Erin Margaret Pettigrew is playing the role of Lady Macbeth in the Bay Street Production of Macbeth premiering November 9th at 8pm. It will be a recorded production available for streaming online. Directed by Bay Street’s Allen O’Reilly, this production is staged to be happening in 1963 Scotland.
Ms. Pettigrew is no stranger to the Bay Street Theater audience last appearing in their production of, “A Raisin in the Sun.” This is Ms. Pettigrew’s first portrayal of Lady Macbeth. When asked about when she was first introduced to Shakespeare and then Lady Macbeth she said, “It was when I was a kid…you know when in school you know eventually you have to wrap your head around Shakespeare. My first introduction to Shakespeare had to be ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in high school.”
Concerning her role of Lady Macbeth Ms. Pettigrew she said, “I think I was introduced to her (Lady Macbeth) before I even understood who she was. Particularly because everybody would say the ‘Scottish Play.” As we get older we learn more about Shakespeare. The mystery around this play and the different aspects of the story. There are magical aspects, foreshadowing aspects, all characteristics of Shakespeare.”
Ms. Pettigrew said even though this production is for “Literature Live,” thus school children she has not adjusted her presentation of the role. “I am a facilitator,” she said, “I work with young people. It is a definite part of my artistry. It is part of who I am. I believe being able to teach Shakespeare makes you better. For me, I don’t do it a certain way to teach kids. I show up on stage being honest in the role to adults or to kids.
However, she understands as part of “Literature Live,” her responsibility playing an important role in introducing Shakespeare, specifically Lady Macbeth to a young audience for the first time. “Even if I was doing this role in Central Park there will be adults being introduced to Shakespeare and Lady Macbeth for the first time. Lady Macbeth is bigger than me. I say that because Lady Macbeth is an idea of a person because she has lived way before me and she will live way after me. It’s not about me coming into a room or space or process saying or trying to calculate intention. I am lucky and blessed to be in a position and place not only were young people get to see me embody this role, but also older brown and black people get to see me in this role. I am aiming at a simple honest way to share my craft with anyone.” She concluded, “I hope they all can resonate and find something even it’s a smallest thing. I don’t necessarily mean the death or the killing or those things.”
Expanding her thoughts on the role of lady Macbeth Ms. Pettigrew digs deeper and says, “There is also the part of Lady Macbeth where after all these bad things happen, she has a desire. There is something that she is striving for. We all have dreams. We all have goals and she is striving for something. When she gets that thing it just isn’t what she thought it was going to be. What is it like to want to get a thing so badly that you are willing to do something that is outside of you and your character to do it? You have to wonder, is it worth doing that? Is it worth betraying your values and do a thing that will stain you? We have all made choices where we say, should I have done that? Just hopefully not to the extreme (Lady Macbeth goes.)
She has worked with Director Allen O’Reilly before and believes in his talent, wisdom and the direction he has taken this Macbeth production saying, “I definitely feel bonded with him from other projects, Allen knew or figured I didn’t have a lot of Shakespeare experience, but he did she me, watched me work in ‘Raisin in Sun,’ and he saw whatever I brought to the stage and said he wanted to work with me.”
For more info, visit www.baystreet.org
