Macbeth and the Tragedy of My Random Thoughts
This week is a hodgepodge of information and a potpourri of thoughts. (You're welcome.)
I had the pleasure this week of attending three performances of Waukee High School’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth”. It stars two of my three children—one a card carrying Thespian and the other a relative newbie to theatre. The play was wonderfully produced, acted and executed and I couldn’t be more proud of the cast and crew that pulled it off. These are high school kids, many of whom are balancing school and jobs and sports and activities while still putting 100% into the show, and that deserves a standing ovation.
This wasn’t the first time Waukee has performed Shakespeare. Last year, students put on “The Book of Will,” a drama about two of Will Shakespeare’s friends who decide to produce a book of his plays upon his passing. It wasn’t true Shakespeare but it was clearly enough to get kids interested in doing more.
I’d consider myself decently-versed in Shakespeare’s work, thanks to my high school English teacher and a college professor who was emphatic that we read the classics. That professor, in particular, felt that most modern creative works were influenced by Shakespeare’s writing and that we should all have a grasp on what that meant. Still today, I remember this when I see a movie or read a book with similar themes to those you’d find in “Romeo and Juliet” or “Hamlet.”
“Macbeth” is one of those tragedies that you just can’t help but see the parallels to modern times. The story goes like this: Three witches tell Macbeth that he will one day be king of Scotland. At the urging of his wife, he kills the reigning king in hopes that the crown will be his ASAP. Others are killed in a fit of paranoia and an all out war ensues. I won’t give away the ending but you can probably imagine that with “tragedy” in the title, things probably didn’t go well for Macbeth.
Ambition, ego, guilt, power and control are all themes we see in “Macbeth” and in our current political environment. Just take a look at what’s happening in the Republican-lead House of Representatives, in Russia and Ukraine, the 2024 presidential election and the Supreme Court. Countries are at war, basic rights are being taken away from minority populations and in-fighting is rampant among our country’s politicians. The desire to be in control, in power, is making people do crazy things. Like Macbeth, it’s easy to see how this doesn’t end well.
If you’re like me, you’re probably getting sick of seeing this play out on TV, the internet and in real life. If that’s the case, there’s still time to take a breather and see a really great play. There’s one performance of “Macbeth” left of the run. It’s Sunday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. at the Waukee Theatre Arts Center, Waukee. Maybe I’ll see you there.
School Board Elections
Not to get too heavy into politics but there’s a crucial school board election coming up Nov. 7. With all the “parent’s choice” and anti-LGBTQ legislation passed during the last legislative session, it’s important to show up at the polls and make your voices heard. Whether or not you have kids or grandkids in your school district, students and educators need you to get out and vote. You can still request an absentee ballot until Oct. 23. You can find the form on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website. If you want to vote in person, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 7.
Save the Date
A reminder that all PAID subscribers are invited to a holiday party at the Witmer House, 2900 Grand Ave., Des Moines (the former Governor’s house) on Dec. 7. Mark your calendars now. More details are yet to come.
Last, but Not Least
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative is growing! Just this week, we added columns from Nicole Baart and Arnie Garson, both extremely talented Iowa writers. If you get a minute, check out their latest columns and subscribe if you can. They appreciate your support.
What Inspires Me?
It’s been a busy week and I haven’t had much time to catch up on the socials or even my favorite shows, but I was excited to hear that many of the late night shows like “Late Night With Seth Meyers” were back on the air after a months-long writer’s strike. I’d forgotten how much I missed them. Also, my faith in humanity was rekindled after hearing about this woman who took down her morbid Halloween decorations out of respect for her dying neighbor.
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative
I’m proud to be a member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. We are a group of professional writers producing columns on the Substack platform of interest to an Iowa audience. To receive a weekly roundup of our columnist links each Sunday morning, subscribe here: Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Our roster of talented writers is as follows: