There’s a long-standing superstition in theater regarding Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” – or, as spooked actors refer to it, “the Scottish play” – that holds the play is cursed. Mysterious accidents occur during performances. Productions fail. Someone has a bad hair day.

Be that as it may, the toil and trouble undertaken by Stonington’s Opera House Arts to stage Shakespeare’s tragic tale of ambition, greed and betrayal ensures, as director Jeffrey Frace calls it, “a scary good time.” OHA’s “Macbeth” premieres at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, and runs every night through Sunday, Aug. 17, at the Stonington Opera House.

Frace’s “Macbeth” explores the themes contained within the play by using innovative sound and set design, puppetry and an eye for the fantastic. It’s set within the anachronistic aesthetic known as “steam punk” – 19th century fashion and customs mixed with more modern technological elements.

“As I was thinking about the play, the images that were coming to mind all felt like an expressive anachronism,” said Frace, a New York-based director returning for his fourth Shakespeare in Stonington production. “In the 19th century, society was dealing with the industrial revolution, which in many ways was humankind dealing with a force greater than itself. There was global warfare across Europe, and also the literature of the day was celebrating individuality versus society. It all seemed really relevant to ‘Macbeth.'”

A great deal of creative effort has gone into the production, which has brought together a small cast of eight actors, many of whom are veterans of the Stonington stage and the New York experimental theater scene.

“We cast not only for talent and diversity, but for versatility,” said Frace. “It’s really an ensemble production, because we all come to rehearsal every day and everyone contributes.”

Several of the characters in the play will be played by puppets, designed by Kevin Augustine of Lone Wolf Tribe, a New York puppetry company. Jorge Rubio, who plays the title role, has a background in theater and dance, including capoeira, salsa and samba. The spooky, innovative sound design involves live recordings of the cast members, used to create a live score to accompany the performance.

“The brainstorming sessions have been loads of fun. We’ve come up with things I couldn’t have imagined. Our imaginations have run amok,” said Frace. “We’ve created a really dense, magical, exciting world for the play to live in.”

To purchase tickets for OHA’s “Macbeth,” visit www.operahousearts.org.