Context: W is a 24 year old American born in California. As a young child W performed in major roles for a few productions at a local junior theater. This audio was collected over a discord audio call. 

Intv: “So if I remember correctly you were in the lead role for a few productions at the junior theater. Can you think of any folklore that would’ve come out of that community? For example, like, saying Macbeth or something.”

W: “Well it’s funny you’d say Macbeth actually, because I remember when I was staring in Oliver, during the first couple shows, I don’t know why, but I’d keep saying Macbeth. And, like, it eventually started to really bother some people. I remember some theater kids moving away from me out of fear that I’d say it. It wasn’t until like the fourth day that the director came up to me and personally told me to stop because he had received so many complaints about it.”

Intv: “No way? Really? The director personally told you to stop?”

W: “Oh yeah, it became a huge deal to them apparently. I’m pretty sure after that I stopped saying it during any future productions.” 

Analysis: When W told me about this story I couldn’t help but chuckle slightly at the idea of the director telling a roughly 12 year old boy to stop saying MacBeth, but it also speaks volumes on the legend surrounding this curse. It wasn’t the director who heard W say it off hand and told him to stop. He had received complaints from other actors regarding their concern over the production. All over a word.