The play is in rehearsal now, but the theatre staff and cast members are silent backstage.

“Its bad luck to say the play’s name back stage before it begins,” says director and ARCC theater faculty member Jack Bibee with a laugh. “We prefer to call it The Scottish Play or even The Scottish King, but not the play’s name of the production.”

Mum is the word on the name because, as legend has it, Shakespeare used the spells of real witches in the play. This made the witches angry enough to curse the play, dooming each production to failure and even increasing the chances of physical injury to cast members, if the curse was awoken by the utterance of the name. As with many superstitions, numerous stories have arisen about misfortunes, mishaps and even deaths to support the legend.

Believe the superstition or not, what is fact are the three witches in "Macbeth" who’s prophesies initiate the plot of the play: Macbeth's bloody rise to power. Lady Macbeth is even spurred to murder to increase her husband’s chances of becoming king.

What is also fact is the ARCC student-actors’ wishes to do the tragedy justice.

“His writing is poetry really,” says ARCC student Mark Palmer, who plays Macbeth. “I’ll find a way to bring that to the stage.”

Don’t miss out on the fact or fiction surrounding this Shakespearean classic. Reserve your seat and purchase your tickets today at the Coon Rapids Campus Bookstore. Tickets are $8. For more information call 763.433.1250.