The Sweet Briar College Theater Department chose the bloodiest and shortest of William Shakespeare’s plays for its first production of the year. “Macbeth” will be presented Oct. 13 through 16.

Shakespeare’s classic drama opens with a triumphant battle victory for Scotland in the year 1039. Macbeth is at the height of his career as he enters the stage a hero. From this victorious pinnacle, the play follows the descent of Macbeth and his Lady into superstition, madness and murder.

Elizabeth Caldwell ’08 and Jonathan Robertson play the lead roles in director William Kershner’s rendering of Shakespeare’s well-known tragedy. Professor Kershner, head of the College’s drama department, visualized the setting of “Macbeth” as “very foreboding and gray, with the color really being the bright red of blood.”

Kershner and assistant director Caitlin Cashin ’07 bring the play to life with a 20-person ensemble of both Sweet Briar women and local actors on a set designed by technical director Cheryl Warnock, SBC assistant professor of theater. The cast includes Dustin Williams as Macduff, Caitlin Ashley ’07 as Ross, Jared Anderson as Malcolm, David Zimmerman as Banquo, Virginia Robinson ’06 as Lenox, Mark Foreman as Duncan and Maureen McGuire ’06 as Lady Macduff. Courtney Matthews ’06, Julia Patt ’09, Caroline Sapp ’09, Bethany Melendy ’09 and Shelbie Filson make up the morphing ensemble characters, and Kershner introduces first-years Mary Susan Sinclair-Kuenning, Elizabeth Zuckerman and Doreen McVeigh as the three witches. The Macduff children are portrayed by Belle Shank, age 5, Marie Granger, 5, and 9-year-old Autumn Anderson.

The production runs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13; 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16 in the Babcock Center’s Murchison Lane Auditorium. Ticket prices are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for students, and free to Sweet Briar students, faculty and staff. Parents should use discretion to determine if the play is appropriate for young children.

Reservations may be made by calling the college box office at (434) 381-6120 or by sending an e-mail to Shelbie Filson, SBC box office manager.

— By Angelica Guarino, ’06