[NEohioPAL] Macbeth -- A Rock Opera (brief review and a trailer)

[Tom Burnett]

I saw the world premiere twice last weekend and would have gone to the Sunday matinee if I hadn't had another commitment. I intend to go again this weekend, likely even twice because the show is that good. It's playing tonight at 7:30, Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Medina Performing Arts Center, 851 Weymouth Rd.

If you were or are a fan of Jesus Christ, Superstar or Tommy or Godspell, you really need to see this show. You'll be wishing there was a soundtrack CD so you could listen to the wonderful score again and again and again. Composer Kenneth Kacmar, who reportedly hopes to bring this show to New York in the coming months, has done a wonderful job in bringing Shakespeare's epic tragedy to the rock 'n' roll era.

And as good as the score is, the vocalists are equally outstanding, especially Connor Stout as Macbeth and Sarah Husbands as Lady Macbeth. But they hardly outshine the ensemble or the other soloists, Madeline Kranz, Hannah Wargo and Abby Moon (the three witches), John Semenik (MacDuff), Emily Beck (Lady MacDuff), Vincent Matia (Duncan), Nate Gillett (Malcolm) Jacob Schafer (Banquo) and Zach Myers (Fleance).

>From the opening notes to the last echoes of the final song, this to my mind is the best show that's been on the PAC stage in its 10 years of existence. It's at least equal to recent college productions I've seen and it's a credit to Kacmar, who plays keyboards for the rock quartet and who was music director, that he gets such beautiful sound from a cast composed mostly of high schoolers or recent high school graduates. Visually, the set, the lighting and the crisp sound take you away from your seat and into the story.

A quick look at the highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nptNKfnu_IU
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