Fans of No Refund Theatre (NRT) can expect to be in a reflective mood after this weekend's performance of The Scottish Play.

The troupe's selection is a departure from comedies like the 24-Hour Theatre Experiment Extra-Vaganza and Phroth Phest and deals with issues like being carried away by obses-

sion.

"The play is centered around a middle-aged British man who goes through a midlife crisis who becomes infatuated with the idea of directing Macbeth," director CT Caster (senior-energy business and finance) said. "He becomes so engrossed with the play that pretty much every aspect of his life falls apart. It almost mirrors Macbeth."

The nature of the show is what compelled lead female actor Sarah Burton (sophomore-journalism and political science) to audition.

"I have been interested in having some roles that are challenging. If you want to try to learn character development, you need to do something like this," Burton said. "There's a lot of places to go with the characters."

Burton plays the role of Lynn, the wife of main character Michael.

"Everything that happens to him affects her," Burton said.

David Barchet (sophomore-advertising) earned the lead male role.

"I play Michael, who is directing Macbeth," Barchet said. "He basically lets the play get in the way of his job and his family. He is really caught up in making it the best thing ever, but at the same time, he doesn't realize what he's losing because of it."

Caster decided to direct this play because most people can relate to it.

"It's a really good show in terms of teaching lessons of life with balancing your passions. Especially for most of us in college, it's easy for us to get swept up. It's a good way to see just how much you have to lose," Caster said. "All the characters have a flaw in them that people can connect with."

Barchet said he especially likes how the show correlates to Macbeth.

"Probably my favorite aspect would be because it's a play within a play," he said. "The parts of Macbeth that are in the play fit directly with my character's life."

This show is unique in that there has been much less preparation time for the performances.

"[Since] the first week back we've been blocking and getting them in the mindset and having to push them really hard to get it to the perfected level, and they've actually done a really good job," Caster said.

Burton said that because there have been fewer rehearsals, the actors have had to do a lot of individual line memorization.

Barchet said rehearsals have been "sorta intense, but it's been a lot of fun."

Burton said she expects the show will draw the "pretty typical theater type of crowd."

"It's a play that you get there, and it's gonna make you think," she said. "It's thought-provoking drama."