who arrive in Fayette County on Sunday, July 3, when they begin their exploration of the play. Their final, public, performances will be at the Crystal Theater in Gonzales, on Friday, July 15, at 3:30 p.m., at the La Grange ISD Performing Arts Center (656 E. Travis St. across from La Grange Tire) on Saturday, July 16, at 3 p.m., and on Sunday, July 17, at 2 p.m., at the Winedale Theater Barn.

This is the 22nd summer for Camp Shakespeare, the experience for exploring Shakespeare through performance begun by University of Texas professor Jim (Doc) Ayres in 1964, finding its way to Winedale in 1970. Ayres now enjoys the role of “Director of Mission,” working with students on the language, having passed the directorship to Robin Grace Soto.

Robin Grace has been with the program and served as Ayres’ assistant for 13 years. Each year, they lead a team of counselors and interns, all former graduates of the Camp Shakespeare program, in creating intentional activities that help campers feel empowered to share their knowledge and feelings in creative and imaginative ways. The bravery, authenticity, and playfulness of the Camp Shakespeare students is celebrated in the recently released documentary film, “Take Pains, Be Perfect.” which is now streaming on PBS.

Camp Shakespeare looks forward to hosting the public performances this summer! Crystal Theater in Gonzales, on Friday, July 15, at 3:30 p.m., at the La Grange ISD Performing Arts Center (656 E. Travis St. across from La Grange Tire) on Saturday, July 16, at 3 p.m, and on Sunday, July 17, at 2 p.m., at the Winedale Theater Barn.

For additional information about performance dates, times, and locations and to make your reservation please email robingracesoto@utexas.edu or call (830) 460-1221.

The Witches —

The Weïrd Sisters, hand in hand,

Posters of the sea and land,

Thus do go about, about,

Thrice to thine and thrice to mine

And thrice again, to make up nine.

Peace, the charm’s wound up.

A drum, a drum!

Macbeth doth come.