Quintessence Theatre Extends William Shakespeare's MACBETH Due to Popular Demand,

Audience reaction to Quintessence Theatre’s Season XIV production of Macbeth has been electric, and the company has announced a five performance extension to run through April 28th. The Quintessence production has also garnered a Barrymore Recommended accolade from the Barrymore Program for Excellence in Theatre adjudicated by Theatre Philadelphia. This is the 5th Barrymore Recommendation for Quintessence Theatre this season. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth chronicles the murderous tyranny to which a war-hero turned King and his cunning wife, both seduced by a prophecy of greatness and gripped by their own ambition, will go to achieve political power. Macbeth carries with it the lore of a curse so that many will only refer to the title as “The Scottish Play” and audiences are on their feet and cheering after every performance. Macbeth is directed by Quintessence Producing Artistic Director, Alex Burns.  

“I can't remember the last time we received such a visceral response from our audience, often collectively leaping to their feet and cheering at the end of each performance,” said Burns. “Promising for the future of the classics and theatre in Philadelphia, we have been welcoming many new patrons to Macbeth, new audiences delighted by Quintessence's high octane Shakespeare." 

Macbeth will now close April 28. Added performances are Friday - April 26, 7:30PM; Saturday - April 27, 2PM and 7:30PM; and Sunday - April 28, 3PM.  All performances are at Quintessence’s home at the historic Sedgwick Theater located at 7137 Germantown Avenue in Mt. Airy.  Tickets start at $50 and are available online at www.quintessencetheatre.org. Senior, student, Active Military, and group discounts are available. 

Macbeth includes a cast of 11 and a team of Philadelphia-based special effects designers to bring to life the supernatural and horror elements of the play with masks by Barbaric Yawp Workshop and prosthetics by Gianna Zulli, with Fight Direction by Sean Bradley. Burns has assembled a cast of Quinessence regulars and actors who are making their Company debut. Playing Macbeth is Daniel Miller*. Miller returns to QTG after appearing in the smash hit Mary Poppins as both Neilus and Bert. He recently appeared in Beauty in the Beast at Walnut Street Theatre. Scott Parkinson is cast as Lady Macbeth and is making his Quintessence debut. Parkinson, who was in the Broadway cast of The Coast of Utopia, is a Shakespearan actor based in Chicago and he played Queen Margaret in Ed Hall’s Rose Rage in Chicago and Off-Broadway. 

Quintessence regular Lee Thomas Cortopassi plays MacDuff. Cortopassi has multiple Quintessence credits and returns to the stage after appearing in Major Barbara this season and Mary Poppins and Waiting for Lefty last season. Ken Sandberg, who last appeared at Quintessence in 2015’s The Three Musketeers, returns to play Ross. Joshua Kachnycz, who appeared in last season’s World Premiere of Written by Phillis, returns to play Lenox. 

Christopher Patrick Mullen, who recently wowed audiences in Assassins at the Arden Theatre and A Christmas Carol Comedy at Hedgerow Theatre makes his Quintessence debut as Duncan. Completing the cast are Corneilus Franklin as Lady MacDuff; Jamison Foreman as Witch 2;  Owen Corey as Malcolm;  Zachary Valdez as Angus;  and Vaughn Meccod as Banquo. River Moore is making his professional stage debut as the MacDuffs’ son. All other roles are filled by the Ensemble. 

Director Burns also designs the set and the sound. Kelly Meyers, who designed the costumes for QTG’s The Chairs and The Wizard of Oz returns as Costume Designer. Lighting Design is by Anthony Forchielli, Choreography is by Jessie Jones. John “JP” Pollard* is the AEA Production Stage Manager, Leslie Ann Boyden is the AEA Assistant Stage Manager* and Cat Brennan is the Assistant Stage Manager. Bess Rowan is the Intimacy Choreographer. Ellen Moore is the Production Manager. 

Macbeth is underwritten by the National Endowment for the Arts, Arts Midwest, and a Shakespeare in American Communities grant. Over 1600 Philadelphia area high school students are attending special Shakespeare workshops and student matinee performances of Macbeth. 

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