Young actors give ‘Macbeth' twist in first dinner theater show

BARSTOW • Don’t be surprised if you see flashbulbs popping as actors strut down a red carpet this weekend.

The premiere of “The Scottish Play,” a modern spin off of William Shakespeare’s famed tragedy “Macbeth,” runs this weekend as Barstow’s first dinner theater event.

The drama starts even before the actors get on stage, with high school journalism students acting as paparazzi, buzzing around the cast as they make their grand Hollywood-like entrance, according to producer Jackie Nelson.

“The Scottish Play” features teens from Barstow High School in a lighter take on the tale of ambition, murder and deception from the traditional story line.

“Sometimes people don’t relate real well to Shakespeare,” said Jenny Wellinger, the co-director.

The play starts out with a group of high school students who get in trouble and have to do extra-credit for English class, according to co-director Crickett Enos.

Their assignment: to paint the stage set of their school’s production of “Macbeth.”

“It’s a play within a play,” Nelson said. The modern twist includes some comical moments that the students embellished, according to Nelson.

“They added some of their own improv,” she said.

The dinner, which will be catered by Quigley’s Restaurant, includes chicken parmesan on angel hair pasta, salad, garlic bread and dessert, said Nelson.

Depending on this year’s success, Wellinger said she hopes to make the dinner theater a twice-yearly event, and to eventually include a variety of aspiring actors from the community.

The idea began from a similar annual event — a smaller scale spaghetti dinner and play featuring students — that Wellinger helped coordinate five years ago as a drama teacher at Hinkley School.

“This is a great way to start it and see how it works” said Nelson.

The proceeds of the event go towards funding the Boys and Girls Club of Barstow’s after-school programs and an arts scholarship for a graduating high school senior this year.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4122 or elee@desertdispatch.com

'The Scottish Play'
When: Friday and Saturday, May 8-9. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Where: Boys gym at Barstow High School, 430 South First Street.
Tickets: $30 for the show and dinner. Seating is assigned. Tickets can be purchased at the Boys and Girls Club and local business like Envy Beauty Supply, Furniture Outlet and Printing Solutions.
Questions: Call (760) 256-6077