In 1963 when The Guthrie Theater first opened its doors to the public under the direction of Sir Tyrone Guthrie, the first play to grace their stage was William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Now, more then 45 years later and nestled in a new location in the Mill City district, the Guthrie Theater is proud to introduce their 50th Shakespeare production by bringing to life Macbeth, a tale shadowing a nobleman's lust for power and greatness, and the treacherous road he takes to get there.Directed by Joe Dowling, this re-awakening of the dark production, sees many changes since the last time Guthrie audiences were given a dose of it 16 years ago. The story, packing as much grit and character as a feature film, begins with an incredibly choreographed battle scene set on a stage that breathes the cold remains of a once vibrant empire, now sullen in the haze of an apocalyptic shell.
The part of Macbeth is played by actor Erik Heger, who ignites a stream of vulnerability that has never been seen before, as he attacks his part in a raw manner by offering no hesitation in his delivery and forcing audiences to connect to his characters fears, desires, and sexuality. This version of the 1603 play, probably more violent and unrelenting than prior interpretations, is cleverly reinvented to attract a wider audience of individuals of who might not always look to the theater for action-packed entertainment. Even through all the clear cut adjustments, and the changing faces of this year’s cast, there is one thing that remains the same, and that is the role of one of the Weird Sisters, reprised by African American actress Isabell Monk O'Connor, a 21-year veteran of the famed Guthrie Theater company. O'Connor, a celebrated artist who's been in the business of entertainment since she began years ago after taking an acting class at Towson University outside of Baltimore, Maryland, has found a plethora of great honors that have taken her from stage, to screen, and inside the pages of a children's novel.
"I wanted to have an opportunity to act in the classics, not just the modern day kitchen sink stories- which I don't dislike, it's just that I wanted to do the grander epic tales that are much more universal and speak to all people, instead of just one culture or one group. I've been fortunate to be able to do that for the last 21 years," O'Connor said when referencing why she chose the Guthrie Theater as her home instead opting to join a more dominantly African American theater group.
O'Connor, whose first major film role was in the movie, The World According to Garp, has found herself pressed into the film stock of an array of celebrated productions in cinematic history. She can be seen in Rosewood, Intolerable Cruelty, Into Temptation, Justice, Grumpy Old Men, The Black Knight and a dozen other features. She has worked with many top notch artists all the way from Morgan Freeman and on to George Clooney.
O'Connor, who many refer to as a triple threat, is easily recognized for her achievements as an actor, educator, as well as a Children's Book author for her novel Hope, published in 1999, which was later brought to stage by Stepping Stone Theater in 2006 in the production The Story of Hope. Published by Carolrhoda, The Story of Hope depicts the struggles of a biracial child. The book was later followed in the series by Family and Blackberry Stew.
Although O'Connor has seen many a triumphs in her career with both the Guthrie Theater and in her vast catalog of productions, she remains modest when it comes to her celebrity, and makes no mistake about her desire for her art to be what she is recognized for, rather than her trappings of fame as one of Minneapolis' most acclaimed African American artists.
"I'm in the business because I enjoy the craft of acting and the process of acting. I'm not in it to be noticed, necessarily. I would kind of prefer not be noticed unless it's for doing my work, and doing it well. That's enough notoriety for me," said O'Connor.
Macbeth will be playing at the Guthrie until April 4, 2010. O'Connor can also be seen in the feature film The Convincer, starring Greg Kinnear and Billy Crudup, filmed on location here in Minneapolis, and due in theaters sometime next year.
For show times and ticket information, www.guthrietheatre.org or (612) 377-2224.
Insightnews.com