The Fairfield High School Broadway Players will present Enter the Body this Halloween weekend — a bold and imaginative reimagining of Shakespeare’s most famous female characters. Adapted by Joy McCullough from her young adult novel of the same name, the production explores themes of fate, agency, and how women’s stories are told.
Performances will take place Friday, October 31st, and Saturday, November 1st, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, November 2nd, at 2:00 p.m. in the Edgeton, Mitcheltree, Slechta Auditorium at Fairfield High School. Tickets are $6 at the door or free with an FCSD Activity Pass. All seating is general admission, and doors will open 30 minutes before the show.
A Modern Conversation with Shakespeare
Set in The Trap Room—a mystical, in-between space that exists beneath every stage where a Shakespeare play is being performed—Enter the Body imagines a world where the Bard’s female characters gather after their tragic deaths. The Trap Room is both a storeroom for props and costumes from centuries of Shakespearean productions and a kind of limbo for his fallen heroines.
As the play begins, several well-known characters arrive, shaken from the trauma of their stage deaths. Soon, three young women—Juliet from Romeo and Juliet, Cordelia from King Lear, and Ophelia from Hamlet—find themselves in conversation about their stories, the choices they were given, and how those choices defined their lives. Through humor, heartbreak, and sharp dialogue, the trio begins to question Shakespeare’s treatment of women and what it means to have control over their own narratives. Together, they reimagine their stories—retelling familiar scenes with new perspectives and new outcomes.
Though rooted in classic literature, Enter the Body uses modern language and staging, making Shakespeare accessible to a wider audience. It’s a play within several plays—combining the magic of live theater with timeless questions about love, death, and the power of choice.
The Cast and Crew
Bringing the story to life are Madalyn Smithburg as Juliet, Manon Kermott as Cordelia, and Mia Gates as Ophelia, forming the central trio who lead the audience through this imaginative retelling. Supporting them are Nicole Hunger as Hamlet and Beatrice, Tristen Garretson as King Lear, Lord Capulet, and Polonius, Daisy Trent as Lady Capulet, Catherine, and Regan, and Lelan Blomme as Romeo, Claudius, and France.
The ensemble cast, portraying multiple roles throughout the production, includes Logan Carroll, Jami Hames, Bella Jaeger, Divya Keith, Adeliz Suastegui, Elliott Ward, and Miracle Weathers.
Behind the scenes, the show’s technical and creative elements are brought together by an extensive student crew. Members include Litith Bohin, Temperance Bettin, Alex Creer, Bidhi Dangol, Ronan Daniels, Tessa Holdeman, Olivia Kensel, Stormy Lint, Meara Malloy, Mei Martinez, Sullivan Mast, Charlie McKerley, Isaac Pappin, Arissa Pohren, and Dominick Xayavong.
Enter the Body is directed by Noel Wotherspoon, with Mr. Meshari Alnouri serving as Technical Director and Mrs. Betsie Wotherspoon as Costume Mistress.
A Note on Content
Parents are advised to use discretion with young children. The play includes frequent discussions of death and violence, references to sex, staged combat with weapons, and limited use of stage blood.
With its blend of humor, tragedy, and modern reflection, Enter the Body offers audiences a compelling evening of theatre that honors Shakespeare’s legacy while giving his heroines a voice of their own.
