CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- After 37 years as artistic director of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Barbara Gaines is stepping down - but looking ahead to her next major project.
Barbara Gaines founded the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 1986, and she said that "it's time for the younger set to move in with some fresh ideas."
Now in her mid-7O's, Gaines has directed at least 60 productions.
"And why not share this magnificent organization? We don't build things to keep them to ourselves. I think that's kind of sick," she laughs. "We build them to share."
Gaines's next project is a musical that's a prequel to Shakespeare's Macbeth.
"It's a story, once upon a time a long time ago, of four young sisters who are also witches. It was hard to be a woman and even more difficult to be a witch oh so many years ago, but there's a lot of humor in it," she said.
"The plot line is absolutely fascinating."
Gaines will be leading a third workshop in June to develop the show. The working title for the Macbeth prequel is "Sinister."
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