Ames Stevens is Macbeth and Sophia Smith is Lady Macbeth in ATC's Summer on Stage production of Shakespeare's "Macbeth."

Lancers in musical and tragedy on stage at Temple

Arizona Daily Star
Upstairs, a murder is taking place. Down, they are longing for “One Normal Night.”
This is Arizona Theatre Company’s Summer on Stage workshop, chock full of talented high school students eager to learn more about theater from professionals.
 
For the past three weeks they’ve been preparing to present two plays: Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” (that’s the upstairs murder), directed by Jasmine Roth, and the musical “The Addams Family” (“Normal Night” is one of the songs). Israel Jimenez directs that.
 
Watching them rehearse can be thrilling: They have a passion for theater that can’t be quieted.
 
Ames Stevens, a University High School senior, takes on the difficult role of Macbeth, who is defined by murder, madness and greed. Sophia Smith, a junior at Salpointe Catholic High School, is Lady Macbeth, whose ambition pushes her husband to his crimes. Monday they were in the Temple of Music and Arts’ rehearsal room. The two slipped on the play’s intense emotions with ease. Though not in costume, the 16 actors in the tragedy wore the boots that will stomp to intimidate in battle and to forecast impending doom. Each brought a foot down with a focused intensity, providing an intimidating background to a scene with the Macbeths.
 
Downstairs, in the Temple’s main theater, the cast of “The Addams Family” is just beginning tech rehearsal. They are in costumes that define the characters and are straight out of a professional costume shop. Sophia Duclo, a junior at University High School, stands tall, straight and still in a long, sleek black dress. While her character, Morticia, looks stern and humorless, Duclo drops her often funny lines with the skill of a comic actor. Playing Wednesday Addams, the daughter who just wants her macabre family to be normal for one night, is Cassie Miller, a freshman at Vail’s Empire High School. Her singing voice has a sophistication that belies her age. Each scene is stop and go as the lights and sound cues are set. The 17 students in the cast don’t seem to mind if they are halted in the middle of a song verse — it’s to be expected with a tech rehearsal.
So, you know you want to encourage these young actors, right? And that you are curious to see the budding talent in our city, aren’t you?
 
So here are the details: “Macbeth” is 7 p.m. July 27; “The Addams Family” is 7 p.m. July 28. Tickets are $10 each, or $25 for five. Both productions are on the main stage at the Temple of Music and Art, 333 S. Scott Ave. Tickets at the door or at arizonatheatre.org. Read more.
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Salpointe Catholic High School

1545 E. Copper St.,
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 327-6581
Attendance: (520) 327-1990
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