A Young Orson Welles, Rose McClendon And The All-Black Stage Production, “Voodoo Macbeth”

Voodoo Macbeth, a narrative feature film about the revolutionary 1936 production of “Macbeth,” opens theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on October 21, in other top markets and in Canada immediately thereafter from Lightyear Entertainment.
Voodoo Macbeth is based on a true story of young Orson Welles and a group of committed artists as they set out to create what is now considered a landmark event in African-American theater history.

Before Citizen Kane and The War of the Worlds, leading Broadway actress Rose McClendon (Inger Tudor, “Goliath,” “On Time”) and producer John Houseman convince a gifted but untested 20-year-old Orson Welles (Jewell Wilson Bridges, the national tours of “My Fair Lady” and “La Cage Aux Folles” in his feature film debut), to direct Shakespeare’s Macbeth with an all-Black cast in Harlem. Reimagined in a Haitian setting, this production, which came to be known as “Voodoo Macbeth,” would change the world forever, but the road to opening night proves to be a difficult one.

Orson and Rose – who is to play Lady Macbeth – clash over everything from scene blocking to crew hires, while Houseman contends with a congressman hell-bent on shutting down what he deems “communist propaganda.” Welles and McClendon must overcome political pressure, personal demons, and protests to realize their groundbreaking vision.

The production was highly controversial, provoking heated protests from Harlemites who considered it exploitative, and by politicians who thought it subversive. The play debuted to packed audiences and was wildly successful, playing the Lafayette Theater for 10 weeks and then touring across America.

The film beautifully showcases the seminal moment in Orson Welles’ career, the first project that put him on the map. At the same time, a bright light is shone on the phenomenal Rose McClendon, a strong Black woman who was a major player in the Harlem Renaissance and who started Negro Theater Units in 11 American cities. As the film portrays, she was an essential mentor to Welles in his first important directing job.

In a 1982 interview, Welles said, “By all odds, my great success in my life was that play, because the opening night there were five blocks in which all traffic was stopped. You couldn't get near the theatre in Harlem. Everybody who was anybody in the black or white world was there. And when the play ended there were so many curtain calls that finally they left the curtain open, and the audience came up on the stage to congratulate the actors. And that was magical."

Voodoo Macbeth marks the first theatrical release from USC Originals in association with Warner Bros., and was overseen by veteran producer and USC professor John Watson, (“Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” “Backdraft” and “The Outer Limits”), who serves as an Executive Producer. Voodoo Macbeth had 10 directors, eight writers and three producers.

Voodoo Macbeth began in a writers' room where screenwriters collaborated on each facet of the writing process. Then the film’s directors who each embody different perspectives, styles, and tastes came together to form a common vision. With seasoned cast and crew, Voodoo Macbeth is a launching pad for the next generation of filmmakers and demonstrates the power of community over the individual.

With a run in over 20 film festivals, Voodoo Macbeth has received 14 wins and three additional nominations, including Best Film, Best Production and Best Actress at the Harlem International Film Festival; Best in Festival and The Audience Choice Award at Sedona International Film Festival; and Best Feature Film at Dances with Films.