BYU Young Company wows fans, shows Macbeth in new light
Performers in the BYU Young Company perform a scene from Macbeth during a special play tailored towards a younger crowd Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. This adaptation of Macbeth is catered more towards younger fans of theater, with interactive opportunities for kids during the play, among other things. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Backstage, the small group of actors laugh while they loosen up before their performance of Macbeth on Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The BYU Young Company has put on many shows, and their newest performance, directed by Teresa Dayley Love, has a more accessible version of Macbeth catered towards a younger audience. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Clara Richardson, right, laughs at a joke while the actors loosen up before their performance of Macbeth on Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The BYU Young Company has put on many shows, and their newest performance, directed by Teresa Dayley Love, has a more accessible version of Macbeth catered towards a younger audience. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Attendees Amy Lucas and Marnie Lucas, right, read the program before a showing of Macbeth on Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. This adaptation of Macbeth is catered more towards younger fans of theater, with interactive opportunities for kids during the play, among other things DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the audience participate in some interactive theatre while watching BYU Young Company's adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The play, which the company has been working on for over a year, is an adaptation of the classic play, catered towards a younger audience. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the BYU Young Company prepare, laugh and act together in their adaptation of Macbeth, a famous Shakespearean play Friday, Feb.17, 2017 at BYU in Provo. The actors are a tight-nit group, and after rehearsing for months together, they have built close friendships that not only reinforce their performances, but spill over off the stage as well. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Teresa Love began working on the Macbeth script for the BYU Young Company more than a year ago, undertaking a tough project — to make Shakespeare more accessible.
“We wanted to make a play that was catered towards a young audience,” Love said.
From the costumes to the set to the lighting, each detail of the play is geared toward children.
The play, adapted to a short 50 minutes, is also geared toward the whimsical; within 2 minutes of the play’s opening scene the audience hears drums, sees witches and witnesses a harrowing sword fight. The audience is seldom left in long pauses and awkward silences, but instead is fully immersed in the Shakespeare experience.
What’s more, the actors, who have been working on this play for some time and have also been in various productions together as well, are a tight-knit group of not only colleagues, but friends. The dressing room is always filled with friendly chatter, and that familiarity spills over to the stage as well; the acting is fluid, intense at times, and quiet when it needs to be.
Preceding this particular play, the actors also spend at least 20 minutes (sometimes longer) mingling with the crowd and educating the young theater-goers about Shakespeare, its importance in society, and also give fun behind-the-scenes facts about the production.
The BYU Young Company will be putting on two more shows at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
For more information on BYU Young Company and its upcoming shows (they have a lot scheduled for 2017) check it out online at http://tma.byu.edu/news_category/theatre/.
