By Colton Wolf
macbitches, directed by Shanna Camacho and written by Sophie McIntosh, is a one act dramedy that turns the spotlight onto collegiate theatre education in all its beauty and horror via the lives of talented young actresses.
The UTOPIA Festival
Produced by Magnolia Theatre Company’s Artistic Director, Gina Handy Minyard and in collaboration with local theatre companies: Dayton Playhouse, TheatreLab Dayton, and Dayton Theatre Guild, performed at the University of Dayton; the UTOPIA Festival aims to engage emerging artists from the Dayton area to promote a stronger resident artist culture in Dayton, and provide more opportunities for equity and representation in the Dayton theatre community. macbitches is a co-production with Dayton Playhouse.
Brief Synopsis
Fall auditions have concluded for a college production of Macbeth and the lead role of Lady Macbeth has been given to an incoming freshman named Haley. That night, Haley is invited to an intimate upperclassmen party hosted by “department darling” Rachel and her friends Piper, Lexi, and Cam — after a little drinking and vulnerability…what could go wrong?
A Brilliant Ensemble & Stellar Performances
Every performer in this ensemble balances the scales of vulnerability and ruthlessness with solidity and delicate precision. Even when one performer takes center stage, the background players clearly engage each other with expertly sculpted choices that Shanna Camacho should be proud of. Evelyn Vordtriede conveys a certain “clean girl” attitude to Rachel: she is disciplined, correct, and controls the party with performative benevolence. Sarah Rowell portrays Lexi, Rachel’s closest confidante, with a deep sense of perturbation that feels unsettling for someone her age. Haley (Katie Baldwin) is naive, yet presumptuous, with a noticeable need to impress the older girls. Cam (Billie Sunshine) and Piper (Ainsley Smith) serve as the sensitive moral guides who brush up against the austerity of Rachel and Lexi.
Macbeth vs. macbitches
While really surrounding the aftermath of auditions for Macbeth, macbitches shapes its narrative thematically like its namesake. Questions of dominance, ambition, and power play center stage in the fleeting spotlight of collegiate theatre success. The play’s central conflict stems from characters who are not physically present: male professors, Eric and Christopher. Their words hover through the air in the same way the witches’ prophecies convince Macbeth to kill Duncan. Sophie McIntosh (Playwright) spiritually follows the structure, leading to a similarly bloody ending.
Final Thoughts
macbitches is a triumphant opener for Magnolia Theatre Company’s UTOPIA Festival, of which it is a shame there are no more performances of this piece. Yet, there are more performances coming at the UTOPIA Festival.
Tickets to the UTOPIA Festival’s Remaining Performances
There are two remaining performances in the UTOPIA Festival, located at University of Dayton’s Black Box Theatre:
- Athena by Gracie Gardner, Saturday, September 12 at 2:00pm
- Occupation by Merri Biechler, Sunday, September 13 at 2:00pm
Tickets are available online at WWW.MAGNOLIATHEATRECOMPANY.COM, through the Zeffy Platform.
