MACBETH Comes to Great Lakes Theater This Spring

Great Lakes Theater will continue its 64th season with Shakespeare's towering tragedy, Macbeth, running March 20 – April 4, 2026, in the Hanna Theatre at Playhouse Square. GLT Producing Artistic Director, Sara Bruner^, directs this gripping production of one of the Bard's most electrifying stories. The intimate space of the Hanna Theatre will bring patrons dangerously close to this thrilling tale, where every whispered prophecy and haunting consequence occurs mere feet from the audience.

“Macbeth asks us how far we might go to fulfill what we believe to be our destiny,” shares Bruner. “The play examines the tension between free will and fate not as an abstract idea, but as a lived experience. Rather than an epic tragedy of kings and battles, we invite you to experience Macbeth as a story about people. People who convince themselves that their actions are necessary, justified or inevitable.”

"Something wicked this way comes..." This spellbinding story weaves a tale of power's intoxicating promise and the heavy toll it demands. This timeless tragedy captivates with unforgettable characters, Shakespeare's incomparable language and the relentless exploration of power's corrupting force. The boundaries between heroism and villainy blur as the question begs an answer: will ambition lead to greatness or doom? Don't miss this enthralling journey into the heart of human desire, danger and destiny.

Bruner directs an extraordinary cast featuring many familiar faces fresh from GLT's recent production of The Heart of Robin Hood. The case includes Kelsey Angel Baehrens*, Cassandra Bissell*, Jonathan Contreras*, Jeffrey C. Hawkins*, Jessie Cope Miller*, Marlowe Miller, Avery LaMar Pope*, David Anthony Smith*, Nick Steen*, Evan Stevens*, M.A. Taylor*, Ángela Utrera* and Joe Wegner*. The creative team features Scenic Designer Courtney O'Neill; Lighting Designer Rick Martin; Costume Designer Mieka van der Ploeg; Sound Designer & Composer Matthew Webb; Wig & Hair Designer Caitie Martin; Movement Director Jaclyn Miller; Fight Director Christopher DuVal; Production Stage Manager Imani Sade* and Assistant Stage Manager Kelsey Malone.

Special Events & Experience Enhancement Programming

Check out the rich series of audience enrichment opportunities available for Macbeth:

• Director's Night: Pre-show conversation with Producing Artistic Director and Director of Macbeth, Sara Bruner, at the first Friday evening preview. (starts at 6:30 p.m.)
• Salon Thursdays: Weekly pre-show discussions with GLT artists. (starts at 6:30 p.m.)
• Playnotes Discussions: Saturday matinee pre-show talks with a guest scholar. (starts at 12:30 p.m.)
• Ice Cream Social Sundays: Enjoy a London theatre tradition brought stateside and get discounted ice cream at Sunday matinees.

Full details available at greatlakestheater.org/enhancement

Performance & Ticket Information

• Opening/Press Night: Saturday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m.
• Preview Performances: Friday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, March 21 at 1:30 p.m.
• Curtain Times: Evenings at 7:30 p.m. | Saturday matinees at 1:30 p.m. | Sunday matinees at 3:00 p.m.
• Sign-interpreted and Audio-described Performance: Sunday, March 29 at 3:00 p.m.