Language, Aristotle, and the Matrix

Why Shakespeare? The man died 395 years ago, and yet his plays are performed over and over. There are many reasons for the Bard's enduring popularity, including his profound grasp of human emotion and psychology, his humor, and the historical aspect he introduced into many of his plays. But many commentators site his grasp of language as his defining characteristic.

Hamlet in prison...

Just a caught a fascinating program this weekend from This American Life on National Public Radio: 218: Act V (Hamlet in Prison).

The audio story followed a group of convicts at a high-security prison for six months as they rehearsed and then performed Act V of Shakespeare's Hamlet.  Interesting to hear in the time-lapse segments how the dialogue developed over the six months.  From the website:

Shakespeare might seem like an odd match for a group of hardened criminals, but Jack found that they understand the Bard on a level that most of us might not.  It's a play about murder and its consequences, performed by murderers, living out the consequences.

This weekend's program was originally aired August 9, 2002.  Find the program here (note: because of the prison environment, some of the content deals with mature themes).

A Midsummer Night's Dream coming in September

After a wonderful inaugural production last fall, Shakespeare Under the Stars is bringing Mr. Shakespeare back to the St. Marys Golf Course this coming September. Tim Akers will direct the ever-popular A Midsummer Night's Dream, which will be produced by Ben Moats and designed and staged by Eric Stevenson. The trio brought down the house last year and aim to expand this year.

Auditions for Dream are at 6:00 PM, Friday, July 15 in the St. Mary's College auditorium, St. Marys. The director asks that actors bring a monologue or be prepared to read random soliloquies from the Bard's works.  Email: shakespeareunderthestars@gmail.com for more information or directions.

Shrew media

A few area media stories that covered The Taming of the Shrew...

Topeka Capital Journal: Bard Plays Through at the Links

St. Marys Star: Comedy slated for September

St. Marys Star:  Shakespeare Draws Large Audience

St. Marys Star:  Production Profitable for Memorial Renovation

Facebook: Kansas Rural Communities Foundation

Video from the Shrew...

Some footage from the Shrew - a little grainy, but it whets the appetite...

Shakespeare Under the Stars makes Kansas Best 150

We made the list! Click here to see the Kansas Best 150 list

Taming of the Shrew a hit!

A new production company brought Shakespeare's vocabulary and comedy to the Flint Hills last September with a performance of The Taming of The Shrew, presented by the Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival.  The FHSF is a community-base initiative focused on providing fine outdoor theatre and music experiences to Kansans in the Flint Hills and beyond.  At the beautiful, natural amphitheatre of the St. Marys Golf Course's 4th hole and under a full moon, over 900 patrons enjoyed the Bard's classic comedy about a woman who won't be tamed and the man who proves otherwise - with both learning gentleness and selflessness in the process.  The weekend was a great success: the bar has been set high for this annual festival!

Produced by Ben Moats, directed by Tim Akers and with sets by Eric Stevenson, the cast was made up of local performers, with others from Topeka, Wamego, and surrounding communities.  Many of the cast have appeared on St. Marys area stages, including the Topeka Performing Arts Center and the historic Columbian Theatre in Wamego.

Check out photos from the performance!