Lust, betrayal, revenge plus sex equals … William Shakespeare. Yes, that Shakespeare. When it comes to tragedy, nobody tops the Bard. Unfortunately endless years of English lit teachers forcing “Hamlet” monologues down our collective throats cause many to cringe at the mere mention of his name.  

It’s not Shakespeare’s fault! He never intended his plays to be read. In fact, Will created his works – which focused on the perplexing problem that is humanity – to be interpreted through actors in front of an audience. 

Long before Oprah and Dr. Phil, Shakespeare addressed topics including peer pressure, depression, suicide, and family issues. His plays put the spotlight on universal problems that still exist despite our efforts to pretend otherwise. 

But Shakespeare didn’t dwell solely on doom and gloom. In fact, today’s sitcoms owe their beginnings to his mastery of witty repartee. There were no IMAX theaters in Elizabethan times so Shakespeare wrote to entertain and share ideas about the human condition and the nature of existence. The good, the bad and the downright fugly!  

Watching a performance by The Shakespeare Initiative might help fill in the blanks for those who have only read Shakespeare in a class setting. It’s our pleasure to literally bring to life the passion and prose of one of the world’s greatest writers for audiences of all ages