10/13/2026
Next up in our meet the Macbeth cast series, the hilarious Michael McDermott!
SCP: What role are you playing? What can you tell us about them?
MM: The Porter. He’s an old retired soldier, a servant, penniless, dependent on the kindness of the McBeth’s in taking him in as servant and extraordinarily loyal to his liege. Oh, and he’s a drunk.
SCP: How long have you been acting? What has your favorite or most memorable experience been?
MM: I started in my high school star turn as the villain in the Western melodrama, Deadwood Dick ( seriously, that was the title of a play a bunch of 16 year old boys put on in the 70’s and the jokes just make themselves), but then didn’t really do anything till the ‘90’s when I made my debut in Peter Tyger’s American Dream at Albany Civic Theater, an original musical about the Irish immigration to Albany that is due a revival. My favorite role of all time was my first Shakespeare part as Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night where I learned to sword fight under the guidance of this young ingénue, Molly Waters.
SCP: What made you want to do this play?
MM: Two words: Laura Darling. Our paths crossed constantly. She’s the only person I know like me who is working on 3 or 4 shows at once, and often we were co designers or contributors on shows at virtually every venue. But we never worked in a director/actor role and I’ve been chomping at the bit. Maybe some day we can reverse the roles?
SCP: How has your experience been with this process so far?
MM: One of the best, collaborative, giving and talented casts I’ve ever worked with. Every minute on stage I am challenged to match some of the best actors in the Cap Dist. Now, surround that with one of the best production teams every gathered together— magic. Pure magic.
SCP: Do you have a favorite line from the show?
MM: Spoiler alert: I have one of Shakespeare’s best dick jokes. I won’t give it all away by stating the actual line here, but suffice to say that I have a personal quest to make David Quinones crack up on stage.
📸 Willie David Short V
Graphic design: David Quinones Jr
