I’ve always wondered why it’s considered bad luck to say “Macbeth” in a theater, or why production companies often refer to the play as, “that Scottish play”. Actors and directors will tell you the play is cursed; yet oddly this doesn’t stop them from producing it.

Why do we think the play is cursed? I’ve tried in vain to find the origin of this myth. My research led me to several stories that are purported to be examples of this curse, yet no one can say where theses stories originally come from. Even Harvard Professor Marjorie Garber, a well-respected Shakespeare scholar, adds to the myth without bothering to cite any sources. If she is to be taken at her word, the three witches use an actual spell in the opening scene. This supposedly has cursed the play right from the start.

And again if she is to be believed, the…

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get our kids hooked on Shakespeare at an early age? You know, so they don’t gasp or panic when their high school literary teacher pulls out a play and announces, “Today we will start reading Shakespeare!”.

Anyone who has been around children understands they love performing. There is something about childhood that compels kids to “act”. Maybe it is a way of mimicking and understanding the world around them. Perhaps it is a early chance at self-expression in a way that is none threatening to adults. Who hasn’t watched a child perform a puppet play (usually with stuffed animals) and wondered, “where did that thought come from?” Toys are great stand-ins for children, as the toys say what the child cannot.

What if we could turn the love of performance towards Shakespeare? Is it possible to foster a love of classic theater in…