How to Enjoy Shakespeare
Today is William Shakespeare’s 450th birthday. Unfortunately, far too many people have a poor introduction to Shakespeare, and give up on him too quickly. I wrote a guide on Medium to enjoying Shakespeare (hint, don’t pick up a play and start trying to read it). It starts with a story about a college professor on Jeopardy. Enjoy.
Want to see me dance the tango?
I’m very excited to say that I’m supporting Tacoma Musical Playhouse and their their Dancing with the Tacoma Stars fundraiser. I’ve been paired with a professional dance instructor and we’re working on our choreography (and, ahem, basic dance steps). Saturday, February 16! I’m trying to fill a table of people to cheer me on. Tickets are $80 for dinner and the show and $35 for balcony seats to watch the show. I know it’s a lot, but … when else will you see me dance a tango? 🙂 If you are interested, you need to RSVP to TMP directly at Read more…
Scattered thoughts: The Arts
I've been negligent on posting here as well. MusicJust discovered the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss album. What an odd combination of musicians! And with a pretty great result. I've been listening to their cover of Gone Gone Gone by the Everly Brothers. Here's the Everly Brothers performing it. It's a really fun pop song, though in this case the highlight is definitely the dancers. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35YKLemYPtM?wmode=transparent] TelevisionMary's been watching Weeds and whenever I drop in for a few episodes I've really liked it. I've been interested in Glee and FlashForward but have decided to save both for DVD. The only TV Read more…
“Much Ado” during WWII
I just finished our last show here in Ashland–Much Ado About Nothing. This might be the first Shakespeare I read, back as a freshman in high school. Seeing it was very fun, though I had a problem with their artistic choice to set the play in 1945 Italy. My problem was that it seemed lazy. Any choice to move the play has to take into account the culture it's moving to and whether it squares with the context of the plot. In this case, I'm not sure it did. Claudio cruelly shames his bride-to-be at the altar–does that square with Read more…
I’m ‘Enry The VIII, I Am
This was the first time I've seen one of Shakespeare's English histories, and it was a start at the end of the line. Henry VIII was the last of the chronology, and the last play Shakespeare wrote. It was as close as he ever got to portraying characters who were still living. The play ends with Elizabeth's birth, baptism, and a pronunciation of all the great deeds England can expect from her. I was hoping for more beheadings and court intrigue. Ah well. I still had a good time. It is a treat to be able to see a Shakespearean Read more…
Cool news from TLT and Northwest Playwrights
This August, Northwest Playwrights Alliance is hosting a festival of new work at TLT. From their email: The festival includes both established and emerging writers with strong ties to the Northwest. At Tacoma Little Theatre, two of the commissioned full-length productions are plays most recently produced by the Working Theatre Collective, a new company based out of Portland, Oregon. The third, Convention, by recent Western Washington University graduate Dan Erickson, was recognized by The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. The fourth production during Festival Northwest will be a night of short works written by six separate playwrights. Audiences at TLT will have Read more…
^