THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH World Premiere to be Presented at Thinkery and Verse

THINKERY AND VERSE will present the world premiere production of THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, adapted by Dr. J.M. Meyer and Karen Eliza Alvarado and directed by Dr. J.M. Meyer. A transformative retelling of Shakespeare’s classic that focuses on a gruesome and often-overlooked part of American history, THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH will play a three-week limited engagement at the Assembly Hall at the Church of Saint John the Evangelist. Performances begin Wednesday, October 8, and continue through Saturday, October 25. Opening Night is Friday, October 10 (7 p.m.).

 Set in colonial Middlesex County during the first wave of Scottish immigration into New Jersey, Meyer and Alvarado’s adaptation uses Shakespeare’s classic play to examine issues of race, gender, and war in Early America. Taking inspiration from Early American history and Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood, Shakespeare’s classic drama unfolds as a fable for the New World.

 The year is 1700. The Dutch have lost their grip on the New World, and the first wave of Scots immigrants (including radical Quakers and Jacobite glory-seekers) are struggling for a foothold in the ancestral lands of the Lenape.

 According to co-artistic director K. Elisa Alvarado, “Our historic re-telling is funny, earthy, violent, and poetic. An American Macbeth is the perfect play for staying grounded in 2025.” ​ K. Elisa Alvarado plays Lady Macbeth in the play, but with a twist: “Like my own people in South Texas, the Karankawa, this Lady Macbeth is caught up in waves of colonization that leave morality and spiritualism and language in a muddle. A lot of the play’s highs and lows hinge on fatal misunderstandings: code-switching gone wrong.”
 
Co-Artistic director J.M. Meyer adds: “By leaning into the historical accuracy of a specific place and time period, we find that the struggles of Shakespeare’s characters align in surprising ways with the diverse people of the Mid-Atlantic. In our adaptation, Macbeth is a Scottish immigrant in the New World. Lady Macbeth is a Lenape Native who is hyper-aware of the dangers around her. The Macduffs are free people of color in a tumultuous landscape. The witches are replaced with Dutch widows.”
 
K. Elisa Alvarado continues: “American history can be dark, complex, and scary, and no witchcraft is needed. It’s like the old cat in the adage -- reality is scarier than fiction."
 
The production stars a cast that draws from the Rutgers Mason Gross conservatory, with Justin Hofstad as Macbeth and K. Elisa Alvarado as Lady Macbeth. The cast also features Alexander Sculli as Banquo, Lazarus Simmons as Macduff, Jasmine Carmichael as Lady Macduff, Carl Muhler as Malcolm, and Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson as Dinah–Duncan reimagined as a Quaker. Thinkery & Verse are pleased to introduce Devon Borkoswki as Sasakomowah, Sean McDonald as Ross, and A.M. Teo as Fleance.