Inspiration took him to a dark space; why ‘Macbeth KC’ creator wants to trap audiences in a world with no heroes

An immersive experience set in a post-apocalyptic world — the brainchild of Kansas City artist and designer Keyon Monte — transforms an iconic Shakespearean tragedy into a warped, high-fashion human drama staged within a downtown coworking space.

“Macbeth KC” removes the polish and distance often seen in adaptations of William Shakespeare’s works, said Monte, describing how his unconventional DIY production — set for July 31 through Aug. 10 inside Hive Coworking — will plunge audiences into a gritty wasteland of symbolic storytelling and glitchy visuals.

“I wanted to set it at a time where human beings would again be tribal and again be feudal,” Monte said of his vision of the future. “That means setting it at a time where we’ve lost a lot of what we think makes our civilization what it is.”

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An early look at the blank canvas inside Hive Coworking where “Macbeth KC” is expected to take shape; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

The spark for “Macbeth KC” came unexpectedly when Monte was working at Hive Coworking and encountered an under-used area in the building. 

“One day when the elevator wasn’t working, I came down and I saw how dark it was,” he recalled. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is crazy. This could be a great space for theater.’”

That discovery launched Monte into crafting the show himself, using his own funds, with help from a $15,000 fellowship from the Black Theater Coalition (BTC), a Broadway-based initiative supporting Black creatives behind the scenes.

Monte, who has worked as a costume illustrator for Broadway shows and moved back to Kansas City in 2020 during the pandemic, is using that support to make “Macbeth KC” his boldest work to date, he said.

Keyon Monte stands outside the former DST building, now Hive Coworking, in downtown Kansas City; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Audience in the action

The production is designed to eliminate traditional barriers between audience and actor, Monte said. With performers weaving through the crowd and lights and sound reacting in real time, the goal is total immersion.

“The show will happen right in front of them and around them,” he said. “You’re not doing it in a space where the audience is on one side and the stage is on the other. That means the audience has some kind of distance, some kind of safety, but not here.”

Because of the small cast size for “Macbeth KC,” Monte turned to the audience for help telling the story.

“I decided the audience would say certain lines, chime in, and participate,” he explained. “It’s a play about war, and we have an army of five. So how do you do that?”

The format intentionally draws from how Shakespeare’s original productions were performed, Monte said: with limited actors, quick improvisation, and heavy reliance on the audience.

“There’s a lot of creativity in the way we’re telling the story, and hopefully a lot of flash and flair,” he said.

High fashion in dystopia

Although the play is set in a bleak, dystopian future, the aesthetic is strikingly modern, Monte said.

“If you look at some of the costumes, you would think it was something that could be worn on a runway right now,” he said. “There’s this high fashion aesthetic to what we’re doing.”

A Kansas City-based DJ and bassist — in a role Monte calls the show’s “sound master” — will be mixing music live throughout the performance.

“It’s half a concert, half a rave,” he added.

Monte’s creative collaborators include Kansas City filmmakers, sculptors, musicians, and artists. 

“Everyone in the cast has more than just acting behind them,” he said. “Lee, who’s playing our Macbeth, is primarily a musician and a singer. Jean Jacques is an emerging filmmaker and writer.”

Monte’s recent design work outside of theater includes a Juneteenth collaboration with KC Current, where his design inspired by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas was featured on the team’s commemorative T-shirts.

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An exhilarating twist

Keyon Monte outside the Hive Coworking space in downtown Kansas City; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

While Macbeth KC is an original spin on the classic, its core remains grounded in Shakespeare’s messaging.

“What I love about Macbeth is that it tells the truth about the way human beings really are,” Monte said. “There are no heroes in Macbeth. There are no good people. There are no saviors. At the end of the day, everyone has to tell the truth about who they are and what they are.”

He hopes the show leaves a lasting impression on the audience.  

“I hope people feel exhilarated,” Monte said. “Maybe they feel exhilarated because they didn’t know they could see theater like that in Kansas City. Or maybe because they felt like they were trapped in an environment they couldn’t get out of, like an escape room. Whatever they’re feeling, I want them to feel exhilarated.”

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