MACKERS

A new audio performance with artistic sign language

Overview

Title: MACKERS

Written & Directed by: Jeanmarie Simpson

Produced by: Arizona Theatre Matters

Release: Halloween 2026

Platform: YouTube.com/@arizonatheatrematters

Availability: Free, on demand, in perpetuity

Runtime: 90 minutes

Press Release

Logline

During a preview performance of “The Scottish Play,” a stage manager documents a production unraveling in real time as everything that can go wrong does.

What This Work Is

MACKERS is an audio performance expressed visually through Artistic Sign Language.

The spoken text drives the structure. The signed performance is not translation — it is the visual embodiment of the work.

Produced within the Arizona Theatre Matters model, the piece is designed for global access, permanent availability, and language-first performance.

Short Synopsis

MACKERS is a comedy in five acts and one intermission: Shakespeare’s Macbeth as backstage catastrophe. Superstition, ego, and the brutal tenderness of theatre people collide in a preview performance that goes gloriously, increasingly wrong.

Full Synopsis

In MACKERS, Jeanmarie Simpson reimagines Shakespeare’s most famously cursed play as a backstage collapse unfolding in real time. The story takes place during a single preview performance of Macbeth, not on stage, but in the working world around it — the booth, the wings, and the strained composure of a company trying to hold everything together.

At the center is Frankie, a stage manager whose authority is the only barrier between order and total failure. Around her: a volatile cast, a seasoned crew, and a production built on the assumption that control is possible. It isn’t.

Things begin to go wrong immediately — then escalate. Props fail. Cues collapse. The environment itself seems to turn against the performers. What follows is a precise, accelerating chain of theatrical disaster balanced between slapstick and genuine crisis.

As the breakdown intensifies, the company confronts the question embedded in the play they are performing: is Macbeth cursed, or is belief itself creating the outcome? Actors fracture along that fault line even as the evidence mounts.

By the final act, the production is physically disintegrating. And still, the performers continue. Lines are delivered through chaos. Structure survives inside collapse. The work completes itself through sheer persistence.

Artistic Framework

Arizona Theatre Matters produces work built on three principles: audio is primary, artistic sign language is the visual performance, and access is built into the form itself.

The result is theatre that does not depend on location, does not close, and does not exclude.

Playwright / Director Note

MACKERS is a new comedy in five acts and one intermission: Shakespeare’s Scottish Play as backstage catastrophe, where superstition, ego, and the brutal tenderness of theatre people collide in a preview performance that goes gloriously, increasingly wrong.

If you have spent any time in a theatre, you will recognize these people. You may even recognize yourself.

This is a working world. It runs on timing, attention, muscle memory, and the quiet agreement that everyone will do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.

The miracle is not that things go wrong. The miracle is that anything ever goes right. And yet — it does.

Theatre people adapt. We endure. We fix what we can, cover what we can’t, and keep moving.

The show must go on, otherwise nobody gets paid.

Jeanmarie Simpson

Cast

Melanie Ron as Frankie

Maren Maclean as Elspeth

Mathew Zimmerer as Colin

Monroe Sheppard as Lenny

Michael Rawley as Liam

Mackenzie Gray as Hugo

MKM Riddell as Isla

Kate Haas as Anna

Dineta Williams-Trigg as Bethany

Gary Wright as James

Joseph Brohm as Tom

Ted Falagan as Patrick

Cast Bios

Melanie Ron

Melanie Ron is a native New Yorker whose career spans performance in dance, music, and theatre across both New York City and regional stages. She holds a BA from Queens College and an MFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University, grounding her work in rigorous classical training alongside contemporary practice. Her performance credits include Dr. Rachel in Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral at the SoHo Playhouse and Shirley Dunbar in Welcome to the Moon at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She also appeared as Helga in Kindertransport under the direction of Jeanmarie Simpson.

In addition to her stage work, Ron has spent the past two decades as a teaching artist, working extensively with young children through the International Music Together Program. Her teaching emphasizes musicality, rhythm, and early expressive development, reflecting a deep commitment to communication through performance. Moving between New York City and Las Vegas, she maintains an active artistic life while balancing family and professional work. Her background in movement, voice, and education informs a performance style that is both technically grounded and emotionally accessible.

Maren Maclean

Maren Maclean is a theatre artist whose work spans acting, directing, dramaturgy, design, and arts education. She has performed with the Utah Shakespeare Festival and Birmingham Children’s Theatre and has worked extensively with companies including Phoenix Theatre, Scottsdale Conservatory Theatre, and Nearly Naked Theatre. Her directing credits include productions with Algonquin Theatre Company, Nevada Shakespeare in the Park, and The Shakespeare Theatre. She also served as Education Outreach Director for Southwest Shakespeare Company.

Her performance credits include Belinda in Noises Off, Pamela in Fox on the Fairway, and Hilda in Venus Observed, reflecting a range that encompasses both comedy and classical work. Maclean is also a teaching artist with Marin Shakespeare Company, participating in the Arts in Corrections program, which brings theatre into correctional facilities. Originally from New York, she has made Phoenix her home, where she continues to work as both an artist and educator. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to ensemble work, new plays, and actor-centered storytelling.

Mathew Zimmerer

Mathew Zimmerer is an accomplished actor whose work spans musical theatre, classical repertoire, and contemporary drama. He has performed with The Phoenix Theatre Company, Actors Theatre, and Southwest Shakespeare, building a diverse body of work across genres. His credits include Gyp DeCarlo in Jersey Boys, R.P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Father in Ragtime, and Harold Hill in The Music Man. Additional roles include Stone in City of Angels and Walt in A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay about the Death of Walt Disney.

His Shakespearean work includes Cloten in Cymbeline, while contemporary credits include Victor in The Price and Bill in Lobby Hero. In addition to his stage work, Zimmerer has appeared in television and commercial projects, including America’s Most Wanted, and has provided narration and industrial voice work for companies such as Boeing and Microsoft. His work is marked by strong textual analysis, vocal control, and versatility across performance styles.

Monroe Sheppard

Monroe Sheppard brings a wide-ranging background in theatre, radio, and voice performance. He has worked in repertory theatre, dinner theatre, and children’s theatre, often appearing in character roles and frequently cast as villains. His stage work includes participation in seasonal repertory companies and a variety of productions across genres and performance styles.

In addition to his stage work, Sheppard has hosted radio programs, performed audiobooks, and contributed to a daily talking newspaper, developing a strong foundation in vocal performance. His career also includes a range of unconventional experiences, including appearing as part of a winning team on BBC1’s Test the Nation and performing as a circus ringmaster. His work reflects adaptability, timing, and a strong connection to audience engagement across mediums.

Michael Rawley

Michael Rawley is a Canadian actor, director, producer, and playwright whose career spans national and international stages. He is known for his performance as Scar in Disney’s The Lion King (U.S. National Tour), among many other stage roles. As Managing Artistic Director of SaveTheLaSalle, he is dedicated to restoring and revitalizing the historic LaSalle Theatre in Ontario, where he also produces annual productions including Scrooge: A Christmas Carol and Shakespeare in the Park.

Rawley is deeply invested in both preserving theatre history and advancing contemporary performance practices. His work reflects a balance between tradition and innovation, with a focus on accessibility and audience engagement. In addition to his performance work, he is an active director and producer, contributing to the development of new and classical works. His leadership and artistic vision have made him a significant presence within the theatre community.

Mackenzie Gray

Mackenzie Gray is a Toronto-born actor with a career spanning more than four decades and over 150 film and television credits. His work includes appearances in Legion, Riverdale, Fringe, Supernatural, and Man of Steel, among many others. He has also appeared in major films such as Warcraft and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

In addition to his on-screen work, Gray is a prolific voice actor, contributing to numerous animated series and films, including Marvel’s Iron Man: Armored Adventures. His stage career includes extensive work across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, with leading roles in both classical and contemporary theatre. He is also a writer, director, composer, and producer, with multiple award nominations, including sixteen Leo Award nominations for Best Actor. His career reflects a sustained commitment to performance across mediums and disciplines.

MKM Riddell

MKM Riddell is a New Mexico-based actor, director, and visual artist with a lifelong engagement in theatre. She has extensive academic and professional training in performance, including undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate study in theatre. Her work spans acting, directing, and artistic collaboration across multiple disciplines.

Riddell directed Jeanmarie Simpson’s solo piece Heretic — the Mary Dyer story, marking a significant collaboration that reflects her interest in language-driven and historically grounded performance. Prior to her work in theatre, she worked with adults with disabilities, an experience that informs her commitment to accessibility and inclusive artistic practice. In addition to her theatre work, she is a prolific visual artist, bringing a multidisciplinary perspective to her creative practice.

Kate Haas

Kate Haas is a Phoenix-based performer, writer, teaching artist, and collaborator. Her work includes performances with Childsplay, The Phoenix Theatre Company, Stray Cat Theatre, The Bridge Initiative, Ronin Theatre Company, Rising Youth Theatre, and Southwest Shakespeare. She holds a BA in Theatre from Arizona State University.

In addition to her performance work, Haas is a Producing Artistic Collaborator with Rising Youth Theatre and serves as an Adult Educator at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix. Her work reflects a strong commitment to education, collaboration, and the development of new and socially engaged theatre. She continues to build a career that bridges performance, teaching, and creative leadership within the arts community.

Dineta Williams-Trigg

Dineta Williams-Trigg is an accomplished stage and screen performer known for her powerful presence and her ability to bring layered, complex women to life. Her career spans dramatic theatre, contemporary works, and original productions, earning her a reputation for both emotional depth and technical precision. A fixture in the Arizona theatre community, she has portrayed roles that demand both fierce conviction and nuanced vulnerability.

Offstage, Dineta is the founder and director of Full Figure Productions and serves as the director of several international film festivals. Her leadership work reflects a strong commitment to expanding opportunities for artists and fostering inclusive creative spaces. She is also deeply engaged in community-based arts work, mentoring emerging performers and advocating for representation and equity within the industry. Her artistic and organizational work together reflect a belief in theatre as both a creative and social force.

Gary Wright

Gary Wright has worked in regional theatre since 1984, building a career as both an actor and director across a wide range of companies. He spent 15 years as an Associate Artist with Foothill Theatre Company, contributing to more than 60 productions. His additional credits include work with Palo Alto Children’s Theatre, Sacramento Theatre Company, B Street Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and multiple Shakespeare festivals across the United States.

In addition to his performance work, Wright is a prolific playwright. His commissioned works include Midnight at the Algorithm & Blues, as well as The Diary of a Forty-Niner, Dracula, and Evermore. His writing has been produced in both regional and educational settings, and he continues to develop new work across genres. His career reflects a long-standing commitment to theatre as both a performer and a creator.

Joseph Brohm

Joseph Brohm is a Toronto-based actor and artistic creator originally from Northern Ontario. He studied at the University of Windsor’s Drama program before becoming an artistic associate at The LaSalle Theatre in Kirkland Lake. There, he helped produce junior productions of major works including Annie, The Music Man, and Willy Wonka.

Brohm is also a writer and adaptor, with his original adaptation of The Nutcracker highlighting his ability to combine performance and storytelling. His work reflects a strong foundation in collaborative theatre-making and a commitment to developing new work. As both a performer and creator, he continues to contribute to theatre projects that emphasize ensemble work and narrative clarity.

Ted Falagan

Ted Falagan has worked professionally as an actor for his entire adult life, with a career spanning theatre, comedy, film, and television. He began performing with theatre companies in San Diego, including Coronado Playhouse and The Old Globe Theatre. He later joined The Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre Company, where he worked as an actor, writer/director, and ultimately Artistic Director.

Falagan is also an accomplished stand-up comedian, having performed at major venues including The Comedy Store, The Improv, and Laff’s Comedy Café. His work extends into film and television, as well as audio and radio performance. He co-founded The Fault Line Theatre, which he managed for more than a decade, and continues to write, produce, and perform original work. His career reflects a broad engagement with performance across multiple forms and audiences.

Themes

• The illusion of control
• Superstition vs. responsibility
• The mechanics of theatre-making
• Collective failure and endurance

Production Model

• Audio-first performance
• Artistic ASL as visual performance
• Released globally via YouTube
• Available in perpetuity

Contact

Press Inquiries: Kadin Barnes

pr@arizonatheatrematters.org

Quick Facts

Title: MACKERS

Creator: Jeanmarie Simpson

Producer: Arizona Theatre Matters

Format: Audio performance with artistic sign language

Runtime: 90 minutes

Release: Halloween 2026

Availability: Free / On demand

Platform: YouTube