The State of Shakespeare

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. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a scanned version of the text.

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. 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.

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. 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 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! 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.

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. 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.

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 2, Scene 7 - Jacques Shakespeare in QatarMay 29, 2019 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. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a scanned version of the text.

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 Falstaff: Henry IV, Part I January 29, 2019 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! Click here to follow along with the text.

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. Click here to follow along with the text

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! 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.

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. 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. 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.

Voice CoachActing TeacherAugust 30, 2018 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. 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. 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. 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 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 IagoMarch 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. 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.

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. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio version of the text.

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. 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 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. 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.

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. Click here to follow along with the text.

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. Click here to follow along with the text.

Utah Shakespeare FestivalJuly 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 JulietJune 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? Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio Version. Click here for a Scanned Version of the text. 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. 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. Click here to follow along with the speech. Click here for the First Folio Version. Click here for a scanned version. Click here to listen to Hamilton talk about Shakespeare in the Parking Lot!

Macbeth; Act 1, Scene 7 MacbethJuly 20, 2016 Photograph © T Charles Erickson [email protected] 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! Click here to follow along with the speech. Click here for the First Folio Version. Click here for a scanned version.

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. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a scanned version of the text.

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. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for the First Folio Version. Click here for the scanned version of the text.

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. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here to see a scanned version of the text. Click here for the Second Quarto Version. 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