Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow

Austin Shakespeare updates Macbeth by setting it in modern Africa

Marc Pouhé reprises his role as Macbeth with a new twist.

Buckle up, followers of The Bard: The Scottish Play is coming to Austin with an African twist. Austin Shakespeare is putting on Macbeth, set in Africa in the near future, from February 13 to March 1 at the Long Center.

Without too many spoilers (can you spoil one of history's most famous plays?), three witches tell a Scottish general, Macbeth, that he will become king. He and his wife, Lady Macbeth, decide that murder is the way to make the prophecy come true. The play stands as a warning about the corrupting power of ambition.

Audiences can expect to see Marc Pouhé as Macbeth and Helen Merino as Lady Macbeth. The two have performed these roles together before in a 2016 Austin Shakespeare production, but with a different, non-African theme.

“Setting Macbeth in contemporary Africa allows us to explore ambition, power, and moral choice in a way that feels immediate and deeply human,” said Marc Pouhé in a press release. “It sharpens the stakes of the story and reminds us that Shakespeare’s questions about leadership and consequence are not bound by time or place.”

It is standard for Austin Shakespeare to present classic plays with a new layer that brings modern relevancy. It also puts on plays by other authors, including a staged and costumed reading of Athol Fugard's My Children! My Africa!, also starring Pouhé, in November of 2025.

As Pouhé points out, the African setting doesn't change the heart of the play, which is so well-known for its universality.

“At its core, Macbeth is about love and honor,” said artistic director Ann Ciccolella. “The most fast-paced tragedy, the war hero has choices to make that can turn him into a villain. Side by side with his powerful wife, Lady Macbeth, he has love and honor at stake and that makes for a thrilling journey for actors and audience!"

Other cast, crew, and production include:

Michael Morse as Banquo
Johanna Whitmore as Ross
Layla Sinclair as Donalbain
Bennie Braswell as a witch
Lisa Young as the Porter and Ev Lunning as King Duncan
Michael Galvan as Macduff
Sibonelo Shezi as Malcolm
Zachary Gamble as Lennox
Cynthia Mugeni as a witch
Rachel West as Hecate
Andrew Fisher as Siward
Skylar Ewing as Fleance
Diana Patricia Guizado as Lady Macduff
Costume design by Aaron Kubacak
Set and light design by Patrick Anthony
Dramaturgy by Megha Pancholi
Projections, sound, and music by Johanne Solo
Props by Stephanie Schmid
Fight choreography by Tobie Minor
Movement coordination by Toni Bravo

Tickets (starting at $22) are available now at my.thelongcenter.org. The production will be staged at the Rollins Studio Theatre, a small space within the Long Center.

theater plays shakespeare

Go-between Gallery

New contemporary art gallery connects Austin to unexpected ski town

Austinite Bailey Connelly (right) and Lily Martin of Sun Valley

Photo courtesy of Connelly Martin

Austinite Bailey Connelly (right) is joining forces with Lily Martin of Sun Valley for a collaborative dual-location gallery.

Austin is tied to many places, but a new dual-location art gallery offers an especially unexpected portal between 1406 W. 6th St. in Austin and Ketchum, Idaho, near the Sun Valley ski resort. Connelly Martin will connect the two places through contemporary art starting February 13 in Austin and July 11 at Sun Valley.

A press release announcing the openings promises "enduring, narrative-driven and conceptually rigorous work by emerging and mid-career artists."

Connelly Martin is named after its two founding partners: Bailey Connelly in Austin and Lily Martin in Sun Valley. The two are combining their curatorial powers to create a "cohesive program" between the two galleries — each will be influenced by its surroundings, so exhibitions will be more coordinated than cloned. The duo plans to host five exhibitions each, annually.

Like Austin, Sun Valley is a place where people go to spend time outside, although the landscapes couldn't be more different: Austin's subtle hills look flat compared to Sun Valley's mountains, and snow beckons visitors rather than shutting down the city. The ski town has a tiny population of less than 4,000 compared to Austin's nearly 970,000, so it's reasonable to expect different relationships to local art and buyers.

Connelly Martin Austin exterior Connelly Martin's founders want the gallery to feel inviting rather than cold and white.Photo courtesy of Connelly Martin

Guests can visit the galleries, which are designed to feel more homey than the standard all-white spaces the art world is known for, inviting social connection. Or, as if two cities weren't enough, Connelly Martin will also host two pop-ups every year in different towns. In both cases, partnerships between creatives, advisors, and other institutions will keep the spaces running and hopefully lead to more collaboration down the line.

Reflecting the goal of approachability, the galleries will show works that the founders would pick up for their personal collections. And Austinites will have a chance to get to know the artists in Connelly Martin's circle right away, since both locations will feature a group exhibition as their inaugural show. Austinites should keep an eye out for work by local textile artist Elizabeth Hohimer.

The opening reception in Austin will take place on Friday, February 13, from 5-8 pm. Regular hours will be 10 am to 5 pm Tuesdays through Fridays, and Saturdays from 11 am to 4 pm.

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