A comedic look at what it takes to do community theater is coming to Blue Island.
Stray Dog Theatre Company presents “Macbeth Did It” from Feb. 2 to 11 at Veterans Memorial Middle School.
“The story line is about a community theater group who is going to be performing ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare. I love shows like that — a show within a show. It shows the audience what it could be like in theater,” said Julie L. Zebleckis, the show’s director.
“A lot of it is very much how we do the shows. It goes from auditions. They have a couple of rehearsals and opening night.”
“Macbeth Did It” does feature antics that are not typical of what Zebleckis said she has seen in all her years of working with community theater, which included the Beverly Theatre Guild, Limestone Stage in Lockport, Orland Park Theatre Troupe and the Palos Village Players.
“It’s just the trials and tribulations of a director having to deal with people who aren’t the best performers like the woman who’s playing Lady Macbeth. She got the part because her husband owns the theater,” Zebleckis said.
“She’s not exactly the right person for that but the director says, ‘I have to do this because I want to keep doing shows.’ When I do theater we don’t cast people because they own a theater. We have actual auditions.
“This community theater in this play is also amateur. They’re making all their own costumes and all their own props so it doesn’t always look authentic. When I do community theater we try to make it look pretty good. In this show, it’s like they think they’re doing their best but it’s not really their best.”
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“Macbeth Did It” was written by the late John Patrick, who adapted Vern Sneider’s novel “The Teahouse of the August Moon” into a play and film of the same name, which won the Tony Award for best play and the Pulitzer Prize for drama.
“He writes a lot of comedies where there’s mishaps that happen in the show. There’s some physical humor and stuff like that,” said Zebleckis about the playwright who also was a screenwriter for movies including “Three Coins in the Fountain” and “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing.”
The “Macbeth Did It” cast includes Tony Carsella, of Blue Island; Gary Felicetti, of Orland Park; Robert Reidy, of Chicago; Oak Lawn residents Mark Dillon and Kristel Flynn; Palos Heights residents Nicole Correll and Bill Gleason; and Tinley Park residents Kim Dignin, Lisa Giovenco Solomon and John Madison.
“They’re all doing so well. They’re all hilarious. A couple of people are new but they’re great. Most of the people I know and have worked with before. I’ve directed them or been in shows with them,” said Zebleckis, formerly of Justice and now of Bolingbrook.
“Macbeth Did It” is produced by Lil O’Donnell, of Chicago, and Carsella, who are Stray Dog Theatre Company board members along with Caroline Sexton, of Chicago’s Beverly community.
“I’m using the actual stage and theater like that’s where they are. The actors are coming through the theater like they’re going to auditions. It’s just very funny,” Zebleckis said.
“People who don’t know theater and come to see ‘Macbeth Did It’ will get a glimpse of what shows are like. I love shows like that because you feel like you’re a part of it.”
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
‘Macbeth Did It’
When: 8 p.m. Feb. 2, 3, 9 and 10; 2 p.m. Feb. 4 and 11
Where: Veterans Memorial Middle School, 12320 S. Greenwood Ave., Blue Island
Tickets: $12 adults; $10 seniors
Information: 708-841-7396; www.facebook.com/StrayDogTheatreCompany