Operatic comedy that gives voice to the Gentlewoman from Shakespeare's Macbeth, recommended for ages 6 and up.
Working for the Macbeths opens at the Bitz Opera Factory on Saturday, February 27, 2027, and runs through March 7. It's a world premiere operatic comedy by Johanny Navarro, and the whole thing is built around a character who barely gets a word in the original play: the unnamed Gentlewoman from Shakespeare's Macbeth.
In this version, she has a name—Florinda—and a voice. She's a recent graduate of Madame Alice Tairik's school for 'ladies in waiting,' and her first job is in the employ of Lord and Lady Macbeth. The plot kicks off when three witches prophesy that she'll be the downfall of her employers; from there, Florinda sets out to fight fate and give the Macbeths the happy ending they deserve. It's billed as 'foul-is-fair and funny,' and it runs about 85 minutes, sung in English with supertitles. It's recommended for ages 6 and up, so it works for families as much as for people who just like a good twist on a classic.
On stage, Maya Davis takes the lead as Florinda, with LĂ©a Nayak as Madame Alice Tairik. Ayanna Delk-Lewis plays Lady Macbeth and Erik Nordstrom takes on Macbeth, while Logan Wagner is Macduff and Drew Comer doubles as Witch 3 and Banquo. Michael Sakir conducts and Crystal Manich directs. The piece was commissioned by American Lyric Theater and developed through their Composer Librettist Development Program, with funding from the Mellon Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Dubose and Dorothy Heyward Memorial Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and others.
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There are four performances in total: evening shows on February 27, March 2, and March 5, all at 7 PM, and a matinee on March 7 at 2 PM. Tickets are $65, and the Bitz Opera Factory is at 2425 Liberty Ave. in the Strip District.
