THEATRE PREVIEW

MAY 2026 | Volume 263

 

Macbeth Joins the37th Season of Bard on the Beach
 
Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival  continues its 37th Season in Sen̓áḵw/Vanier Park with Macbeth, sponsored by Odlum Brown, joining The Merry Wives of Windsor on the BMO Mainstage from June 11 to September 18, 2026. Directed and adapted by Stephen Drover, the production's heightened themes of power and paranoia draw audiences deep into a stark world that is as haunting as it is unforgettable.

In a fractured society, Macbeth encounters a trio of otherworldly spectres whose prophecy sets him on a dangerous path. Urged on by Lady Macbeth, he seizes power through violence, ascending to the throne. What follows is a relentless unraveling, as paranoia, guilt, and fear begin to consume them both. Haunted by visions and threatened by forces within and beyond their control, Macbeth descends further into tyranny. As resistance grows and the truth surfaces, the fragile grip on power collapses — revealing the devastating cost of moral corruption.

"Macbeth is already a kind of nightmare, it's a play that breathes fear; the dead walk, spirits taunt, visions appear and disappear, and scorpions fill the mind," says director Stephen Drover. "At its core, this is a story about psychological unraveling in a world that offers no solid ground. This production imagines a dystopian world after a global event where systems are fractured and power is unstable. What interests me is how the pursuit of power takes hold in that environment and how quickly it can distort perception, isolate us, and justify the unthinkable. It's bold, atmospheric, and a reminder of how fragile our sense of order can be."

"Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's most gripping and intriguing plays," says Christopher Gaze, Bard on the Beach Artistic Director. "It is a story of fate, power, and consequence that feels as urgent today as ever. Stephen's production places it in a striking new context, inviting audiences to experience the story through a contemporary lens."

Macbeth cast members include Munish Sharma as Macbeth and Tess Degenstein as Lady Macbeth with Rachel Angco, Steffanie Davis, Craig Erickson, Sebastian Kroon, Tai Leathem, Jacob Leonard, Melissa Oei, Zahf Paroo, Raf Rogers, Anthony Santiago, Sara Vickruck, and Ashley Wright. Understudies for Macbeth are Bruce Horak and Ellis Lalonde.

The design team has crafted a stylized and stark dystopian future with Set Designer Amir Ofek, Costume Designer Alaia Hamer and an other-worldly, layered soundtrack by Composer & Sound Designer Mary Jane Coomber. Additional members of the Macbeth production team include Jeff Harrison (Lighting Designer), Jonathan Hawley Purvis (Fight Director), and Lisa Goebel (Intimacy Director). They are supported by Joanne P.B. Smith (Production Stage Manager), Jessica Bournival (Assistant Stage Manager) and Caroline Tang (Apprentice Stage Manager).

SPECIAL EVENTS for Macbeth include:

• Those seeking a deeper dive into Macbeth can attend a Bard Explored talk with SFU's Professor Paul Budra on September 5 on the BMO Mainstage.
• Discover more about Bard's production from the cast during Talkback Tuesdays in July and August, where performers will take part in free post-show discussions.
• Before every performance, audiences are invited to Macbeth in a Nutshell, a free pre-show talk providing a short, informal introduction to the play's' story and characters.

Ticket prices for all regular play performances start at $30 CAD and are available now. Early booking is recommended for best seat selection, as many performances sell out in advance. The full performance schedule and event details are on the Bard website at bardonthebeach.org. To book tickets, order online through the Bard website or call the Bard Box Office at 604-739-0559 or (toll free) 1-877-739-0559. 

About Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Bard on the Beach is one of Canada's largest not-for-profit, professional Shakespeare festivals. Established in 1990, Bard's mission is to create transformational experiences through exceptional theatre, training and education opportunities that inspire, resonate, and promote the exchange of ideas. As well as its annual summer Festival, Bard offers year-round education and training programs for youth, adults, and theatre professionals in its administrative home at the BMO Theatre Centre in Olympic Village as well as in schools and community facilities throughout the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

 

 

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