The State of Shakespeare

Titus Andronicus; Act 5, Scene 1 AaronApril 29, 2026 “I have done a thousand dreadful thingsAs willingly as one would kill a fly,And nothing grieves me heartily indeedBut that I cannot do ten thousand more.”   Director Jesse Berger and actor McKinley Belcher III dish up their critically acclaimed Titus Andronicus, now in an extended run with Red Bull Theater in New York City. Together, we carve into why Shakespeare's notoriously blood-soaked tragedy serves the moment. Click here for information about Red Bull Theater Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a Folio Version Click here for a scanned version

As You Like It Folger TheatreApril 20, 2026 How should an actor approach Shakespeare’s language? Is the focus on rehearsing delivery, or on cultivating presence in the moment? Director Timothy Douglas credits the teachings of Tina Packer and Kristin Linklater for shaping his approach to helping actors “own” Shakespeare. His latest collaboration, As You Like It, at the Folger Theatre in Washington, DC runs through April 19. The quote we talk about in the interview: As You Like It; Act 4, Scene 1: (spoken by Rosalind, disguised as Ganymede to Jacques in Act 4, scene 1) 24. I fear you have sold your own lands to see other men'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, 2026 Which 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, 2025 Is 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, 2025 The 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, 2025 If 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, 2025 From 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, 2025 Words, 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 Theater https://www.folger.edu/whats-on/twelfth-night

Shakespeare, Appreciated Hamlet; Act 5, Scene 2May 29, 2025 Gideon 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 Shakespeare Shakespeare's Real Take Gideon's podcast

Anonymous Agnostic Antichrists March 31, 2025 The 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, 2025 As 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 Shakespeare New York TImes: Cancel Shakespeare Shakespeare in the Theatre: Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Falstaff; Act 4, Scene 2 Henry IV, Part 2January 10, 2025 Falstaff 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, 2024 From 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, 2024 Vanessa 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 Center Click here for more information on Vanessa's 50/50 Shakespeare Project

Henry IV, Part I; Act 5, Scene 1 WorcesterJune 30, 2024 Inside-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, 2024 There’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, 2024 In 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 Festival Click here to follow along with the text. Click here to see a First Folio Version Click here to see a Scanned Version

Pericles; Act 5, Scene 1 Pericles and MarinaMarch 12, 2024 We 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, 2024 Photo by Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez Actor 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, 2024 To 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, 2023 Elena 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, 2023 Canadian 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, 2023 Marquis 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 text Click 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.   Love's Labors Lost Photo Credits: T. Charles Erickson

Hamlet; Act 2, Scene 2 HamletMay 26, 2023 When 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/472695614/28291ad3f3 https://vimeo.com/414838224/52084c59e3

Hamlet; Act 3, Scene 1 HamletFebruary 28, 2023 Drop 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, 2023 What 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. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio version of the text.

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.   Click here to follow along with the text. Click here to see a First Folio version of the text. Click here for a scanned version of the text. 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. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio version of the text. Click here for more information about CTH.

Val Winkelman and John Dodd June 18, 2022 In Texas, when something delightful has been marinating for 36 years, you know you’re in for a treat. The Texas Shakespeare Festival has been a staple of East Texas since the 1980's. For five decades, TSF’s own John Dodd and Val Winkelman have helped to feed (literally) and nurture hundreds of theatre artists. They share advice, anecdotes and a who's who of TSF Alum (including at least one who will be familiar to SoS listeners ;) This is one Shakespeare Festival that is aged to perfection. 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. Click here to follow along with the text. 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. Click here to follow Scott with the text.

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. 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.

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. 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 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. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a Scanned Version of the text.

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?

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.

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"? Click here to follow along with the modern version of the text. Click here to follow along with the Folio Version of the text. Click here for a scanned version of the text.