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Professor Caroline Bicks holds the inaugural Stephen E. King Chair of Literature at the University of Maine, and is the first scholar to be granted extended access by King to his private archives. That research has led to Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King, her new book that digs deep into King's original manuscripts and discovers connections to William Shakespeare along the way. Bicks reveals how she was able to confront her fears sparked by King's books and meeting the man himself; how King initially conceived The Shining as a Shakespearean tragedy; how King's depictions of teenagers reaching "mental puberty" corresponded with her own investigation into Shakespeare's works; the importance of "public-facing scholarship;" and the incredible value of reading books for their literary value at the same time you're already reading for pleasure. (Length 30:35) The post Year Of Fear appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Playwright Jacques Lamarre returns to discuss his epic new work, Circus Fire, which commemorates one of the worst fire disasters in U.S. history, and which Hartford's Theaterworks is producing as part of its 40th anniversary season. Jacques reveals the origins of his own fascination with the topic; how this is the largest production Theaterworks has ever mounted; how it's already been extended twice, despite some public controversy; where Jacques got his start as a playwright (and who gets the credit and/or blame); the inspiration he takes from Tectonic Theater’s The Laramie Project; how this event changed live performance across the country; how even a story of tragedy needs – like the circus itself – moments of joy. (Length 31:27)  The post Hartford’s Circus Fire appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Actor, author, director, and educator Ben Crystal returns to discuss his book Shakespeare on Toast, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary and is now available in short entertaining clips on Instagram. Ben shares how the book came to be and the origins of its terrific title; how he and his father wrote the definitive work for the 21st century Shakespeare's Words: A Glossary and Language Companion, and how the books continues to be improved and an online resource; how bringing his scholarship to social media combines his academic and artistic skills; incredible insights into 17th-century language from 21st-century students; and the importance of providing a holistic way into Shakespeare's works. (Length 28:02) The post Shakespeare On Toast appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Matthew Croke, former clown, RSC actor, and current podcast consigliere, returns to discuss where the RSC Podcast should go in its next 1000 episodes. Matt and Austin discuss the huge recent bump in German listeners; share tips and cautionary tales for our fellow content creators; compare podcast editing platforms Descript and Riverside; tease a possible new recurring segment; reveal the importance of breaking eggs when you're learning to make an omelette; engage in shameless product placement; and strategize how we can continue to build our community of RSC fans and theatre lovers. (Length 27:15) The post RSC Podcast Whisperer appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

After shocking upsets in last week's Rounds of 64 and 32, our Ides of March Madness tournament continues with a Sweet 16 consisting of Nick Bottom vs. Richard III, Beatrice vs. Sir John Falstaff, Juliet vs. Cassius, Marc Antony vs. Margaret, Aaron vs. Hamlet, Emilia vs. Prince Hal/Henry V, Lady Macbeth vs. Caliban, and Paulina vs. Viola. Judges DeeDee Batteast, Nate Cohen, Elizabeth Dennehy, Gregory Linington, and Austin Tichenor call it the way they see it and reveal how some unjustifiable seeding gets exposed when characters go head-to-head; how “the noblest Roman of them all” fares against a teenage girl from Verona; how Queen Margaret begins as Juliet; Aaron’s aristocratic origins; how the possibility of playing these characters with the Back Room Shakespeare Project became an important contributing factor; several come-from-behind victories when the outcome looked obvious; and how characters who appear across multiple plays have a decided(ly unfair?) advantage. Who will win the crown of Shakespeare's Best Character? Hear here! (Length 52:41) The post Ides of March Madness 2026 (Part 2) appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

It. Has. Come. Down. To. This. RSC co-artistic director Austin Tichenor is joined by actors, directors, coaches, and Shakespeareans DeeDee Batteast, Elizabeth Dennehy, Gregory Linington, and director/mathemagician Nate Cohen to decide Shakespeare's Best Character in our (mostly) annual Ides of March Madness tournament. The distinguished panel reveals unexpected seeding for some characters fans won't see coming; some heart-stopping upsets; how the depth of some characters compares to the breadth of others; the kind of Rosalind we’re all dying to see; how Nate gamed out the entire season to arrive at this field of 64; threading the needle of Best vs. Great vs. Favorite; how some lesser-known characters punch above their recognition level; which character gets (appropriately enough) voted off the island in the first round; a bold approach to Shylock; and a Sweet Sixteen of undeniable greatness that will compete resolutely when our tournament concludes next week. #EdmundWasRight (Length 1:28:58) The post Ides of March Madness 2026 (Part 1) appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

William Sutton has memorized all of Shakespeare’s sonnets so you don’t have to, and created ILoveShakespeare.com (above), an online collection and examination of all 154 of Shakespeare’s sonnets organized by themes of Love, Death, Nature, Pain, and Time. Will is an actor, educator, and alumnus of The Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, and reveals the possibly real reason Shakespeare wrote exactly 154 sonnets; how he mastered Elizabethan English by learning and speaking the sonnets; how you too can join the pantheon of actors who’ve come before us; how Shakespeare's words are only the beginning; that time he was invited to recite a sonnet at Shakespeare's gravesite; how he was able to pluck from memory Sonnet 138; and the way in which a self-described ‘bear of very little brain’ has come to understand not only Shakespeare’s sonnets, but his plays. (Length 22:19) The post Memorizing Shakespeare’s Sonnets appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

The Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation, one of the UK’s oldest cultural education charities, hosts the annual Shakespeare Schools Festival, which gives young people the confidence and skills to succeed in life by using the unique power of Shakespeare to transform lives. Mike Tucker, the head of the Foundation, discusses how they demystify Shakespeare (for teachers and students alike) by removing him from his pedestal; how the process of creating theater creates essential life skills; the importance of failing and learning you are more than your mistakes; the necessity of understanding that the value is in the process, not the product; and how the rehearsal room is not a luxury, it’s a training-ground for democracy. (Length 22:18) The post Shakespeare Schools Festival appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Professor Ronan Hatfull literally wrote the book on the Reduced Shakespeare Company. His new book from Bloomsbury/Arden – Shakespeare in the Theatre: Reduced Shakespeare Company – is the very first full-length study to be published about the RSC. Focusing specifically on our Shakespearean reduction and adaptation, Ronan's book examines the origins and evolution of the company through the creation of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), The Reduced Shakespeare Radio Show, William Shakespeare's Long Lost First Play (abridged), and The Comedy of Hamlet! (a prequel). Ronan shares his methodology; how he wanted to make his book accessible to the general reader; how he learned that the RSC carries on the 17th-century tradition of “drolls”; how the RSC injected a bit of danger and the unexpected into Shakespeare and influenced various folks like the Q Brothers and Potted Potter creator Daniel Clarkson; and how for a limited time, Arden Shakespeare is offering to RSC fans a 35% discount on the hardcover edition of the book! (Length 24:54) The post Reduced Shakespeare Book appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Say hello to the newest UK incarnation of the Reduced Shakespeare Company! Efé Agwele, Woogie Jung, Kiran Raywilliams, and Tom Pavey join director and RSC founder Adam Long to discuss our brand-new tour of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) that's hitting at least 29 cities across the UK in this first half of 2026. The gang talks about how they were cast; their origins both humble and impressive; incorporating micro Shakespeare moments; experience with something called the Jesus College Shakespeare Project; our first live conversation from the back of the bus to Oxford University; and the key importance for touring actors to be "pre-loved-up"! (Length 27:44) (PICTURED, above l-r: Kiran Raywilliams, Efé Agwele, Tom Pavey (seated), and Woogie Jung. Photo by Michael Wharley.) The post New RSCUK Actors appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Our live celebration of 1000 weeks of podcasting onstage at Chicago's Annoyance Theater continues this week as Annoyance founder and directors Mick Napier and Jennifer Estlin discuss the evolution of their mentalism and closeup magic double-act. Mick and Jen share their early inspiration; a special appearance from telephone psychic Vanessa Sawyer from the Kenny Kingston Psychic Hotline; shout-out Chicago’s Magic Lounge, where Napier and Estlin have played before; and how the danger of knowing too much or overthinking a thing can sometimes destroy the magic of that thing; a fantastic definition of magic; how the value of most institutions is the generations of artists who’ve contributed to its legacy; and a partial answer to the question “Are magicians born or made?” (Length 26:17) The post Napier And Estlin appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

It's our 1000th episode! And we celebrated in high-style with a live recording onstage at Chicago's Annoyance Theatrewith Annoyance's founder and artistic director Mick Napier (Paradigm Lost, Exit 57) and its executive director Jennifer Estlin. Mick and Jen discuss the theatre's origins; how Mick wanted to set the Annoyance apart from what Second Citywas doing (but ended up returning to the mothership to direct a landmark production that changed the culture there forever); how Jen kept the Annoyance going during the pandemic; and how they both have made the Annoyance an artistic home for generations of multi-talented actors and improvisers. PART TWO OF OUR CONVERSATION WILL BE AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK, OR YOU CAN WATCH THE WHOLE THING ON YOUTUBE RIGHT NOW! (Length 22:44) The post The Annoyance Theatre (Episode #1000!) appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Author James Finn Garner (Politically Correct Bedtime Stories) returns to discuss his latest satire, Politically Correct Peter Pan, and the difficulties of staying ahead of contemporary sensibilities. Garner reveals how his background as an actor informs his writing; how he gets to do what he loves; how he prefers editing what he's written to actually writing; the fun of playing in sandboxes other authors have created; the opportunities of his glorious Substack; and finally, the phenomenon of "Pansplaining." (Cover art by Lia Garner.) (Length 21:24) The post PC Peter Pan appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

What happens when you’re a five-person theatre company whose stage manager is too sick to fly and the shipping company won’t deliver your props and costumes? Reed Martin explains what happened last month when those hiccups affected our performances of The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) in Oregon and Washington. It’s a tale of improvisation; scrambling and calling on reserves; promoting from within; early mornings and late nights; the beauty of muscle memory; all hands being on deck all across the country; getting the chance to admire beautiful scenery; not panicking; the show going on; and the whole thing turning into a Christmas (ultimate) miracle. (Length 19:47) The post Joys Of Touring appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Mary Hartman, the director of education at Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival in Vancouver, BC, Canada, shares her philosophy for Shakespeare education and its emphasis on play. Mary reveals why threads is a better term than themes; how Shakespeare’s plays should not be poetry readings; how she's developed the Discovery Zone, an extensive free resource for both students and educators; and how so much of Shakespeare’s power is not just in his words, but in the relationship of actors to each other and to the audience. NOTE: This conversation was recorded the night before we learned Tina Packer, the Founding Artistic Director of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts and an acclaimed director, actor, writer, and teacher, died at the age of 87. Tina was a mentor to generations of artists, scholars, and educators, including Mary, and so this conversation is an unintentionally timely tribute to and celebration of the legacy of Tina Packer. (Length 19:30) The post Play(s), Not Work(s) appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.