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The cast of A Very Merry Macbeth | Photo provided.

Something jolly this way comes

3RD ACT THEATRE COMPANY MAKES MERRIMENT WITH DRUNK CLASSICS: A VERY MERRY MACBETH

By Adrienne Proctor

There’s a new holiday tradition in Oklahoma City. 3rd Act Theatre Company’s bi-annual tour, Drunk Classics, combines Shakespeare, improv, and alcohol for an entertaining evening at local watering holes. This season’s Christmas offering is A Very Merry Macbeth.

A Very Merry Macbeth is at its core the traditional story of Macbeth, and will be presented, to start, as a typical Shakespearean play. But prior to the start of the show, audience members receive one vote with admission to select the “drinker” for the night. Whichever cast member wins actively drinks while performing. This would seemingly be enough to throw off the entire performance, but there’s more drunken merriment around the corner.

Audience members can also bid on improvised edits by raising numbers at their tables during any part of a scene. Once called upon, the patron will then select a preset bid amount of $5, $10, or $20, leading a cast member to select a prompt from a corresponding bucket. This creates a moment of sheer chaos and hilarity as the cast member must continue the scene while utilizing their improv selection at the same time.

Stage managers rarely let cast members bow out of a selection and many a Shakespearean soliloquy has been recited while the actor hops on one leg or talks like a Valley Girl. The improv prompts are widely varied, and range anywhere from Disney characters and famous voices to suddenly acting like a dinosaur or having hollow legs. It’s the creativity and the unpredictability that makes the evening fun and unique, and patrons can bid as much and as often as they like.

Macbeth is known throughout the theater world as “The Scottish play.” It’s considered bad luck to utter the name in a theater, so most refer to it as such to avoid any forthcoming curses. Because it’s known as Shakespeare’s Scottish work, it’s fitting that the opening weekend is at Angry Scotsman Brewing, Dec. 9 and 10. The tour also makes stops at Solo’s Park & Pub on Dec. 16 and Roughtail Brewing Co. on Dec. 17.

“The spontaneous, collaborative, and supportive nature of improv fosters creativity and flexibility, not just in theater but in everyday life,” Production Director Dani Becker said. “In A Very Merry Macbeth, audiences will be whisked back to medieval Scotland where a Yuletide prophecy of Macbeth’s rise to power and tragic downfall has our characters facing ambition, witchcraft, and murder. You might think you know how this story goes, but you don’t. Santa Claus is coming to town too, but he won’t be leaving.”

Seating is very limited, so reservations are highly recommended.

Visit 3rdacttheatreco.com