Will they say "Macbeth" at the Tony Awards?- Page 3

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 7:45pm

I've heard "The Scottish Play" as well as "MacBee" and "MmmmBeth." I really hope they come up with cool and original names, that would be fun.

[I'mseeingbraille57]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 9:41pm

Does anyone else spitcurse to cancel out the curse?


At my school if anyone says the "M word" the person has to spin around three times counter clockwise, spit, then swear.

I have now idea why we do this and it's rather silly but when we did a production of MacBeth a few years ago, one of our batons fell from our fly system during the show, so perhaps the curse is real?

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 9:44pm

I am in no way superstitious, but yet, I believe in the curse. Maybe it's partly psychological, or completely coincidental, who knows. But why risk it, when you can simply say "The Scottish Play"?

[xoangel2789xo]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 11:25pm

Two of the actors in this play I was working in said it, one said it by accident and I think the other one was joking around...so they made the other one do the going through the doorway-spinning, spitting and swearing thing.

Nothing bad happened though, as far as I know.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 12:12am

I am in no way superstitious, but yet, I believe in the curse. Maybe it's partly psychological, or completely coincidental, who knows. But why risk it, when you can simply say "The Scottish Play"?

Isn't that sort of like saying you are an atheist, but you believe in God "just in case"?

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 12:26am

They should say Macbeth.

And I wholeheartedly think one has to be mildly moronic to believe this superstition. I have said Macbeth in theaters more times than I could possibly keep track of and nothing has ever happened.

Why people carry on with such stupidity as this and things like saying "break a leg" instead of "good luck" is beyond me.
Updated On: 4/14/08 at 12:26 AM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 12:28am

Updated On: 5/6/09 at 12:28 AM

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 1:07am

No, that would be like saying I'm an agnostic

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 1:12am

Why people carry on with such stupidity as this and things like saying "break a leg" instead of "good luck" is beyond me.

It's so that you can subtly say "Break your leg" to people whom you don't like.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/14/08 at 10:39am

I'm not superstitious myself, but I do respect the beliefs of others to the extent that I follow the most common theatrical superstitions. But saying "The Scottish Play" outside a theatre or on a message board is a bit much.

But the whole twirling and spitting nonsense was just added to various superstitions (I've heard about the same cure for roughly four different supserstitions, depending in which theatre you are performing) as silly folderol designed to draw attention to and humiliate whoever said the wrong thing. It's like the whole "theatre ghost" thing. The young actors always claim there is one in the theatre and they know his name (I've yet to run across a female ghost) and pass along stories of things they have heard or seen. It's mostly just fun and games.

Updated On: 4/15/08 at 10:39 AM

[jenna2]

Posted: 4/15/08 at 6:37pm

I don't know about the Tony Awards, but I just wrote a paper on Macbeth last week and now I have viral laryngitis and I'm not allowed to go to school for a week. There's totally a curse.

[LittlexFallxOfxRain]

Posted: 4/16/08 at 2:58pm

I don't think it is stupidity for someone to say the Scottish Play instead of Macbeth out of fear that something might happen to them. I do not believe strongly in the curse, but seriously, why risk it?

[memphreblues]

Posted: 4/16/08 at 3:14pm

I can never make up my mind- some days I believe in the curse, and some days I don't.

But isn't that sort of the fun of the theatre? All these old curses/rituals make you feel connected to other people, whether they're involved in your production or the theatre world in general. Like, even if it's just a high school production, it's still part of 'something bigger' in a way, because you believe in the same things that Broadway actors do...

[fosca3]

Posted: 4/16/08 at 5:30pm

OK, this is a stupid question I guess - but in the PLAY ITSELF they say Macbeth about 4000 times

(I saw it last Saturday -- it was absolutely AWESOME)

Does it only count if it's NOT in the dialogue?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/16/08 at 5:35pm

You can say the character's name all you want, but you can't say the title. You can say "Well Patrick Stewart was a mindblowing Macbeth" inside a theater, but you can't say "Patrick Stewart was mindblowing IN Macbeth" inside a theater.

[Maurice]

Posted: 4/16/08 at 7:02pm

I always refer to the title character as the Big Mac.

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 4/16/08 at 8:46pm

"But isn't that sort of the fun of the theatre? All these old curses/rituals make you feel connected to other people, whether they're involved in your production or the theatre world in general. Like, even if it's just a high school production, it's still part of 'something bigger' in a way, because you believe in the same things that Broadway actors do..."

Exactly. Fun and community. That is why I think superstition is alive and well in the theatrical community. Not to mention the obvious reason that is superstition is well, theatrical.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 4/16/08 at 8:49pm

Updated On: 5/6/09 at 08:49 PM

[eliwilk]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:27pm

Break a leg is thought to come from something with breaking the curtains. In one idea comes from the fact that on tradition curtains the legs would be made of long wooden rods. If the curtain was open and closed too many times for standing ovations or encores the legs would break. Others think it comes from actors running off stage and back on and in the commotion breaking the leg (side curtains in this meaning).
Updated On: 6/16/08 at 10:27 PM

[lola_actor22]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 10:34pm

I don't really believe in superstitions. However I do respect superstitions in theatre, since it is my career. People should just respect it even if they don't.

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:35pm

For the record, I've been with Broadwaygirl107 in a theater while she's said it numerous times and the end result was that we delivered an incredible show.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:37pm

Updated On: 5/6/09 at 11:37 PM

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:43pm

I'm a daredevil! what can I say?

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 12:32am

The story about the Art Carney revival, is there any documentation of it anywhere? I told a friend and he didn't beleive me, and now I'm starting to wonder myself . . .

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 6/28/08 at 2:42pm

BUmp.