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.â€? 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 lifeâ€? (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.).