Since Voodoo Macbeth had its world premiere at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles on Feb. 28, it has gone on to play the Cleveland International Film Festival, Harlem International Film Festival and, most recently, the New York International Film Festival.
Now, the USC School of Cinematic Arts movie, which recounts Orson Welles’ all-Black production of Macbeth in 1936, is headed to the Sedona Film Festival (June 12-20) in Arizona and the Charlotte Black Film Festival (June 16-20) in North Carolina.
The movie recalls how a 20-year-old Welles adapted and directed a Federal Theatre Project of Macbeth. He moved the Shakespearean play’s setting from Scotland to a Caribbean island. Before the play opened, Welles was criticized by those who feared he was creating a demeaning, burlesque production and not hiring enough Black crew. After its opening, he was hailed for championing African-American theater.
Jewell Wilson Bridges stars as Welles with Inger Tudor as Rose McClendon, the Broadway actress who supervised the Negro Theatre Unit of the Federal Theatre Project. June Schreiner co-stars as Virginia Nicolson Welles.
The film credits 10 directors and eight writers. John Watson, who holds the Broccoli Endowed Chair for Producing at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, was project supervisor for the film.
Full cast and crew credits, as well as production photos, can be found online at voodoomacbethfilm.com
Related content:
‘Voodoo Macbeth’ recounts landmark stage play (review)
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Son of ‘Voodoo Macbeth’ actor pens graphic novel about historic play
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