Macbeth (a little abridged, based on a radio play)

Portland Actors Ensemble is bringing Macbeth to the Rose City Book Pub on Sunday, October 25, as part of a two-night run that continues on Friday, October 30, at the Leaven Community Center. Both shows start at 7 PM. It's a staged reading, not a full production, and it's billed as The Barebones Macbeth—which tells you exactly what to expect. They've stripped Shakespeare's story of witches, murder, ghosts and ambition down to its essentials, then handed it back as hair-raising Halloween storytelling.

The whole thing is built around live practical foley sound effects. Instead of a recording, the foley work is performed on the fly as the actors read the text, so you'll hear the sounds being made in the room while the story unfolds. It's a bare-bones approach that puts the focus on the reading and the sound, rather than on sets or costumes. The run is presented by Portland Actors Ensemble, and the proceeds go toward supporting their work.

There are seven actors on the bill, and the reading runs about 90 minutes. Admission is $10, with the money benefiting the ensemble. The first night is Sunday, October 25, at the Rose City Book Pub, 1329 NE Fremont St; the second is Friday, October 30, at the Leaven Community Center, 5421 NE 20th Ave. Both start at 7 PM.