Swathed in shades of shimmering blue, three witches emerge on stage as green mist swirls, white smoke rises and eerie notes set the tone for this harrowing story, the tragic life of Macbeth. A tale full of blood, ambition and deadly consequences. 

These happenings are but the start of the School of Theatre and Dance’s latest performance, Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” which just wrapped up its opening weekend at the O’Connell Theater, located in the Stevens Building.  

The play was directed by Peter Andersen, a guest director with acting and directorial experience. Shakespeare productions he has worked on include “The Kennedy Plays, 21” a rock-musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Measure for Measure.” 

On its surface, the plot of “Macbeth” is simple. A man meets three witches at a crossroads; they tell him a prophecy; he misinterprets the prophecy and lots of death and murder follow. 

The play follows the traditional story of “Macbeth” accurately  with most line delivery and sets matching with popular editions of the play, although with minor tweaks. 

One such change was Lady Macduff’s death. In this performance, she died onstage, while in other performances her death takes place offstage. 

The line work was a standout with this show. Many of the actors gave phenomenal depth in their acting. 

The main leads, Macbeth – played by masters acting student J. Cody Hunt – and Lady Macbeth – played by master acting student Gina Cioffi – had perfect onstage chemistry and provided a palpable emotional connection. 

Hunt and Cioffi’s performances made you feel like you were getting a glimpse into their psyches and their descents into madness were visceral. 

One scene in particular, after Macbeth has his friend Banquo – played by masters acting student Paul James Lang – killed, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a banquet. Hunt’s portrayal of Macbeth’s fractured mind could be felt by the audience, as if Hunt himself became a man haunted by his own actions. At one point, Macbeth flips a table to the fight voices he is imagining in his head, which scares his guest and causes Lady Macbeth to end the banquet gathering. 

Another enjoyable scene was when Lady Macbeth sleep-walked and had nightmares about murdering King Duncan. Cioffi’s delivery was spot on and made you think she really was a woman who helped convince her husband to commit murder. 

The witches, referred to as the Weird Sisters, helped set the tone throughout the play. They provided an unearthly atmosphere and suspense that added a sort of mystical delirium to the play to keep the audience engaged.  

The witches were played by Kayla Crispino, a junior acting student, Jaylin Turner, a junior acting student and Kylee Moore, a sophomore acting student. 

“This is my first show at NIU. I am so grateful to be in this show with such a fun, amazing cast and crew,” said Moore. 

Other outstanding performances included MacDuff, played by senior acting major Logan Blake, and Malcolm, played by senior acting student Kyara Chisolm. 

Blake really embodied the character. His pain when MacDuff discovers that his wife and children have been killed felt real.  

Chisolm’s line delivery was spot on and helped set the mood for the final battle. 

The production’s costume design was phenomenal and gave an air of Regency and Victrotian-era charm that helped the characters stand out. 

Standout costumes include Macbeth’s royal jacket trimmed in crimson and gold, Macduff’s silverish coat that seemed almost iridescent at times, and the elegant and prim floral patterns of the women, especially Lady Macbeth. 

The musical score, lighting and set design helped the production flourish. 

The music and lighting changed from scene to scene and set the ambiance. From haunting vocalizations to smooth tones, the score “ caused the audience to feel the mood of the production. 

The final three shows of Macbeth will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Friday, and 2 p.m. Saturday. 

All tickets must be purchased online prior to the show. Tickets are free for NIU students, $20 for the general public, $18 for both NIU staff and seniors 65 and older, and $12 for non-NIU students.

The next show from the School of Theatre and Dance will be “Machinal” by Sophie Treadwell and directed by Alexander Gelman. It will open at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 in the Black Box Theatre located in the Stevens Building.