U.S. Premiere

Macbeth

Kenneth Branagh
Alex Kingston
Rob Ashford

U.S. Premiere

Macbeth

Kenneth Branagh
Alex Kingston
Rob Ashford

May 31, 2014 - June 22, 2014

Wade Thompson Drill Hall

Shakespeare’s classic tale of ambition and treachery gets a thrilling new life in the U.S. premiere of the electrifying production by Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh, following its acclaimed sold-out run at the Manchester International Festival in England. Kenneth Branagh, in his first Shakespeare performance in more than a decade, is joined by Alex Kingston, in their highly-anticipated New York stage debuts, as the once great leader and his adored wife, who incites him to sell his soul in the quest for greater power.

Utilizing the Armory’s unique space and military history, this audacious staging brings to life one of Shakespeare’s most powerful tragedies in an intensely physical, fast-paced production that places the audience directly on the sidelines of battle. Blood, sweat, and the elements of nature can be directly felt as the action unfurls across a traverse stage, with heaven beckoning at one end and hell looming at the other.

Performances

Previews
May 31–June 4, 2014

Opening Night
June 5, 2014 at 6:30pm

Performances
June 6–20, 2014

Tuesday–Thursday at 7:00pm
Friday–Saturday at 8:00pm
Sunday at 2:00pm
June 21–22
Saturday at 2:00pm & 8:00pm
Sunday at 2:00pm

“Hearts beat fast in the thrilling new ‘Macbeth’ that has transformed the Park Avenue Armory into a war zone, and every breath starts to feel like a gasp.”

The New York Times

“The vast acreage of the Armory’s drill hall, which easily contains the custom-built 1,050-seat Macbeth experience theater, has rarely been put to better use.”

New York Magazine

“The actor’s performance, one of the finest of his career, manages to be both as grand and as intimate as the production itself.”

Vogue

Gallery

  • Kenneth Branagh (Macbeth) in Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    1/13

  • Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston's production of Shakespeare's Macbeth at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    2/13

  • Kenneth Branagh (Macbeth) in Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    3/13

  • John Shrapnel (Duncan, King of Scotland) with Richard Coyle (Macduff) and Kenneth Branagh (Macbeth) in Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    4/13

  • Kenneth Branagh (Macbeth) and Alex Kingston (Lady Macbeth) in Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    5/13

  • Zachary Spicer (Robertson), Alexander Vlahos (Malcolm), and Alex Kingston (Lady Macbeth) in Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    6/13

  • Kenneth Branagh (Macbeth) with members of the cast of Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    7/13

  • Alex Kingston (Lady Macbeth) in Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    8/13

  • Kenneth Branagh (Macbeth) and Alex Kingston (Lady Macbeth) in Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    9/13

  • Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford's production of Shakespeare's Macbeth at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    10/13

  • Kenneth Branagh (Macbeth) with members of the cast of Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    11/13

  • Charlie Cameron, Laura Elsworthy, and Anjana Vasan (The Weird Sisters) in Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    12/13

  • Alex Kingston (Lady Macbeth) in Shakespeare's Macbeth, directed by Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: Stephanie Berger

    13/13

Related Videos

  • Trailer | Macbeth

    1/10

  • Kenneth Branagh on Macbeth

    2/10

  • Kenneth Branagh on His New York Stage Debut

    3/10

  • Macbeth at Park Avenue Armory

    4/10

  • Advice for Armory Audiences

    5/10

  • Rob Ashford on Scottish Clans and the Production

    6/10

  • Kenneth Branagh on Working with Rob Ashford and Alex Kingston

    7/10

  • Rob Ashford on Working with Kenneth Branagh

    8/10

  • Rob Ashford on This Interpretation and the Macbeths

    9/10

  • Load-in Time-lapse

    10/10

Creative Team

  • Director

    Rob Ashford

  • Director

    Kenneth Branagh

  • Set and Costume Designer

    Christopher Oram

  • Composer

    Patrick Doyle

  • Lighting Designer

    Neil Austin

  • Sound Designer

    Christopher Shutt

  • Fight Director

    Terry King

  • Hair & Make-up Consultant

    Carol Hemming

  • Illusion Consultant

    Paul Kieve

  • Associate Designer

    Lee Newby

  • Associate Choreographer

    Chris Bailey

  • Music Programmer

    Rupert Cross

  • Text Advisor

    Russell Jackson

  • Casting Director

    Anne McNulty, CDG

  • Additional New York Casting

    Telsey + Company

Cast

  • David Annen

  • Andy Apollo

  • Elliot Balchin

  • Nari Blair-Mangat

  • Norman Bowman

  • Kenneth Branagh

  • Charlie Cameron

  • Richard Coyle

  • Jordan Dean

  • Patrick Neil Doyle

  • Laura Elsworthy

  • Tom Godwin

  • Cody Green

  • Edward Harrison

  • Alex Kingston

  • Dylan Clark Marshall

  • Stuart Neal

  • John Shrapnel

  • Harry Lister Smith

  • Zachary Spicer

  • Scarlett Strallen

  • Dominic Thorburn

  • Kate Tydman

  • Anjana Vasan

  • Alexander Vlahos

  • Katie West

  • Benny Young

  • Jimmy Yuill

Production Credits

Commissioned and produced by Park Avenue Armory and Manchester International Festival.
The New York production of Macbeth is produced in association with Colin Callendar.

Support

Support for Macbeth has been provided by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Susan and Elihu Rose, The Bodman Foundation, Lizabeth and Frank Newman, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and the Richenthal Foundation.

This production is supported, in part, by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

  • Stavros Niarchos Foundation Sponsor Logo SVG
  • Kirkland & Ellis Sponsor Logo SVG
  • NEA Sponsor Logo SVG
  • NYSCA - Sponsor Logo - SVG