Macbeth
Written by William Shakespeare. Adapted and directed by Danielle Rosvally. Performed in the Drama Theatre at the University at Buffalo, SUNY. Spring 2026.
In this staging of Shakespeare's Scottish play, three friends (or Witches) gather to escape the political turmoil of 2026 through a game of Dungeons & Dragons with their dungeon master, Hecate. The trio find themselves empowered as they pilot their respective player characters: Macduff, Lady Macbeth, and Banquo. Plagued by prophecies, the once-noble Macbeth will stop at nothing to gain what fate has promised him. With the aid of his wife, he turns his dagger on his own friends and kinsmen in order to seize the Scottish throne. Only the valiant efforts of Macduff and his allies can bring an end to the tyrant's bloodlust—defeating the campaign's "Big Bad" once and for all.
Inspired by the linkages between Shakespeare, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dungeons & Dragons—as well as the popularity of TTRPGs among queer audiences—this production posited that all the world's a game. The orthogonal castle walls (Maili Novak) blended textures of stonework and grid paper, suggesting at once a mighty fortress and homemade papercraft. The costumes (Sophia Larish) at once referenced the extravagant anachronisms of a ren faire, the edgy fashion of Hot Topic, and the flamboyance of drag. Striking makeup in bold colors (Em Puffer) emphasized these draggy aesthetics with a touch of German expressionism. Fantastical puppets (Faith Marsala) brought the many elements of the supernatural to life, while a playlist of pop divas (Lisa Gallagher) gave audiences life. The vibrant lighting (Ashtyn Rozenberg) alternated between dark and moody, then vivid and exciting.
As assistant director, I had the profound joy of collaborating with Dr. Rosvally to realize her artistic vision for this production. My familiarity with Macbeth, TTRPG, and queer culture gave me ample ideas to contribute. I crafted movement sequences to facilitate the storytelling through compelling visuals—Hecate plaguing Ross and Lenox on the night of Duncan's murder; a troop of voguing soldiers; the Witches gesturing with their glowing orbs to suggest pivotal future moments of the plot. Above all, I had the profound delight of discussing Macbeth through the lens of queer and trans theory with several of the actors—at their request—which resulted in some awe-inspiring character choices.
