The State of Shakespeare: Recent Episodes
The State of Shakespeare
Click here for information about The Prague Shakespeare FestivalClick here for Guy Roberts Ted Talk.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio Version.
Macbeth; Act 5, Scene 5MacbethJune 24, 2026For a poor player, strutting and fretting on the stage, sometimes words and verse can spell the difference between life and death. Jacob Ming-Trent stars in his original, multimedia, one-person play, How Shakespeare Saved My Life, the autobiographical story of how a troubled youth found salvation in poetry. Playing through July 5 at the Folger Theatre in DC, and coming to the Public and Red Bull Theatre in October.Click here for information about How Shakespeare Saved My LifeClick here to follow along with the text.Click here for a Scanned versionClick here for a First Folio version.
: Ben Turner or Iago? In the Shakespeare Theatre of DC’s new production of Othello, Ben Turner reveals the humanity and heart beneath Iago’s machinations, transforming Shakespeare’s most overtly “evil” creation into something much more recognizably (and terrifyingly) human. The production runs until June 28.Click here for information about OthelloClick here to follow along with the text.Click here for a Scanned versionClick here for a First Folio version.
OthelloMay 19, 2026“What’s he, then, that says I play the villain?” Few questions more clearly reveal where each of us stands in today’s deeply polarized society. Recorded on the eve of a profoundly tense moment in global geopolitics, we speak with Eric Tucker and Bedlam discussing their critically acclaimed four-person production of Othello, running through May 31 in New York City.Click here for information about Othello
s notoriously blood-soaked tragedy serves the moment.Click here for information about Red Bull TheaterClick here to follow along with the text.Click here for a Folio VersionClick here for a scanned version
s; then 25. to have seen much and to have nothing is to have rich eyes 26. and poor hands. Click here to go to the Folger Website.
The Merry Wives of Windsor; Act 2 Scene 2 Mistress QuicklyApril 2, 2026Which female character became such a fan favorite that Shakespeare featured her in four different plays? Award-winning actor Nancy Voigts brings this famously bawdy mischief-maker and mistress of misinformation to life in a vibrant new production of The Merry Wives of Windsor at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.Click here for more information about the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for the First Folio version of the text.
A Truant Dispostion: Hamlet and HoratioMarch 4, 2025Is Horatio the villain? A literary stand-in for the murderously opportunistic “friends” who stalked the halls of power in Elizabethan England? Carol Grieb imagines a Hamlet in which Hamlet’s so-called best friend is anything but.Click here to go to the book website.Click here to purchase the book.
The Merchant of Venice; Act 3, Scene 1 ShylockNovember 10, 2025The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.” Actor and storyteller Saul Rubinek takes us inside his one-man show Playing Shylock, now on stage at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center in New York City. Rubinek explores Shylock’s confounding genesis and reveals why one of Shakespeare’s so-called “minor” roles continues to be one of the most groundbreaking, misunderstood and controversial characters in theater history.Click here to see the Folio Version.Click here for a Modern Version of the Text.Click here for more information about Playing Shylock.Click here for Saul's book, All in the Telling.Click here for a transcript of "The Stranger's Case" by Thomas More.
Measure for Measure; Act 2, Scene 4 AngeloOctober 20, 2025If the goal is to be a working actor, is training optional? Terry Knickerbocker offers his perspective on the purpose of actor training. And in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, we confront a timeless dilemma: is it better to perish for the sake of principle, or debase yourself and survive?Click here to follow along with the text.Click here to see the Folio Version.Click here for a scanned version of the text.
Romeo & Juliet; Act 1, Scene 4 RomeoSeptember 3, 2025From forth the fatal loins of civil strife springs a bold new Romeo and Juliet. The Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey presents this re-envisioned classic, starring Isaac Hickox-Young and directed by Bonnie J. Monte. Is it love, lust, or something more sinister that propels the star-crossed lovers to their untimely end?Romeo and Juliet runs from September 10th to October 5th at the Shakespeare Theater of NJ.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here to see the Folio Version.Click here for a scanned version of the text.Click here for information about Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey.
King John; Act 3, Scene 1 ConstanceAugust 5, 2025Words, words, words. A love of words makes Tracy Michelle Arnold the perfect candidate to run the Language Project at American Player's Theater. With the focus on language, words, syntax, punctuation, Arnold is the perfect guest for the State of Shakespeare. The Language Project is the latest innovation that this gem of theater in Spring Green, Wisconsin has brought us.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here to see the Folio Version.Click here for a scanned version of the text.Click here for information about American Players Theater and The Language Project.
Twelfth Night Folger TheaterJune 18, 2025“Most wonderful!” Olivia’s (ahem) climactic outburst isn’t just a line, it’s the line that catches the spirit of director Mei Ann Teo’s current production of Twelfth Night at the Folger Theatre. Teo, who also serves as Artistic Leader at Ping Chong and Company, teases how to treat Shakespeare’s classic as if it’s a new love (er… play.)Click here to follow along with the text.Click here to see the Folio Version.Click here for information about Twelfth Night and the Folger Theaterhttps://www.folger.edu/whats-on/twelfth-night
Shakespeare, Appreciated Hamlet; Act 5, Scene 2May 29, 2025Gideon Rappaport, author of Appreciating Shakespeare, has released a newly annotated edition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Can modern readers and actors truly grasp Shakespeare’s work as he intended? Rappaport believes they not only can, but they must.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here to see the Folio Version. Gideon's Media Connections:Appreciating ShakespeareShakespeare's Real TakeGideon's podcast
Anonymous Agnostic AntichristsMarch 31, 2025The Authorship Question may ebb and flow in popularity, but the mystery behind the origins of the Bard’s works remains endlessly intriguing. What better way to explore the rich world of Shakespeare’s contemporaries than by investigating who might have truly penned the plays? Our guest, author Derek Hunter, has spent over thirty years pursuing the possibilities. His tetralogy, Anonymous Agnostic Antichrists, presents four compelling theories.Amazon: Anonymouse Agnostic Antichrists
Shakespeare in the U.S.February 24, 2025As the Artistic Producer and Dramaturg at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., Drew Lichtenberg has a front-row seat to the unfolding drama at one of the globe's most powerful artistic and political nexuses. In a recent essay for The New York Times, he shared hard truths about the state of Shakespeare in contemporary America. Over the past half-decade, the number of Shakespeare productions has declined steeply. What might be driving this trend, and is it likely to change?New York TImes: Who's Afraid of William ShakespeareNew York TImes: Cancel ShakespeareShakespeare in the Theatre: Shakespeare Theatre Company.
Falstaff; Act 4, Scene 2 Henry IV, Part 2January 10, 2025Falstaff is Shakespeare’s greatest comic creation. John Ahlin is the greatest ‘Simon Says’ player in the world. Discover how this talent helped launch a career that has seen him play the role sixteen times… and counting. Just don't call it a bit!Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio Version.
Macbeth; Act 3, Scene 1 MacbethSeptember 20, 2024From Whiffenpoof to Macbeth. Graham Stevens has worn many hats in his career, none of which fits as comfortably as Macbeth's crown. How does he bring all of his diversity of skills to bear in the role of the Scottish King? And it isn't just the kilt...Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio Version.Click here for a scanned version.
The American Shakespeare Center July 30, 2024Vanessa Morosco likes asking the big questions. As Executive Director of the American Shakespeare Center, she is perfectly positioned to do just that. Using Original Practices, Vanessa and ASC are re-centering the focus on Shakespeare for the 21st Century.Click here for more information on the American Shakespeare CenterClick here for more information on Vanessa's 50/50 Shakespeare Project
Henry IV, Part I; Act 5, Scene 1 WorcesterJune 30, 2024Inside-out or outside-in? Accomplished stage actor and teacher Jasmine Bracey gives Stanislvaski his due, but argues for a more visceral approach to crafting character. Either way, her objective is all about change.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio Version.Click here for a scanned version.Click here for more information on the Backroom Theater Project.
Fight Direction ShakespeareMay 30, 2024There’s more to choreographing stage combat than beating shields and bashing heads. Fight Director Rod Kinter works closely with Actors, Directors and Designers on "Designing the Fight". Safety and repeatability are paramount, but swords are optional. Click here for more information about Rod Kinter
Henry V; Prologue PrologueApril 30, 2024In his second season as the Artistic Director of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Jason King Jones brings a seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm to the leadership role. This summer, PSF will produce 8 shows, the equivalent of a full regional theatre season, in just sixteen weeks. Click here for more information about Pennsylvania Shakespeare FestivalClick here to follow along with the text.Click here to see a First Folio VersionClick here to see a Scanned Version
Pericles; Act 5, Scene 1 Pericles and MarinaMarch 12, 2024We welcome one of our favorite guests back to the State of Shakespeare. Ben Steinfeld catches us up on his own epic journey and on Fiasco Theatre’s production of Pericles, in performances now at the Classic Stage Company in NYC.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here For More information about Pericles at the Classic Stage Company
Richard III; Act 5, Scene 1 BuckinghamFebruary 28, 2024Photo by Adrian Sanchez-GonzalezActor Yao Dogbe returns to the stage of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre for the highly-anticipated production of Richard III. The inaugural effort by brand-new helmsman Edward Hall, this reimagining of one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest plays has been grabbing attention for its unconventional casting and daring concept. But for Dogbe, it's more than just another role—it's a personal journey about family.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio Version of the text.Click here for a scanned version of the text.Click here For More information about Richard III at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater
The Tempest; Act 4, Scene 1 ProsperoJanuary 16, 2024To the uninitiated, northwest Arkansas may sound like an unlikely paradise for an actor. But as Shakespeare’s Prospero shows us, magic is found where you choose to make it. Our guest Steven Charles Marzolf has happily made an artistic home in Fayetteville for the past twelve years, where he recently played Prospero in the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre / University of Central Arkansas co-Production of The Tempest.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio Version of the text.Click here for a scanned version of the text.
Macbeth; Act 5, Scene 1 Lady MacbethNovember 21, 2023Elena Hollenbeak is the winner of the 2023 English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition. We spoke with the talented Ms. Hollenbeak and her mentor, Dr. Lyn Ackerman, about this year’s competition and what’s so fascinating about Shakespeare. Along the way we learn about a heart-stopping moment for Lady Macbeth. that Shakespeare might have missed, and why the state of Hawaii produces so many exceptional ESU competitors.Click here to follow along with the text.
Romeo & Juliet; Act 3, Scene 2 JulietOctober 24, 2023Canadian actor Sara Topham met Shakespeare’s Juliet when she was just seventeen and facing the premature overthrow of a promising career. This could be a story about how a star-crossed young dancer became one of the most accomplished classical stage actors of her generation. Or it could be a masterclass in respecting Shakespeare’s verse. Or it could be a love letter to a future generation of Juliets. All we know is to breathe at the end of the line!Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a Folio Version.Click here for a Scanned Version.
Hamlet; Act 2, Scene 2 HamletSeptember 29, 2023Marquis D. Gibson's Broadway debut was as sudden as it was spectacular. Appearing in the Hamlet inspired Fat Ham, Marquis played the Hamlet character wrestling with a lot of different big questions. For Marquis, it came down to truth, connection and a big dose of relationship. What a piece of work is a man, indeed.Click here to follow along with the textClick here for a Folio Version
Unrehearsed: A Midsummer Night's Dream The Barefoot Shakespeare CompanyAugust 29, 2023
Memorizing lines comes quickly for Andrew J. Dunn. Putting the fun back in theater is what he is all about, which is why he agreed to produce, publicize and act in the Unrehearsed Midsummer Night's Dream by the Barefoot Shakespeare Company. He even referees in what is called an event "for Sports Fans!" where the lines between spectator and actor are often blurred.
Click here for more information about the show and the Barefoot Shakespeare Company.
Love's Labor's Lost The Hudson Valley Shakespeare FestivalJuly 12, 2023
(Photo by John Nordell/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images)
Ask Amanda Dehnert what she does for a living, and she’ll laughingly say she “imagines things.” As a visionary theatre creator, she has worked with some of the most exciting theatre companies to emerge over the last 25 years. Ms. Dehnert brings her unique talents to bear in the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival’s new production of Love’s Labors Lost, for which she both directed and co-composed an original pop-rock score.
Hamlet; Act 2, Scene 2 HamletMay 26, 2023When it comes to Shakespeare's secrets, "meaning" and "sense" stand separate, yet actors must master both. So asserts Dakin Matthews: actor extraordinaire, seasoned stage savant of 250+ productions, and the scribe behind Shakespeare Spoken Here. Delving daringly into Hamlet's "Is it not monstrous..." soliloquy (Act II, scene 2), Daikin declares that in the realm of Shakespearean performance, rules crumble, crushed by the audacious.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio version of the text. Click here for a Scanned Version of the text.
The Winter's Tale; Act 3, Scene 2 HermioneMarch 23, 2023 Photo: Jenny Graham. Photo: Jenny Graham.For Miriam Laube, 16 is a magic number. 16 years at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and 16 years away from court in Winter's Tale (for her featured character, Hermione). With a dash of humor and a fierce sense of self, Miriam has breathed life into countless Shakespeare characters both on stage and through Play On Podcasts. Finding the honor in Hermione was both a professional and personal journey. Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio version of the text.Click here for a scanned version of the text.Below are two songs from Miriam inspired by Shakespeare!https://vimeo.com/472695614/28291ad3f3https://vimeo.com/414838224/52084c59e3
Hamlet; Act 3, Scene 1 HamletFebruary 28, 2023Drop in! All Chukwudi Iwuji needs is the language, how the words resonate in him, their sounds and meanings and rhythms. Using these, how is he affecting the listener? When you listen, you will know.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio version of the text.
Midsummer Night's Dream: Act 4, Scene 1 BottomJanuary 27, 2023What does it mean to be “smartly stupid,” and how might this approach help an actor reveal delightfully unexpected moments in well-worn texts? Ian Gould credits his training at the Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy in Washington DC for this technique, which he demonstrates in his fresh take on “Bottom’s Dream” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.Click here to follow along with the text.Click here for a First Folio version of the text.Watch Ian Gould perform Bottom's Monologue from the interview!
Shakespeare's Sceptered Isle November 30, 2022
What did it mean to be “English” in Shakespeare’s day? How may Shakespeare’s most patriotic play, Henry V, have shaped notions of English identity ever since? Brian Carroll’s new book, Shakespeare’s Sceptered Isle: Finding English National Identity in the Plays examines hints in Shakespeare’s text about what his audiences might have thought being “English” was – and perhaps more revealingly, what (or who) wasn’t.
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Julius Caesar; Act 2, Scene 1 Brutus October 11, 2022
With double digit years at a trio of theaters, Lynn Robert Berg is on the move. The self-proclaimed character actor has moved from intern to company leader with a skill set most actors would kill for (especially after listening to his reading of Brutus’ bloody-minded monologue from Julius Caesar.). A man of many hats, Lynn Robert Berg delights in his motley assortment of roles.
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Click here for Information about Idaho Shakes, Tahoe Shakes and Great Lakes Shakes.
Romeo and Juliet; Act 3, Scene 5 Romeo and Juliet August 23, 2022
After a lifetime in the theatre, what does Shakespeare still have to teach us about life and love? Long-time stage veterans (and real-life couple0 Nance Williamson and Kurt Rhoads take on the titular roles in Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival’s “age-blind” production of Romeo and Juliet. Having shared the stage together in seventy (70!) productions spanning more than 30 years, they may well be the most seasoned star-crossed young lovers Verona has ever met.
Click here for more information about HVSF.
The Book of Will Colorado Shakespeare FestivalAugust 1, 2022
Who were the men and women who miraculously rescued half of Shakespeare’s plays from being lost forever – and what mystery, tragedy, romance, and drama raged around them as they struggled against greed, politics and their own mortality in order to grant immortality to a few precious words? Kevin Rich and the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (currently celebrating its 65th season) bring these forgotten heroes vividly to life in Lauren Gunderson’s, The Book of Will, a play about the birth of Shakespeare’s First Folio, which was published seven years after the Bard’s death and which Kevin Rich describes as a "love letter to the Theater".
Click here for more information about CSF.
Twelfth Night Act 1, Scene 5July 8, 2022
PHOTO CREDIT - Richard Termine
PHOTO CREDIT - Richard Termine
Something special is happening in Harlem. The Classical Theater of Harlem is bringing its unique brand of Shakespeare to Marcus Garvey Park. Associate Artistic Director Carl Cofield is directing an Afro-Futuristic version of Twelfth Night - complete with VR and the ambient sounds of NYC. Carl stops by to talk about all things Shakespeare, Education and Twelfth Night.
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Val Winkelman and John Dodd June 18, 2022
This barbecue has been marinating for 36 years. The Texas Shakespeare Festival has been a staple of East Texas since the 80's. John Dodd and Val Winkelman - both there since the start - share advice, anecdotes and a who's who of TSF Alum. They also get a quiz from one of those Alum - our very own Gerritt!
Follow them on all platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Flicker
Watch a time lapse of their changeover between shows.
Aili Huber and Toby Malone Cutting Plays for PerformanceMay 16, 2022
Was this the kindest cut of all? It began as a friendly argument between fellow Shakespeareans, Aili Huber and Toby Malone, about how to trim the text of Richard III. They've since collaborated on a book and website with tools and hints to how to cut Shakespeare effectively. With a dose of humor and a dollop of wisdom, Cutting Shakespeare for Performance keenly tackles a sticky subject in Shakespeare.
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Find Cutting Shakespeare for Performance at Routledge and Amazon.
Follow them on all platforms: @cuttingplays
Henry V: Act 1, Scene 2King HenryMarch 28, 2022
Named for the rowdy Jacobean playhouse that illegally performed plays in England during the years of Puritan rule, the Red Bull Theater is breaking barriers. Using one of Henry V's speeches, Associate Artistic Director Nathan Winkelstein reveals the power of Shakespeare and other plays of heightened language to deepen our understanding of the human condition.
Follow along with the speech.
First Folio Version.
Teenage DickFebruary 23, 2022
What happens if you plunk down Richard III in a modern day High School? You get Teenage Dick. Teenage Dick, Written by Mike Lew, was commissioned and developed by Gregg Mozgala's own theater company, The Apothetae, which is dedicated to productions that illuminate the disabled experience.
“Exhilarating. It suggests how much richer the theater will be when it is truly open to artists of all kinds. Not just because those artists deserve employment but also because the canon of classics deserves reimagining to match our world.”
Lew says, “We set out to re-examine disability politics from Shakespearean times to our time, through a dark comedy that mashes up Shakespeare-talk and Tik Tok.” Join us as we sit down with Mike and talk all things Teenage Dick.
The Untitled Othello ProjectJanuary 27, 2022
What is the Untitled Othello Project? According to Keith Hamilton Cobb, the award-winning playwright who is the driving force behind the ensemble-based “adventure in theatre-making”, it’s much more than a deep and sustained exploration of Shakespeare’s text, it’s an “exercise in creative justice.” With this project, Keith is not just tackling Shakespeare's play, he is taking on the whole "theatre industry complex".
The Tragedy of MacbethAct 5, Scene 5December 10, 2021
Paul Alan Ruben has a sense for the feeling of a piece. The Grammy award winning director has finally turned his sense to Shakespeare. With Scott Brick in the title role, he has created the audiobook of The Tragedy of Macbeth. Creating this piece was a delicate balancing act between director, actor and microphone. Especially given that they were never in the same room!
The Tragedy of Macbeth, which Paul directed for Dreamscape Audio, was released on March 18, 2021. The play features ten actor/audiobook narrators, including some of our industry’s most notable performers: Scott Brick, Simon Vance, Dion Graham and Kathe Mazur. Get it here: The Tragedy of Macbeth.
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Albert's Adventures in Willy WorldNovelSeptember 30, 2021
Prolific author, and two time guest, Scott Kaiser returns to tease his latest book, Albert’s Adventures in Willy World. It’s a detective story that pokes fun at the “Shakespeare Industry”, set in a fictional wonderland which may seem oddly familiar to friends of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where Scott spent 28 seasons.
Henry VI, Part 3: Act 3, Scene 2GloucesterAugust 25, 2021
Why Shakespeare? Jeffrey Wilson, the author of the book Shakespeare and Trump, explores this question in depth, centering on the character of Richard III. Why is evil so exciting and good so boring? Is deformity a sign of his evil or is the deformity and social stigma the cause of it? We explore the textual, ethical, interpretive problems that Shakespeare presents in the modern age.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream: Act 3, Scene 1BottomJuly 18, 2021
Live theatre is back! Our guest, Patrick Harvey, is a member of the inaugural cast of the Connecticut Shakespeare Festival. He’s playing Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Hartford’s Playhouse on Park. In this interview, Patrick shares why he especially loves playing characters who speak in prose – hint: it’s not all about the verse.
Titus Andronicus: Act 1, Scene 4TamoraJune 28, 2021
Kamilah Long, the Managing Director of Play On Shakespeare, is a force of nature. Growing up in Alabama, she discovered Shakespeare and has never looked back. Kamilah has big plans for Play On Shakespeare and performs Tamora from Titus Andronicus. If you have doubts about the Play On Project, Kamilah goes a long way to dispelling them.
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Twelfth Night: Act 5, Scene 1ViolaMay 30, 2021
The Folger Shakespeare Library stands in a prominent place in our nation’s capital. Since its founding, the building, its architecture, contents, and programming have been thoughtfully curated with this in mind. Dr. Michael Witmore, Director of the Folger Shakespeare Library, reveals how Shakespeare’s works influenced our nation’s founders and helped to shape a philosophy of government and the very structure of our constitution. We also learn how the Folger Library continues to nurture the thought leaders of today and is creating astonishing digital resources for the future.
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Hamlet: Act 2, Scene 2HamletApril 30, 2021
The cast of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, directed by Barry Edelstein, running August 6 - September 10, 2017. Photo by Jim Cox.Louisa Jacobson as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare and directed by Barry Edelstein, runs August 11 – September 15, 2019 at The Old Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.Grantham Coleman in the title role of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, directed by Barry Edelstein, running August 6 - September 10, 2017. Photo by Jim Cox.Aaron Clifton Moten as Romeo and Louisa Jacobson as Juliet. Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare and directed by Barry Edelstein, runs August 11 – September 15, 2019 at The Old Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.(from left) Billy Campbell as Leontes, Natacha Roi as Hermione, A.Z. Kelsey as Florizel, and Maya Kazan as Perdita in William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, directed by Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, Feb. 8 - March 16, 2014 at The Old Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.
Who better to ask what Shakespeare can teach us about the turbulent times we are living in than Barry Edelstein - the Artistic Director of the Old Globe Theater in San Diego and one of the foremost producers and directors of Shakespeare working today? Recorded just days after the January 6th, 2021 uprising at the Capital, we discuss the current crises facing the country and in the world of Theater. What is the Old Globe doing to keep the curtain up and how is the company setting the stage for a post-pandemic future? (Monologue: Hamlet Act II scene 2)
Hamlet on the Radio: Premieres April 23, 2021 and playing thru June 27, 2021 (link)
Thinking Shakespeare Live: new episodes available for free on YouTube (link)
March 19, 2021
Villain? Master Painter? Sociopath? Surfer? Patrick Page has spent a lifetime acting Shakespeare. He has become fascinated by villains, leading to a one man show "All the Devils are Here." What does it take to play a villain well? Patrick has some fascinating answers.
Click here to see Patrick Page in All the Devils are Here.
February 28, 2021
Jim and Gerritt celebrate ten years of The State of Shakespeare. We listen to some of our most memorable guests from the early days of the podcast and share our favorite moments from the past decade.
The Taming of the Shrew: Act 4, Scene 3KatherineDecember 13, 2020
As a young “bookworm,” she fell in love with Shakespeare’s intoxicating language. But after an early career playing Shakespeare’s romantic ingenues, Susan Heyward began to wonder whether modern theatre’s relationship with Shakespeare is as healthy as it once seemed. Is it time to break up and explore “language affairs with other playwrights"?
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Author and scholar Andrew Muir is fascinated with two poets: one “the greatest artist of all time” and another “the most important artist since the second World War.” They may have more in common than mere verses can express. His latest book “Dylan & Shakespeare: The True Performing of It” explores why. From live performances to influencing genres to the "instability of revered verse", Muir has spent a lifetime studying the two Bards. And it is so much more than words, words, words.
For more information on Dylan and Shakespeare: The True Performing of It, Click here.
Richard III: Act 1, Scene 2Richard, Duke of GloucesterSeptember 30, 2020
Words, words, words. Milan Dragicevich is fascinated by what he calls "the verbal surface" - a place where rhetoric lies and where you will take your voice to the borders of your personality. Milan believes that rhetoric is not just the art of persuasion but a chance to contribute to something bigger than ourselves.
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Before "quarantine" and "social distancing" and "Zoom" were household words we were just beginning to grasp the impact of the sudden shuttering of our theatres. Shirine shares her thoughts on how to survive the times, the production of Timon of Athens and shares Queen Margaret's infamous speech from Henry VI, Part 3.
Before "quarantine" and "social distancing" and "Zoom" were household words we were just beginning to grasp the impact of the sudden shuttering of our theatres. Shirine shares her thoughts on how to survive the times, the production of Timon of Athens and shares Queen Margaret's infamous speech from Henry VI, Part 3.
How to Think Like ShakespeareMay 31, 2020
What can we learn about the state of modern education by taking a look back at how young pupils were schooled during Shakespeare’s day? Our guest Scott Newstok shares some collected wisdom from his book How to Think Like Shakespeare, which has us wondering: when education policy makers prioritize standardized testing, digital instruction and virtual learning environments over more traditional methods, could today’s students be losing more than they are gaining?
Click here to visit Scott Newstok's webpage.
The L.A. Subway Shakespeare Project April 15, 2020
What do John Cassavettes, August Wilson and the Three Stooges have in common? They all inspired Hassan Jamal to create the LA Subway Shakespeare Project. Hassan films short Shakespeare scenes in and around the LA Subways, all in one take, all on the go. Part street theater, part guerilla film, the LASSP is a unique vision in the Shakespearean landscape. Give a listen, then give a look!
Click here to visit the LA Subway Shakespeare Project Site.
Here is a sample, from Titus Andronicus:
The Play On! ProjectJuly 18, 2021
Kenneth Cavender said, translations are like lovers. The faithful ones aren’t beautiful, the beautiful ones aren’t faithful. Dave Hitz is putting this quote to the test with his ambitious Play On! Project - translating all of Shakespeare's plays to modern English. Mr. Hitz makes a compelling argument for the project, one that has stirred controversy wherever it goes.
Click here to visit the Play On! Site.
Dave Hitz, co-founder of the Play On Project, has a very specific view when it comes to the idea of translation. Is the Play On Project a translation of Shakespeare? Full Interview coming soon!
Hamlet; Act 1, Scene 2HamletNovember 30, 2019
A Hamlet for the Modern Age. In about a fortnight, Jack Cutmore-Scott shot Hamlet 360 - a virtual version of Shakespeare's great play. The challenges for the actor add up to amazing rewards for the audience. Hamlet 360 is sure to cause shock waves in the Shakespeare world.
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Love's Labour's Lost; Act 3, Scene 1BerowneOctober 30, 2019
A life in the theater. Bradford Cover grew up surrounded by theater, became an actor and has resurrected the Pearl Theater Co. - creating the Resident Acting Company. His breadth of knowledge and experience comes to bear on Berowne, the Play On Project and the Sonnets.
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Macbeth: Act 1, Scene 7MacbethSeptember 27, 2019
What do you get when you take the First Folio, add a little Original Practice and stir in a smattering of cue scripts? You get William Downes. The Artistic Director of Classics on the Rocks joins us to discuss all things Shakespeare. We surprise him with a lightning round of questions, the answers to which surprised even us!
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Twelfth Night: Act 4, Scene 3SebastianJuly 31, 2019
“If it is poetry, it’s music.” Deaon Griffin-Pressley has gone from Florida to New York, BADA and finally landed at Shakespeare and Company. His travels have given him a unique perspective on Shakespeare, Acting and how his Art will change the world.
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Polishing ShakespeareJune 24, 2019
Brian Dykstra has written the play Polishing Shakespeare in reaction to the Play On Translation project. Should Shakespeare be translated? If this interview doesn't reveal Brian's answer, his play will. The reading is on July 1st.
Information about the reading and The Resident Acting Company.
As You Like It. Act II, Scene 7. Jacques
May 29, 2019
Shakespeare in Qatar
How is Doha, Qatar like Elizabethan London? David Pearson is 7200 miles from where he grew up and 3200 miles from where Shakespeare lived. How did he end up in Qatar and how do they do Shakespeare in this small desert country? The answers are amazing.
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Shakespeare in Taiwan April 12, 2019 Shakespeare in America
Jenny Bennett, a fourth generation theater creator, has been doing #Shakespeare since she was knee high to a grasshopper. From Harlem, to Staunton, Virginia, all the way to Taiwan, she listens with her eyes and looks with her ears while she explores the intersection between communication and language.
Gertrude and ClaudiusFebruary 25, 2019The Orlando Shakespeare Festival
Jim Helsinger is bringing a bold vision to the Orlando Shakespeare Festival. In repertory with Hamlet, he is doing the World Premiere of Gertrude and Claudius, a precursor to Shakespeare's most famous play. Based on John Updike's novel, Gertrude and Claudius lends depth to the characters in Hamlet and holds a few surprises too!
Click here for more info about Gertrude and Claudius.
The Container Globe
January 29, 2019
Falstaff: Henry IV, Part I
Angus Vail Rocks! While running the business office for the band Kiss, Angus is building the Container Globe: a modern Globe Theater from re-purposed shipping containers. As entertaining as he is determined, Mr. Vail talks all the possibilities and obstacles he sees in this brilliant way of bringing Shakespeare to life. Oh, and he also does a pretty brilliant Falstaff!
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The Tempest: Act 1, Scene 2ProsperoDecember 22, 2018
JulieBillEngagement
If you have a lot of words, you have a lot of need. Ray Dooley has a lot to say. After over 40 years in the business his insights are second to none. Breaking down Act 1 of the Tempest, Ray makes a leap into acting principles that every actor needs to hear.
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Twelfth Night
November 27, 2018
Shakespeare in Detroit, Black Ops Theater Company
JaMeeka Holloway Burrell is on the rise. The founder and Artistic Director of Black Ops Theater Company just directed Twelfth Night at Shakespeare in Detroit. Having discovered Shakespeare at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, JaMeeka approaches her work with fresh eyes, frank questions and aims to bring Shakespeare into the 21st Century.
Romeo and Juliet Act 3, Scene 2
Juliet
October 19, 2018
Zuzanna Szadowski is playing Juliet and Yelena in Uncle Romeo Vanya Juliet. What is in store when Chekhov characters have the Shakespeare play as their subtext? A world of possibilities is realized in this thrilling production from the minds of Bedlam!
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Titus Andronicus; Act 5, Scene 1AaronSeptember 28, 2018
Jackson Dean sees the English Speaking Union's Shakespeare competition as more of a celebration of Shakespeare. Having won this past years competition, he has lots to celebrate. With an affinity for villains and a keen sense of text, Jackson's future looks bright.
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See the video of his performance:
https://youtu.be/ld2i1Nr1yNY
John Patrick lays out a bold new vision for the future of training actors. Could we all be Acting Teachers?
Listen to his full interview here.
August 30, 2018
Voice Coach
Acting Teacher
Welcome to the Revolution! John Patrick is calling for a radical change to the way we approach voice work and actor training.
Click here to listen to John Patrick's thoughts on Actor Training.
Sam Shepard Quote:
“I feel there are territories within that are totally unknown.Huge, mysterious and dangerous territories. We think we know ourselves, when we really know only this little bitty part. We have this social person that we present to each other. We have all these galaxies inside of us.
And if we don’t enter those in art, of one kind or another, whether it’s playwriting, or painting or music, or whatever, then I don’t understand the point in doing anything.
I try to go into parts of myself that are unknown. And I think that those parts are related to everybody. They’re not unique to me. They’re not my personal domain.
Catharsis is getting rid of something. I’m not looking to get rid of it, I’m looking to find it. I’m not doing this in order to vent demons. I want to shake hands with them.”
Liz Wisan is a member of the New Neighborhood, a theater company in NYC. She also works seriously as a clown. Although she admits that sometimes it feels like she is in a cult, she finds the clown work extremely rewarding as an actor. Check this short interview out!
And here is her full interview about working on Kate in Taming of the Shrew!
The Taming of the Shrew, Act 5, Scene 2 Kate July 31, 2018 Liz Wisan is performing Kate in her first season at Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. What surprises does she have for the role and does Hudson Valley have for her? A rousing interview about love and relationships ensues. Click here to follow along with the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Fest text. Click here to follow along with the text Click here for a First Folio version of the text. Click here for a scanned version of the text.
Here is a link to Liz talking about clowns and her company The New Neighborhood.
Richard II: Act 3, Scene 2RichardJuly 1, 2018
In her second season at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Julia Coffey takes on the role of Richard II, Shakespeare's most famous deposed king. It's a play which bridges the gap between the medieval and the modern world, and with a woman in the title role, this production opens some intriguing questions about the times we're living in today.
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For tickets and information about the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, please click here:
The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival.
Henry V: PrologueChorusMay 31, 2018
Like a great Jazz Musician, Shakespeare uses Iambic pentameter as the underlying time signature to his rhetorical flourishes. David Hammond explores this and many other ways of approaching the first playwright to give his characters language that pursues objective actions.
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The Lost Letters of William Shakespeare April 24, 2018
Years ago, Terry Tamminen was given a treasure trove of letters, reported as written by Shakespeare. Are they real? If so, they give a never before seen insight into the life of the playwright we know as William Shakespeare.
Othello; Act 2, Scene 3 Iago March 28, 2018
“What’s he then that says I play the villain?” Iago may be the baddest of Shakespeare’s bad guys, so what’s the trick to keeping the audience on your side when you’re clearly up to no good? According to our guest Lee Nishri-Howitt, the answer lies in the structure. Join us for a conversation with Lee about his journey from a non-native speaker of English, to becoming a professional vocal and dialect coach.
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Alone on stage and getting laughs, Michael Urie had a question. The answer is not what he expected.
Click here to listen to his interview on Hamlet.
Hamlet; Act 2, Scene 2 Hamlet February 27, 2018
Is Hamlet the Paragon of animals or a Quintessence of dust? For Michael Urie, appearing at the Shakespeare Theater of DC, Hamlet is mentally and emotionally ambidextrous and has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Mr. Urie, who is directed by Michael Kahn, brings clarity to Hamlet's journey by trusting the text and using himself to the fullest.
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Macbeth; Act 3, Scene 1MacbethJanuary 25, 2018
Benjamin Curns has been with the American Shakespeare Center for 16 years. In this interview with a recent black belt, Ben describes the magic of ASC, the perspective he has gained over the years and dives deep into an oft overlooked speech from Macbeth.
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The Winter's Tale Act 3, Scene 2 Paulina December 15, 2017
Have Bard, Will Travel! The Public Theater's Mobil Unit brings Shakespeare all over the 5 boroughs of NYC. Patrena Murray, playing Paulina in the Mobile Unit's production of The Winter's Tale, talks the audiences, the impact and of course what is going on in one of Shakespeare's most beloved "problem" plays.
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Improvised Shakespeare Company
November 15, 2017
Shakespeare as Socrates? … The founder and AD of the Improvised Shakespeare Company, Blaine Swen cozies up to the mic to drop some knowledge. It's anything but Greek philosophy as Blaine shares some tricks of the trade and recites a never before heard Shakespeare Prologue.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Play On! ProjectMeasure for MeasureOctober 6, 2017
Just in time for Halloween… How do you make a 400-year-old laugh? (Tickle his funny bone.) Aditi Kapil and Liz Engelman are digging up ways to breathe life into some of Shakespeare’s (ahem) “mustier” laugh lines for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s “Play On! 36 playwrights translate Shakespeare” project. Aditi and Liz talk about teaming up on Measure for Measure, and the problem with Pompey's posthumous punch-lines.
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Oregon Shakespeare Festival Play On! ProjectThe Merchant of VeniceAugust 28, 2017
Play On! Playwright Elise Thoron and Dramaturg Julie Dubiner have teamed up to take on the tricky business of "translating" The Merchant of Venice for The Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Play On Project. Find out how Thoron and Dubiner are tackling one of the most ambitious, talked-about, and controversial projects in the world of contemporary Shakespeare performance - and get a taste of what a modern translation of The Merchant of Venice might sound like.
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Utah Shakespeare Festival
July 26, 2017
What is the future of Shakespeare? Brian Vaughn, the Artistic Director of the Utah Shakespeare Festival talks to us about the new developments at the USF, how current events might affect Shakespeare Festivals and what he looks for in an actor. With Mr. Vaughn at the helm, the future looks bright.
Illinois Shakespeare Festival I Heart Juliet
June 20, 2017
Kevin Rich is on the move. As the Artistic Director of The Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Kevin's commitment to Applied Shakespeare has inspired him to seek out new and bold voices, including the Q Brothers Collective. The Q's will be premiering I Heart Juliet at the ISF this summer. What surprises are in store? Kevin has the answers.
Richard II; Act 5, Scene 5 Richard II
May 24, 2017
Is there a message of hope in the words that King Richard II speaks to us from his prison cell in the Tower of London? Our guest, Curt Tofteland, is the Founder of the internationally acclaimed Shakespeare Behind Bars program. In 22 years at the helm of SBB, Curt has discovered three noble truths: Humans need a Tribe, Humans need a Story and Humans need to Reflect. Using Shakespeare, Curt teaches the prisoners these truths and the question arises: did Shakespeare do any time?
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original drawing by Michael Arthur
Unearthing ShakespeareMarch 31, 2017
Dig it. Valerie Clayman Pye discovered the Globe as a student in London. Years later, she has unearthed a way of playing Shakespeare that is fit for the ages. From the stage to the audience and back again in her elliptical training and direct address techniques.
Valerie Clayman Pye will be holding a discussion and signing at the Drama Book Shop in New York City on Wednesday, May 17th at 5pm.
Her book is available at Amazon.
Timon of Athens Act 4, Scene 3 Apemantus February 8, 2017
Claim it. It's yours. If Timon of Athens is a perfect play for these frighteningly uncertain times, who would you cast to play Apemantus? In a world where cynics and flatterers seem to rule the day, Vilma Silva sends a message of hope.
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Contributing Editor: Andres Montejo
Macbeth Act 5, Scene 5 Macbeth December 23, 2016
James Shapiro had no interest in Shakespeare in high school and never took a Shakespeare course at college. Today, the author of 1606: William Shakespeare in the Year of Lear, has a legitimate claim to be recognized as one of world’s foremost Shakespeare scholars.
Shakespeare's heroes almost always get a last great speech. Not so with Macbeth. When Equivocation rules the land, nothing is as it seems. In our interview, Professor Shapiro explores the details of Macbeth, the world in which it was written and we discover how Mr. Shapiro came to devote his life to helping people understand Shakespeare’s plays - and why they matter today.
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Macbeth: Act 1, Scene 7MacbethNovember 11, 2016
"Unsexy" and "middle-class" are not words you would naturally associate with Ty Jones, the actor and Producing Artistic Director of the Classical Theatre of Harlem. But when it comes to his vision for the future of the American Theatre, Mr. Jones makes no bones about what it will take for both actors and theatre companies to survive and thrive. We get a taste of his critically-acclaimed turn as the lead in CTH's record-breaking production of Macbeth, and learn why our foreign policy leaders should listen carefully to Shakespeare.
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Contributing Editor: Andres Montejo
License to QuillNovelOctober 6, 2016
Shaken, not Stirred. Was Shakespeare involved in a treasonous conspiracy to bring down the British monarch? Our guest, author and historian Jacopo Della Quercia, spins a fantastical yarn that places Shakespeare at the center of the real-life Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Della Quercia’s latest novel, License to Quill, is a James Bond-esque Spy thriller set in a Elizabethan England where the truth may indeed be stranger than fiction.
Click here to see more from Jacopo and how to get the book!
Contributing Editor: Andres Montejo
Henry VI, Part III: Act 3, Scene 2Richard of GloucesterAugust 15, 2016
The pursuit of.... Hamilton Clancy, Artistic Director of The Drilling Company and Shakespeare in the Parking Lot relates Richard of Gloucester's pursuit of the crown with, among other things, the current election and a petulant teenager. Hear the speech and his fascinating take on the character everyone loves to hate.
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Click here to listen to Hamilton talk about Shakespeare in the Parking Lot!
Macbeth Act 1, Scene 7 Macbeth July 20, 2016
Something wicked this way comes! Maria-Christina Oliveras and Nance Williamson are two-thirds of a three woman Macbeth playing at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. They explore how Macbeth's "vaulting ambition" resonates today, the challenges of doing a three woman play and how the weather changes everything!
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Titus Andronicus; Act 3, Scene 1TitusInitiative / 26June 9, 2016
What if you threw a party and sh!t got a little crazy and then you decided to read Shakespeare's entire canon? You might be Valorie Curry and Sam Underwood, two hot young actor/producers with a healthy appetite for wine, wordplay and Bardolatry. Listen as they finish each others sentences, reveal discoveries they have made and bring Titus Andronicus to a whole new place.
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As You Like It Act 2, Scene 1 Duke Senior May 13, 2016
To Cut or not to Cut... What would you have if the "two hours traffic of our stage?" were trimmed down to the length of your average sit-com? A lot of hard choices. Author, Teacher and Performer Nick Newlin presents The 30-Minute Shakespeare Anthology.
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Happy Birthday Shakespeare! Hamilton Clancy / Shakespeare in the Parking Lot April 21, 2016
Hamilton Clancy feels that Shakespeare in THE Parking Lot is the perfect place to do Shakespeare. It is a metaphorical melting pot that highlights Shakespeare's diversity of characters. He has some big plans for The Bard's Birthday Celebration! And a fantastic season ahead...
Information on the celebration: Shakespeare in the Parking Lot or Bryant Park
Hamlet: Act 4, Scene 4HamletMarch 30, 2016
Actor and comedian David Carl breaks some rules with his one man show, "Gary Busey's One-Man Hamlet, as Performed by David Carl" to New York and Chicago this summer. We promise you, the Dane will never be the same.
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Visit his websites: David Carl and Busey Hamlet
The Reviews are in:
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/03/29/theater/if-you-want-to-make-a-hamlet-you-have-to-break-some-rules.html?smid=fb-share&referer=http://m.facebook.com&_r=0
http://www.theasy.com/Reviews/2016/G/garybuseysonemanhamlet.php
Montana Shakespeare in the ParksFebruary 25, 2016
You might call them "the Shakespeare gypsies of the Mountain West." Serving over 60 communities in 5 states, Kevin Asselin and the Montana Shakespeare in the Parks continue the long, rich tradition of Shakespeare in the Rockies. An undeniable resource in the land of natural resources, Asselin and Montana Shakes are a thing of wonder.
Listen to our interview with the "Two Pauls" as they talk Shakespeare on the Road!
Contributing Editor: Lucy Freyer
Hamlet Act 1, Scene 2 Hamlet January 28, 2016
Just out of High School, Xavier Pacheco represents the future of Shakespeare. Bright, insightful and articulate, Pacheco holds forth on what Shakespeare offers high school students, how to approach the English Speaking Union Shakespeare competition and why Shakespeare is still important in the modern age.
Video of Xavier performing at the English Speaking Union NYC Finals.
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Click here for a bio of Melissa Friedman and Epic Theatre Ensemble.
Contributing Editor: Lucy Freyer
with Xavier Pacheco December 15, 2015
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More than fun and games? Valedictorian Xavier Pacheco challenges your assumptions about STEM and the value of Arts in education. Hear how Shakespeare and the Epic Theatre Ensemble changed one student’s life.
Othello: Act 5, Scene 2OthelloNovember 30, 2015
From Henrietta Vinton Davis to Paul Robeson to The Harlem Shakespeare Festival, African American Shakespeare has a long rich history. Debra Ann Byrd, the delightful HSF Founding Artistic Director, continues the tradition with an all-female production of Othello that hit the stage this November. She shares with us her inspiration for taking on this most racially and sexually charged of Shakespeare's plays, and giving it such a radical twist.
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Contributing editor: Lucy Freyer
Twelfth Night: Act 2, Scene 5MalvolioNovember 5, 2015
Talk about cross-gartered! Ted Lewis delivers a double dose of acting agility, dealing dueling versions of Malvolio's boxtree speech. A delightful insight into the process of a member of Eric Tucker's Bedlam, one of the hottest theater companies in New York City.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival/The Pearl Theater
Rave reviews in both The New York Times and Wall Street Journal for Nance Williamson, currently appearing in the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Eric Tucker, playing at the Pearl Theater. Click here for more information.
Contributing editor: Lucy Freyer
Romeo and Juliet: Act 3, Scene 3Friar LaurenceSeptember 10, 2015
Inspired by Joseph Papp, Ralf Jean Pierre, aka "The Spearbearer," traveled over 4000 miles across the United States by bicycle. His quest: bring Shakespeare to the people, and find out whether he could create an audience literally anyplace. From corner auto body shops to exclusive country clubs to the halls of academe, Ralf put his populist theory to the test - and discovered something surprising along the way.
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The New American Shakespeare Tavern August 13, 2015
Three is the charm! After a cat and mouse game with three media giants, Jeff Watkins has spent the last 25 years bringing Shakespeare to Atlanta. The New American Shakespeare Tavern is dedicated to bringing Original Practice productions of the Bard to life. Jeff and his company of actors have a passionate desire to speak the words as written to create a communion between actor and audience. You must hear it to believe it - his words are worth a thousand pictures.
Contributing editor: Lucy Freyer
PericlesJuly 14, 2015
Bored aboard a boat during a tempest, a young Ray Chambers discovered Shakespeare and set sail on a lifelong journey. Now the Head of Acting at the University of San Diego / Old Globe Graduate Acting Program, he happily talks communicating ideas (it is hard!), overcoming obstacles (boy did he!) and the unexpected beauty of Pericles (can you say reunited?).
Contributing Editor: Lucy Freyer
Mrs. ShakespeareJune 16, 2015
Irene Kelleher is lighting up the festival circuit with Mrs. Shakespeare, a play that critics are calling "demented, brilliant and totally necessary." Is it a one-woman homage to the Bard (Bard-ette?) or is it redemption for some of Shakespeare's famously underwritten heroines? See video below!
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Mrs. Shakespeare Theatre Play from Petr Stach on Vimeo.
Juliet's NurseMay 28, 2015
Pop quiz: to whom does Juliet speak most of her lines? Surprise - it's not Romeo. Hint: she’s a funny, bawdy woman with a vibrant imagination and a lust for life. If you guessed “Lois Leveen,” you’re in for a delightful interview with the award-winning author of Juliet’s Nurse, the untold history of one of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters.
Click here to follow along with the Nurse's speech from Act 1, Scene 3 of Romeo and Juliet.
Teaching Will May 16, 2015
Could the greatest Macbeth you’ll ever see be performed by an 8-year old? When author Mel Ryane thought she had reached “the end of the road” as an actor, she decided to widen the road. Find out what William Shakespeare and ten kids gave Mel Ryane that Hollywood couldn’t.
The Antaeus Theater Co. April 21, 2015
Bill Brochtrup joins the State of Shakespeare to talk the 99 seat theater plan and it's future in Los Angeles, The Antaeus Company and the benefits of partner casting.
Antaeus is a cooperative theater ensemble founded to empower the actor and to bring classical theater to Los Angeles. The company exists to create a family of artists and audiences and is dedicated to exploring stories with enduring themes. Taking their company name from the Titan who gained strength by touching the Earth, Antaeus members — many of whom are familiar to film and television audiences — regain their creative strength by returning to the wellspring of their craft: live theater. Members of the company span a wide range of age, ethnicity and experience; they have performed on Broadway, at major regional theaters across the country, in film, television and on local stages, and are the recipients of numerous accolades including Tony, Los Angeles and New York Drama Critics Circle, Ovation, LA Weekly, and Back Stage Garland nominations and awards. Audiences, who never see an understudy due to Antaeus’ trademark “partner casting,” frequently return to see the same play in the hands of an equally excellent but very different set of actors.
Love's Labour's WonWar/PrologueApril 10, 2015
Why does everybody hate Rhetoric but love wordplay? Scott Kaiser, author and Oregon Shakespeare Festival Director of Company Development, can't repeat it often enough: take my epizeuxis please!
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Sonnet 65 Louis Colaianni
Louis Colaianni on Sonnet 65 and how the miracle of language conquers time.
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Romeo and JulietPrologueMarch 15, 2015
Louis Colaianni, co-author (with Cal Pritner) of How to Speak Shakespeare, takes us on the most delightful deconstruction of the famous "Two Households" prologue we've ever heard.
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"Hot and bold," or "weak and cold?" How "old" is Shakespeare's English, really? Louis Colaianni, Voice into Shakespeare professor at Yale University, has the answer.
The Winter's Tale: Act 3, Scene 2HermioneFebruary 12, 2015
How does an actor give voice to unspeakable grief? Don't fake the funk. Jolly Abraham, appearing as Hermione in The Winter's Tale at New York's Pearl Theater, breathes life into Shakespeare's most ahem "statuesque" heroine.
The Winter's Tale begins previews at the Pearl Theater on February 10th and runs through March 15th. Click here for more information and tickets.
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Hamlet Act 4, Scene 4 Hamlet January 14, 2015 Choose the words! Eric Tucker, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Bedlam, lets us in past the velvet ropes for a look at a company that is being lauded as one of the best in New York City. Performing a piece from Act 4, Scene 4 of Hamlet, Mr. Tucker moves his audience with questions. What does Hamlet have to say about honor and would Shakespeare agree? To pause or not to pause? Is there a method to the madness, or is it just bedlam? Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for the Second Quarto version. Click here for a scanned version of the text. Click here for the Wall Street Journal's article naming Eric Tucker the best director of 2014.
Much Ado About Nothing: Act 1, Scene 1BeatriceDecember 9, 2014
Do the math! What do you get when you cross "It's a Wonderful Life" with "His Girl Friday?" It's a very merry Much Ado. Actress Marion Adler joins us from the rehearsal hall at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's holiday-themed production of Much Ado About Nothing (begins December 6th at the F. M Kirby Shakespeare Theatre.) Join us in a celebration of Beatrice from Act 1, Scene 1 of Much Ado About Nothing.
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Billy Shakespeare - The Movie November 17, 2014
What if William Shakespeare were alive and writing today? For writer/director/producer Deborah Voorhees, this curious question led to a feature length film. Billy Shakespeare - The Movie is an irreverent tale about a modern day Shakespeare. The film trifles with Shakespeare's sexuality, slings arrows at his misogyny and toys with the term "lack-beard". Join the fun from inspiration to final cut on this episode of the State of Shakespeare.
Links to Billy Shakespeare - The Movie.
www.billyshakespearethemovie.com
IMDB
Amazon
Sonnet 29October 6, 2014
"The words you talk, that'll be the words you walk" Devon Glover is spreading the Shakespeare word in a unique and refreshingly new way. As The Sonnet Man, Devon is introducing Shakespeare to students by turning the Sonnets into hip hop masterpieces. Putting Shakespeare to a beat connects young students to the text and teaches them about the verse at the same time. It all adds up to one amazing interview as he discusses and performs Sonnet 29.
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Links to The Sonnet Man:
www.SonnetMan.comwww.twitter.com/thesonnetmannycwww.facebook.com/TheSonnetManwww.instagram.com/teedome
Dr. Paul Prescott Dr. Paul Edmondson September 5, 2014 It's a British Invasion! Dr. Paul Edmondson and Dr. Paul Prescott have realized a true Shakespeare Midsummer dream. ‘Shakespeare on the Road’ is the story of Shakespeare in contemporary North America told through an epic road trip in the summer of 2014. In July and August, the team visited a range of Shakespeare festivals across the length and breadth of the US and Canada. Over 60 days, they traveled roughly 10,000 miles, saw dozens of Shakespeare productions and met hundreds of the people who – year in, year out – make Shakespeare happen across the continent. Join us to hear the story of this fantastic journey of discovery and entertainment.
Click here to visit the official Shakespeare on the Road website.
Richard III Act 4, Scene 4Richard IIIAugust 21, 2014
What do Frank Underwood and Oscar Pistorius have in common? The answer: Richard III. Recently returned from a turn as the famously crippled monarch, Actor Drew Cortese digs down to the bones of this rhetorical monster. Drew descants on his process, the art of laying the plot one word at a time, and how to avoid louring in the role after the curtain falls. Come caper with us through the most unlikely seduction in Shakespeare's cannon (hint: it isn't the "Lady Anne" scene!)
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Why do most audiences look frighteningly homogenous, and why should we be alarmed? Actor Drew Cortese makes an impassioned plea for diversity in theater. How will embracing a wider view of the world we live in today inform the way we tell stories, and what fate awaits us if we fail?
Much Ado About Nothing Act 4, Scene 1 Beatrice July 28, 2014 What means the word Honor in a world of lies and broken promises? Rebecca Watson straps on her armor and drops one of the deadliest ultimatums in the history of the war of the sexes. It’s the delicious "Kill Claudio" zinger from Act 4, Scene 1 of Much Ado About Nothing. Man up!
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Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene 1Duke OrsinoJuly 1, 2014
“High fantastical?” What in Illyria is that supposed to mean? We pack our gypsy trunk and catch up with Grant Goodman to find out. Come along as we hop a mid stop, ride the text and listen as Jim schools Gerritt in a scansion smackdown. Grant Goodman plays the lovesick Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, opening July 2nd, 2014.
Click here to read Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene i - First Folio.
Click here to read Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene i - modern text.
Click here to read Twelfth Night: Act 1, Scene i - scansion.
All's Well that Ends Well Act 4, Scene 3 Parolles June 12, 2014 "Holy Parolles!" How do you make an audience fall in love with Shakespeare’s most irreverent, blasphemous and despicable characters? Fusing his modern sensibility with an innate feel for the text, mad comic genius Jason O’Connell reprises his unforgettable Parolles from All's Well that Ends Well. (Catch Jason and SoS favorites Katie Hartke and Gabra Zackman in The Liar, opening this week at The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival!) Click here to see Act 4, Scene 3 - First Folio.
Click here to see Act 4, Scene 3 - modern.
Click here for a fully scanned version of Act 4, Scene 3.
The Tempest Ariel Act III, Scene iii & Various Speeches May 14, 2014
"Was't well done?" Erin Partin, a familiar face at the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, forges into the fantastical world of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. When magician and sprite tangle, whose humanity is at stake? Fun ensues as we discover what makes this tricksy spirit tick.
Ms. Partin plays Ariel in The Tempest, playing at The Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey from May 28th to June 22nd. Click here for more info.
Click here to see the various speeches we cover.
Click here to see Act 3, Scene 3 - First Folio.
Click here to see Act 3, Scene 3 - modern.
Click here for a fully scanned version of Act 3, Scene 3.
Giving deeper meaning to the concept of Networking, Actor Rebecca Watson reveals what it takes and how far she is willing to go to pursue roles. Touching on professional behavior and her own gambits, Ms. Watson is relentless when it comes to finding work.
Shakespeare on Film February 6, 2014 Is a film set just another "venue" in which to perform Shakespeare? John Osburn has spent over twenty years studying the medium that didn't exist when Shakespeare was writing. Filmmakers and actors from Laurence Olivier to Orson Welles to Joss Whedon have tackled the tricky business of putting the Bard on film. Can the magic of the silver screen enhance the experience of a Shakespeare play, or is something lost in translation?
February 10, 2014
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How does an actor compel an audience to listen? According to actor James Newcomb, the art of creating a role demands discipline, sweat... and sometimes a good long soak in a steaming bath. Jamie reflects on his process and what Fluellen (Henry V) might teach a young actor about the care that craftsmanship demands. James Newcomb will be playing the Welsh Captain at the the Chicago Shakespeare Theater opening April 29th.
Actor James Newcomb tells the story of how he became a founding member of Shakespeare & Co. A peek into the inception of one of our most beloved Shakespeare companies.
Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2; Act 2, Scene 3Lady PercyJanuary 20, 2014
Lost the fresh blood in your cheeks? As the better half of Shakespeare's famously sexy couple from Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2, Kelley Curran's Lady Percy puts the "hot" in Hotspur. Finding strength in questions, Kelley is precise and nice (nice?) in her approach to the text. This is one interview that might make you drop an octave or two. (Kelley Curran performs Lady Percy at the Shakespeare Theater of DC starting March 25th.)
Click here to see speech from Part I. Click here to see speech from Part II.
Click here to see speech from Part I - First Folio.
Click here to see speech from Part II - First Folio.
Click here for a fully scanned version of Part I.
Click here for a fully scanned version of Part II.
Robert Richmond and Richard Sheridan Willis are at it again, with a daring production of Richard III at the Folger Theater. Get a glimpse into the Actor's neurosis (and director's!) as we talk about the process of working on one of Shakespeare's most adored plays.
The Tempest Act 4, Scene 1 Prospero The Tempest Act 2, Scene 2 Caliban December 5, 2013 Dreams are being made at the Warehouse Theater in Greenville, SC. Robert Richmond and Richard Sheridan Willis continue their 20 year collaboration with The Tempest. Combining the roles of Caliban and Prospero as well as Ariel and Miranda, the two artists explore the psychology of Prospero in an intriguing production with flashes of Jekyll-and-Hyde, and a dangerously dark undercurrent swirling between father and daughter. Their revels are definitely not ended. Production Photos by: ©patrick cox photography Click here to see Prospero's text. Click here to see Caliban's text. Click here for here for the First Folio Version of Prospero's text.
Click here for here for the First Folio Version of Caliban's text.
Click here for a fully scanned version of Prospero's text.
Click here for a fully scanned version of Caliban's text. Video excerpts from the production:
http://stateofshakespeare.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/the_tempest_640x360.mp4
Katie Hartke has taught Shakespeare to cadets at West Point and children in elementary schools. Just how palatable is Shakespeare with these shining-faced schoolboys and the (not-so) bearded soldiers - and what do they have in common? Hint: You will be surprised!
Cymbeline: Act 3, Scene 2ImogenJune 18, 2013
Oh for a horse with wings! Katie Hartke gets Jim and Gerritt giddy with delight as they break down Imogen's speech from Cymbeline. Get the scoop on this "problem" play, complicated repetition and how to play high emotional moments from a master of text. This interview is beyond beyond!
Click here to see the text.
Click here for here for the First Folio Version.
Click here to see a fully scanned version of the text.
The Winter's Tale: Act 1, Scene 2LeontesAugust 16, 2013
Use yourself! In a very frank and candid interview, Chris Clavelli reveals how his experiences inform his roles. From forgetting your lines to losing a child, Chris takes us on a journey of artistic development. He does so with eloquence and a tart sense of humor.
Click here to see the text.
Click here for here for the First Folio Version.
Click here to see a fully scanned version of the text.