This new podcast series is created for those interested in a fun and informative look into the current STC production.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company Windows program offers audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their connections to the production. Discussion participants for Windows on Ion were: STC Literary Associate Akiva Fox; director Ethan McSweeny; and Norman Sandridge, classics professor at Howard University. The Company's production of Ion ran March 10 through April 12, 2009 at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW).

The Shakespeare Theatre Company explores Lope de Vega's The Dog in the Manger through its discussion series Classics in Context.  This podcast features STC Director of Education Gregory Smith; Amanda Maddox, Associate Curator at the Corcoran; blogger John Aravosis from AmericaBlog; Christopher K. Morgan, Resident Choreographer at CityDance; and Argentinian composer Mariano Vales from the Organization of American States.  The Dog in the Manger ran February 10 to March 29, 2009.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company explores William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night through its discussion series Classics in Context.  This podcast features STC Director of Education Gregory Smith; Heidi Hinish from the National Gallery of Art; and Christopher K. Morgan, Resident Choreographer at CityDance.  Twelfth Night ran December 2, 2008 to January 11, 2009.

Director Ethan McSweeny discusses his production of Euripides’ Ion.  In Ion, the Greek playwright Euripides crafts a remarkable romance of loss and reconciliation. Abandoned by his parents, Ion grows up as an orphan at Apollo’s temple. But when his mother appears in search of a prophecy, Ion must confront both his painful past and his unexpected destiny. Euripides’ plot twists and turns with jealousy and revenge before culminating in a reunion scene of deep tenderness and pathos. Ethan McSweeny returns to direct his second Greek tragedy for STC, after his “stunning … acutely theatrical” production of The Persians in 2006 (The Washington Post). He will direct the American premiere of David Lan’s new version, which captures the rich beauty of this neglected masterpiece.  The production runs March 10 to April 12, 2009, in the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW).

The Shakespeare Theatre Company Windows program offers audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their connections to the production. Discussion participants for Windows on The Dog in the Manger were: Michael Kahn (STC Artistic Director), director Jonathan Munby, Hugo Medrano (GALA Hispanic Theatre Artistic Director) and Macarena Baez, director of GALA’s The Best Judge, the King. The Company's production of The Dog in the Manger runs February 10 through March 29, 2009 in the Lansburgh Theatre (450 Seventh St. NW).

Director Jonathan Munby discusses his production of Lope de Vega’s The Dog in the Manger.  A master of Spain's Golden Age, Lope de Vega explores love, fidelity and class with wry humor in The Dog in the Manger. The haughty countess Diana rejects her many aristocratic suitors only to fall in love with her handsome young secretary, Teodoro. To pursue this forbidden love, Diana must sabotage her suitors, deceive her friends and concoct ever-more elaborate schemes. Lope balances high tragedy and low comedy, examining the savage whims of the human heart. Jonathan Munby makes his STC debut directing the East Coast premiere of David Johnston’s translation of this rarely performed classic. Munby, a frequent director with the Royal Shakespeare Company, has been praised for his “high-octane” productions (The Sunday Times).  The production runs February 10 to March 29, 2009, in the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Lansburgh Theatre (450 Seventh St. NW).

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Theological Discussions provide audience members another lens through which to examine the plays of our season. This discussion explores William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in a discussion titled The Family Divided. The discussion features STC Literary Associate Akiva Fox with Reverend Roger A. Ferlo, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Lifetime Theological Education at Virginia Theological Seminary. The discussion was presented in conjunction with the Company's production of Twelfth Night, which ran December 2, 2008 to January 11, 2009.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company Windows program offers audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their connections to the production. Discussion participants for Windows on Twelfth Night were: Akiva Fox (STC Literary Associate), director Rebecca Bayla Taichman, and Professor Tobias Gregory (Professor of Literature of the Renaissance at Catholic University). The Company's production of Twelfth Night ran December 2, 2008 through January 11, 2009.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company explores William Congreve's The Way of the World through its discussion series Classics in Context.  This podcast features STC Director of Education Gregory Smith; Amanda Maddox, Associate Curator at the Corcoran; blogger John Aravosis from AmericaBlog; and Peter DiMuro, Director of Dance/MetroDC.  The Way of the World runs September 30 to November 16, 2008.

Director Rebecca Bayle Taichman discusses her production of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.  One of Shakespeare's greatest comedies, Twelfth Night ponders love lost and found.  A shipwreck separates twins Viola and Sebastian, but tragedy quickly turns to comedy when they wash up in a land turned upside-down by love.  With raucous antics, ravishing language and rich characters, Shakespeare creates a bittersweet tale of laughter and longing.  Rebecca Bayla Taichman returns after her "chic, funny and marvelously acted” production of The Taming of the Shrew (The Washington Post).  Veanne Cox will play Olivia, following her role in The Way of the World, and will be joined by STC favorites Floyd King and Nancy Robinette.  The production runs December 2, 2008, to January 4, 2009, in the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW).

The Shakespeare Theatre Company explores William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet through its discussion series Classics in Context.  This podcast features STC Director of Education Gregory Smith; Amanda Maddox, Associate Curator at the Corcoran; blogger John Aravosis from AmericaBlog; and Christopher Morgan, Resident Choreographer at CityDance.  Romeo and Juliet ran September 9 to October 18, 2008.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company Windows program offers audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their connections to the production. Discussion participants for Windows on The Way of the World were: Steven Mazzola (STC Audience Enrichment Programs Manager), assistant director Alan Paul (STC Resident Assistant Director), and Professor Deborah Payne Fisk (Associate Professor of Theatre and Literature at American University). The Company's production of The Way of the World runs September 30 through November 16, 2008.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company Windows program offers audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their connections to the production. Discussion participants for Windows on Romeo and Juliet were: Akiva Fox (STC Literary Associate), director David Muse (STC Associate Artistic Director), and Dr. Lynette Hunter and Mr. Peter Lichtenfels (University of California Davis). The Company's production of Romeo and Juliet ran September 9 through October 18, 2008.

Shakespeare Theatre Company Literary Associate Akiva Fox discusses the historical context of restoration comedy and the place of William Congeve's The Way of the World within the genre.

Director Michael Kahn discusses his production of William Congreve's The Way of the World.  Featuring witty repartee in the grand tradition of The Country Wife and The Beaux' Stratagem, Congreve's delicious comedy of manners sends up courtship and marriage. Amid the gossip and frivolous love affairs of fashionable London society, the clever and conniving lovers Millamant and Mirabell are determined to pursue "a marriage of true minds." But Millamant's jealous guardian stands in their way. The only way to achieve their goal is to beat the fops, the fools and the resentful rivals at their own game—through double-dealing and outrageous deception.  The productions runs September 30 to November 16, 2008, in the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th St. NW).

Director David Muse discusses his production of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.  The world’s greatest and most enduring love story, Romeo and Juliet follows its star-crossed lovers as they hurtle from their first shy glances to their last heartrending kiss. Caught between their feuding families, Romeo and Juliet desperately struggle to build a world insulated from the violence, but their love races toward a final confrontation with fate. Inspired by the Elizabethan tradition of all-male casts, Muse stages this poetic masterwork as Shakespeare would have, with men playing all of the roles.  The productions runs September 9 to October 12, 2008, in the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW).

The Shakespeare Theatre Company explores Moliere's The Imaginary Invalid through its discussion series Classics in Context.  This podcast features James Collins, Professor of History, Georgetown University, and Heather Nathans, Associate Professor of Theatre, University of Maryland.  The Imaginary Invalid ran June 10 to August 2, 2008.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company Windows program offers audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their connections to the production. Discussion participants for Windows on The Imaginary Invalid were: Akiva Fox (STC Literary Associate), director Keith Baxter and Peter Shoemaker (Associate Professor of French at the Catholic University of America). The Company's production of The Imaginary Invalid runs June 10 to August 2, 2008.

Director David Muse discusses his production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. As swift and enthralling as a political thriller, Julius Caesar portrays the life-and-death struggle for power in Rome. Fearing that Caesar's growing strength and ambitions threaten the Republic, a faction of politicians plots to assassinate him. But when Caesar is killed, chaos engulfs Rome. In Caesar, Brutus and Mark Antony, Shakespeare created three fascinating, dynamic characters. The productions runs April 27 to July 6, 2008, in the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW).

Director Michael Kahn discusses his production of William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Featuring some of the most sublime poetry of love and loss ever written, Antony and Cleopatra is a dark portrait of an ill-fated love affair. The play begins almost a decade after the events of Julius Caesar, with civil unrest roiling imperial Rome. the aging Mark Antony, one of the empire's three rulers, lives a decadent life in Egypt, carousing with Queen Cleopatra. As Rome reasserts its claim on him, Antony struggles between his sense of duty and his love for Cleopatra. The production runs from April 26 through July 6, 2008, at the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW).

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Theological Discussions provide audience members another lens through which to examine the plays of our season. This discussion explores George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara in a discussion titled Blessed Are the Poor. The discussion features STC Literary Associate Akiva Fox with Reverend Roger A. Ferlo, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Lifetime Theological Education at Virginia Theological Seminary. The discussion was presented in conjunction with the Company's production of Major Barbara, which ran February 19 to March 23, 2008.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company Windows program offers audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their connections to the production. Discussion participants for Windows on Major Barbara included: STC Literary Associate Akiva Fox; Ethan McSweeny, director of Major Barbara; and Christopher Wheatley, Professor of English, Catholic University of America. The Company's production of Major Barbara ran February 19 to March 23, 2008.

Director Ethan McSweeny discusses his production of George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara. Full of Shaw"s signature shrewd, urbane wit, Major Barbara depicts timeless tensions between wealth and charity, government and religion, business and family. At the center of the play is the rebellious but naively idealistic Barbara Undershaft. A major with the Salvation Army, Barbara finds the foundation of her beliefs rocked when the charity accepts a donation from her long-estranged father, a millionaire arms dealer.  Often called Shaw's greatest play, Major Barbara offers a provocative discourse on poverty, faith and justice, while entertaining us with vivid characters, intriguing plot twists and a hefty dose of pure fun. Ethan McSweeny returns for the first time since his production of The Persians, which The Washington Post proclaimed "stunning … acutely theatrical.? The production runs February 19 to March 23, 2008, at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW, Washington, D.C.).

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Classics in Context program explores Argonautika. This podcast features STC Literary Associate Akiva Fox; Victoria Urubshurow, Associate Professor of Humanities, University of Maryland University College; and Joseph Scholten, Associate Professor of Classics, University of Maryland. The Company's production of Argonautika ran January 15 to March 2, 2008.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Windows program offers audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their particular connection to the production. Discussion Participants for Windows on Argonautika were: STC Literary Manager Akiva Fox; Argonautika writer/director Mary Zimmerman; and Alexander Sens, Professor of Classics, Georgetown University. The Company’s production of Argonautika runs January 15 to March 2, 2008.

 

Director Mary Zimmerman discusses her production of Argonautika, presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company in association with McCarter Theatre Center, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company. With her signature style and eye for the epic, director Mary Zimmerman turns her talents to the spectacular tale of Jason and the Argonauts. In their quest for the Golden Fleece, Jason and his crew encounter a world of dangers—frightening sea monsters, hypnotic water nymphs, wicked kings … and a young sorceress named Medea. Amid these fanciful adventures, Zimmerman ponders the nature of loss, love and leadership. Originally mounted by the Lookingglass Theatre Company, Argonautika received rave reviews in Chicago. The Chicago Tribune called it “smart, fresh, endlessly imaginative and thoroughly enjoyable.? Zimmerman returns to the Shakespeare Theatre Company for the first time since her enchanting production of Pericles. The productions runs January 15 to March 2, 2008, at the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C.).

Folger President Dr. Gail Kern Paster discusses history’s Edward II and Christopher Marlowe’s dramatic rendering of his life. This discussion was part of STC's Happenings at the Harman, a free lunchtime series featuring conversations and performances by some of the leading artists and thinkers of the day. The podcast was recorded on Wednesday, December 5, 2007, and was presented in conjunction with STC's Marlowe Mini-Festival, featuring productions of Tamburlaine and Edward II.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Windows program offers audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their particular connection to the production. Discussion Participants for Windows on Shakespeare for The Taming of the Shrew were:

STC Literary Associate Akiva Fox

Rebecca Bayla Taichman, director of The Taming of the Shrew

Jonathan Gil Harris, Professor of English, George Washington University.

The Company’s production of The Taming of the Shrew ran September 25 through November 25, 2007.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Classics in Context program explores playwright Christopher Marlowe in a discussion titled The Man of Fame.  This podcast features STC Literary Associate Akiva Fox; Jennifer Paxton, Medieval Historian, Georgetown University; and Professor Marshall Grossman, Expert Renaissance Literature, University of Maryland. This discussion was presented in conjunction with the Company’s Marlowe Repertory. Featuring productions of Christopher Marlowe’s Tamburlaine and Edward II, the Marlowe Repertory ran October 27, 2007, through January 6, 2008. 

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Theological Discussions provide audience members another lens through which to examine the plays of our season. This discussion explores Christopher Marlowe's Tamburlaine in a discussion titled Tamburlaine: Scourge of God. The discussion features STC Literary Associate Akiva Fox and Reverend Roger A. Ferlo, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Lifetime Theological Education at Virginia Theological Seminary. The discussion was presented in conjunction with the Company’s Marlowe Repertory. Featuring productions of Christopher Marlowe’s Tamburlaine and Edward II, the Marlowe Repertory ran October 27, 2007, through January 6, 2008. 

Classics in Context explores the Shakespeare Theatre Company's production of The Taming of the Shrew in depth, as a literary text, a performance script and in production. Through the discussion, learn about production histories, social and cultural contexts, and approaches while examining the relevancy of the production in its own time and ours. Participants included:

Shakespeare Theatre Company Literary Associate Akiva Fox

Deborah Tannen, Professor of Linguistics, Georgetown University

Amy Froide, Associate Professor of History, University of Maryland Baltimore County

This production of The Taming of the Shrew ran from September 25 to November 25, 2007, at the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th St. NW, Washington D.C.).

Shakespeare Theatre Company Literary Associate Akiva Fox discusses how understanding the works of playwright Christopher Marlowe helps us understand the works of William Shakespeare.

This podcast was recorded as part of Meet the Cast for STC's productions of Marlowe's Tamburlaine and Edward II.

Director Gale Edwards discusses her production of the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Edward II. Deemed by many to be Marlowe’s crowning achievement, Edward II features the playwright’s most nuanced characters and some of his finest language.  In the weak, stubborn character of Edward II, Marlowe created a compelling portrait of a flawed monarch. Though the son of a great general, Edward is an ineffectual king and, in the grips of a romantic obsession, fails to recognize the threats to his crown. As the play unfolds, Marlowe turns the doomed Edward into a more tragic figure, contrasting his plight with the ruthless nobles who depose him. Gale Edwards (Titus Andronicus, Richard III, Hamlet) returns to direct. The Washington Post described her production of Richard III as “compulsively watchable ... restlessly inventive.? Wallace Acton returns for the first time since his 2003 performance as Richard III to play the title role. The production runs October 27, 2007, to January 6, 2008, at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW, Washington D.C.).

Director Michael Kahn discusses his production of the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Tamburlaine. Marlowe's first play, Tamburlaine chronicles its hero's meteoric rise from humble origins to fearsome warrior and emperor of thousands. Tamburlaine desolates his adversaries, growing so ruthless that he marches on his beloved’s native country. With ravishing poetry, Marlowe ruminates on the corrupting influence of ambition and one man’s overwhelming desire for immortality. Tamburlaine exemplifies Marlowe’s extravagant style, immense sense of pageantry and bold characters. Michael Kahn directs, calling up "the combination of stylization and raw force that has brought his productions of classics to towering life? (The Washington Post). Avery Brooks returns to play the title role after his acclaimed portrayals of Othello and Oedipus. Franchelle Stewart Dorn returns for the first time since 2000 to play the Empress of Turkey. The production runs October 28, 2007, to January 6, 2008, in Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. NW, Washington, D.C.).

Director Rebecca Bayla Taichman discusses her production of the Shakespeare Theatre Company's The Taming of the Shrew.

With The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare gives us the improbable courtship of the fiery-tongued Katherine by the arrogant Petruchio. But unlike Shakespeare’s other romantic comedies, the play does not stop with the wedding. Shakespeare considers the institution of marriage, the rifts between men and women, and the rough journey toward love. One of Shakespeare’s earliest and most popular comedies, The Taming of the Shrew bursts with disguise, deception and devilment.

September 25 to November 18, 2007

Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th St. NW, Washington D.C.)

 

 

Explore the plays of the Shakespeare Theatre Company's season in depth, as literary texts, performance scripts and in production. Through discussions learn about production histories, social and cultural contexts, and approaches while examining the relevancy of the production in its own time and ours. Classics in Context seminars are scheduled throughout the season to enhance the experience of attending each production.

Participants included:

Joan Holmer, Professor, Georgetown University

Stephanie Kendall, Grief Counselor, The George Washington University

Akiva Fox, Literary Associate, Shakespeare Theatre Company

For more information on STC's production of Hamlet, click here.

Windows offers a lively discussion and introduction to the current production on the Sunday afternoon of preview week. Windows discussions offer audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their particular connection to the production. Discussion Participants for Windows on Shakespeare:

Akiva Fox, Literary Associate - Shakespeare Theatre CompanyMichael Mack - Professor, The Catholic University of AmericaAlexander Burns, Assistant Director, Hamlet

For more information on STC's production of Hamlet, click here.

Windows offers a lively discussion and introduction to the current production on the Sunday afternoon of preview week. Windows discussions offer audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their particular connection to the production.

Discussion Participants:

Akiva Fox, Literary Associate, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Denise Albanese, Associate Professor of English and Cultural Studies, George Mason University, Gale Edwards, Director, Titus Andronicus       

This episode features the First Rehearsal for Titus Andronicus.  This event was recorded on February 21, 2007 at the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Rehearsal Hall in Washington, D.C. Participants included Shakespeare Theatre Company Artistic Director Michael Kahn and Titus Andronicus director Gale Edwards.

For more information on STC's production of Titus Andronicus, click here.

Explore the plays of the Shakespeare Theatre Company's season in depth, as literary texts, performance scripts and in production. Through discussions learn about production histories, social and cultural contexts, and approaches while examining the relevancy of the production in its own time and ours. Classics in Context seminars are scheduled throughout the season to enhance the experience of attending each production. The following discussion was recorded on March 10, 2007 at the Lansburgh Theatre.

Participants included:

Michael Houston, Psychoanalyst, Washington Center for Psychoanalysis

James Siemon, Professor, Boston University

Akiva Fox, Literary Associate, Shakespeare Theatre Company

For more information on STC's production of Richard III, click here.

This episode features the First Rehearsal for Richard III.  This event was recorded on December 6, 2006, at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Rehearsal Hall in Washington, D.C. Participants included Shakespeare Theatre Company Artistic Director Michael Kahn, Shakespeare Theatre Company Literary Associate Akiva Fox, Fight Choreogrpaher David Leong, Set Designer Lee Savage and Costume Designer Jennifer Moeller.

For more information on STC's production of Richard III, click here.

Windows offers a lively discussion and introduction to the current production on the Sunday afternoon of preview week. Windows discussions offer audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their particular connection to the production.

Discussion Participants for Windows on Farquhar were:

Dawn McAndrews, Director of Education, discussion moderator

Akiva Fox, Literary Associate, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Stephen Fried, Resident Assistant Director, Shakespeare Theatre Company

Laura J. Rosenthal, Associate Professor of English at the University of Maryland - College Park

For more information on STC's production of The Beaux' Stratagem, click here.

Welcome to the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s podcast of First Rehearsal for The Beaux’ Stratagem.  This event was recorded on September 27, 2006, at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Rehearsal Hall in Washington, D.C. Participants included Shakespeare Theatre Company Artistic Director Michael Kahn, Shakespeare Theatre Company Literary Associate Akiva Fox, playwright Ken Ludwig and Tappan Wilder, Thornton Wilder’s nephew and literary estate executor.

For more information on STC's production of The Beaux' Stratagem, click here.

Akiva Fox, STC Literary Associate, discusses George Farquhar and The Beaux' Stratagem.

Windows offers a lively discussion and introduction to the current production on the Sunday afternoon of preview week. Windows discussions offer audience members background information on the play by inviting local scholars and members of the artistic staff to discuss their particular connection to the production.

Discussion Participants for Windows on Ibsen were:

Dawn McAndrews, Director of Education, discussion moderator

Akiva Fox, Literary Associate

Kjetil Bang-Hansen, Director An Enemy of the People

 

Click here for more information on An Enemy of the People.