"Let all that you do be done for love" 1 Corinthians 16:14

"I go and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not Duncan, for it is a knell," Fin Horowicz recited while walking to class on a cool and sunny November morning. He would be portraying the title role of Macbeth later in the week to an auditorium full of students and parents.

Powhatan School begins its theater season each fall with a play written by William Shakespeare. In recent years Powhatan students have performed such comedies as Twelfth Night, A Midsummers Night's Dream, and The Tempest.

This year, under the direction of Carina Naghib, the stage returned to the tragedy of Macbeth. Longtime Shakespeare director Dick Bell reminds us that the last time Macbeth was performed at Powhatan was in 2001. It was also the last time only one actor was responsible for bringing Macbeth to life.

While Fin was responsible for the scene leading up to Macbeth killing King Duncan, Beau Thwing faced the challenge of depicting Macbeth after he completes the horrible deed. Beau knew he wanted to bring as much emotion as he could to the scene.

"Macbeth is feeling guilt that he can't overcome," Beau explains. "I wanted to exaggerate the emotion so it would intrigue the audience. They may not understand the seriousness of the scene if I wasn't emotional."

Beau found a reliable source to help him bring the scene to life in Ian McKellen. He watched the acclaimed actor's 1978 movie and watched his particular scene many times over the summer. The audience leaned forward, their attentiveness palpable each time Beau took the stage.

Shayla Fitzsimmons-Call also put her summer to good use. Shayla knew it was a big responsibility to be the only one playing Macbeth's nemesis, Macduff. With 180 lines to memorize, she took her role seriously. "I took my book everywhere," explains Shayla. "It came with me on the plane to Africa. It was beside me when I went to the beach."

Shayla did not seek help from actors who came before her, but from her younger twin brothers. "They would take turns helping me," she explains. "They would read the cue from the book, and then I would recite my lines from memory. The book was always with me, and it eventually fell apart. I had to tape it back together."

The eighth grade joined together to create a compelling rendition of the demanding play. The audience cheered for the witches, ghosts, the evil-doers, and heroes.

The actors demonstrate Powhatan's commitment to theater.

"Performance and public speaking are integral parts of our curriculum," says Head of School Sue Scarborough. "Our students have many opportunities to hone their speaking skills--from classroom presentations to performing on stage. Our students become comfortable presenting and performing for an audience."

A couple of weeks after the glorious Shakespeare play, the second graders entertained the school with their play called The Environmental Show. "The play taught people how to be good to the environment," explains Preston Plotts who starred as a banana peel. "I had a cool hat as a banana stem, and my costume even had the DOLE sticker on it!"

Charlie Warren was committed to his role as a styrofoam cup. "Once in the practice, the top of my costume fell and covered my face," Charlie recalled. "I adjusted it so it didn't happen during the performance."

Both boys said they were nervous before performing in front of the whole school. "I was kind of nervous," Charlie explains, "because I had three lines and two solo lines in a song." When asked how they handled their nerves, Preston offered, "You just deal with it."

When the curtain falls and they take their bows, these young thespians share a loss: they miss the rehearsals now that the play is over. They enjoyed singing the songs and acting. "It was funny when I said 'I'm immortal, I'm a child of the gods!' " says Charlie. The boys laugh and agree that their play had many funny lines.

As the winter holiday approaches, all Powhatan students are preparing for one of the school's most popular shows--the annual Carol Sing. Students will sing holiday songs, play instruments as part of the school orchestra, and choreograph a dance for the final number.

Powhatan is enjoying the beginning of another robust theater season where Powhatan students get to watch plays performed by every grade, including the PreKindergarten class. Our families and students will share the preparations, the practices, and performances of ten plays. With eight more plays to enjoy this school year, the former Macbeths, Lady Macbeths, witches, banana peels, and styrofoam cups will relax and relish the role of audience member now that their deeds are done.