The City Shakespeare Company will host a staged reading of their feature film adaptation of Macbeth, titled “Heat of Deeds,” on May 22. The film will shoot September in Boulder, Colo., and is already funded and partially cast.
For the last year, The City Shakespeare Company (City Shakes) has been quietly and steadily growing their audience base and popularity in Santa Monica. Now, they’re ready to branch out into the world of film, and they’re taking Shakespeare with them.
“This script is something brand new: it is a hybridization of classic Shakespearean text and modern American English,” writes Allison Volk, City Shakes co-founder who wrote the screenplay and is slated to play Katherine, the Lady Macbeth character.
Volk has been recognized for her writing in previous years.
In 2013 she won the California Film Award for her short film, Last Ditch Therapy, and earlier this year her full-length play, Rite of Seymour, was produced in East Los Angeles by Drive Theatre Company.
“People will either really, really love it, or really, really hate it,” laughs Brooke Bishop, co-founder of City Shakes and Heat of Deeds director. Both women are excited to share this new project with the community and welcome creative feedback.
“It’s a process,” says Volk, “and we’re all about the journey.”
If you go: The Heat of Deeds staged reading will take place at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 22; location is 1454 Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica.
Plenty of free street parking after 6 p.m. Admission is free, but please RSVP to CityShakes@gmail.com to reserve a seat. For more information, visit www.CityShakes.org.
