The State of Shakespeare
- Episodes
- 100
- Released
- monthly
- Latest episode
- Oct 23, 2026
About the podcast
Great Interviews with Great Artists. We’re talking Shakespeare.
Episodes 100
Sean Keilen
Shakespeare's Scholars Three Lessons from the Liberal Arts October 21, 2026 If you don’t learn from the past, you are doomed to repeat it. Sean Keilen uses Shakespeare to show how liberal-arts training counters …
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Shakespeare's Scholars Three Lessons from the Liberal Arts October 21, 2026 If you don’t learn from the past, you are doomed to repeat it. Sean Keilen uses Shakespeare to show how liberal-arts training counters AI, social media, and The Academy. The book connects past lessons to present trends and argues for a guiding role for literature. Sean’s book Shakespeare’s Scholars: Three Lessons from the Liberal Arts shows how Shakespeare can guide readers. It reaches back to the past to navigate the future and presents Shakespeare as a capable captain. Click here for information on Shakespeare's Scholars: Three Lessons from the Liberal Arts. Click here for information on Santa Cruz ShakespeareCharles Pasternak and Paige Lindsey White
Macbeth; Act 1, Scene 5 Lady MacbethAugust 16, 2026 "Oh for a Muse of Fire!" The Santa Cruz Shakespeare Festival is rising! The true Repertory Company is expanding - a rare feat in this day and age. Charles …
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Macbeth; Act 1, Scene 5 Lady MacbethAugust 16, 2026 "Oh for a Muse of Fire!" The Santa Cruz Shakespeare Festival is rising! The true Repertory Company is expanding - a rare feat in this day and age. Charles Pasternak and Paige Lindsey White climb the brightest heaven of invention in this season with a Macbeth for the ages. And the plan is to continue to on your imaginary forces work. Click here for information about Santa Cruz Shakespeare Click here to follow along with the Macbeth text. Click here for a Scanned version of Macbeth Click here for a First Folio version of Macbeth. Click here to follow along with the Henry V text. Click here for a Scanned version of Henry V Click here for a First Folio version of Henry V.Guy Roberts
Prague Shakespeare Festival Coriolanus: Act 3, Scene 3July 15, 2026 “There is a world elsewhere.” Guy Roberts came to the Czech Republic, a country literally ‘born in theatre', with the dream of creating an …
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Prague Shakespeare Festival Coriolanus: Act 3, Scene 3July 15, 2026 “There is a world elsewhere.” Guy Roberts came to the Czech Republic, a country literally ‘born in theatre', with the dream of creating an English language theatre company in the heart of Europe. After nearly two decades of experience living and working in a city with over eight centuries of theatre history, the founder and Artistic Director of Prague Shakespeare Company presents an “old-world” model with lessons for the theatre makers of tomorrow. "Change your life, change the world, Speak Shakespeare." Click here for information about The Prague Shakespeare Festival Click here for Guy Roberts Ted Talk. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio Version.Jacob Ming-Trent
Macbeth; Act 5, Scene 5 MacbethJune 24, 2026 For a poor player, strutting and fretting on the stage, sometimes words and verse can spell the difference between life and death. Jacob Ming-Trent stars in his …
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Macbeth; Act 5, Scene 5 MacbethJune 24, 2026 For a poor player, strutting and fretting on the stage, sometimes words and verse can spell the difference between life and death. Jacob Ming-Trent stars in his original, multimedia, one-person play, How Shakespeare Saved My Life, the autobiographical story of how a troubled youth found salvation in poetry. Playing through July 5 at the Folger Theatre in DC, and coming to the Public and Red Bull Theatre in October. Click here for information about How Shakespeare Saved My Life Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a Scanned version Click here for a First Folio version.Ben Turner
Othello; Act 2, Scene 1 IagoJune 17, 2026 Who says, "I have to bring my truth to the part I'm playing": Ben Turner or Iago? In the Shakespeare Theatre of DC’s new production of Othello, Ben Turner reveals the …
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Othello; Act 2, Scene 1 IagoJune 17, 2026 Who says, "I have to bring my truth to the part I'm playing": Ben Turner or Iago? In the Shakespeare Theatre of DC’s new production of Othello, Ben Turner reveals the humanity and heart beneath Iago’s machinations, transforming Shakespeare’s most overtly “evil” creation into something much more recognizably (and terrifyingly) human. The production runs until June 28. Click here for information about Othello Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a Scanned version Click here for a First Folio version.Bedlam
Othello May 19, 2026 “What’s he, then, that says I play the villain?” Few questions more clearly reveal where each of us stands in today’s deeply polarized society. Recorded on the eve of a profoundly tense …
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Othello May 19, 2026 “What’s he, then, that says I play the villain?” Few questions more clearly reveal where each of us stands in today’s deeply polarized society. Recorded on the eve of a profoundly tense moment in global geopolitics, we speak with Eric Tucker and Bedlam discussing their critically acclaimed four-person production of Othello, running through May 31 in New York City. Click here for information about OthelloJesse Berger and McKinley Belcher III
Titus Andronicus; Act 5, Scene 1 AaronApril 29, 2026 “I have done a thousand dreadful thingsAs willingly as one would kill a fly,And nothing grieves me heartily indeedBut that I cannot do ten thousand more.” …
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Titus Andronicus; Act 5, Scene 1 AaronApril 29, 2026 “I have done a thousand dreadful thingsAs willingly as one would kill a fly,And nothing grieves me heartily indeedBut that I cannot do ten thousand more.” Director Jesse Berger and actor McKinley Belcher III dish up their critically acclaimed Titus Andronicus, now in an extended run with Red Bull Theater in New York City. Together, we carve into why Shakespeare's notoriously blood-soaked tragedy serves the moment. Click here for information about Red Bull Theater Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a Folio Version Click here for a scanned versionTimothy Douglas
As You Like It Folger TheatreApril 20, 2026 How should an actor approach Shakespeare’s language? Is the focus on rehearsing delivery, or on cultivating presence in the moment? Director Timothy Douglas credits …
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As You Like It Folger TheatreApril 20, 2026 How should an actor approach Shakespeare’s language? Is the focus on rehearsing delivery, or on cultivating presence in the moment? Director Timothy Douglas credits the teachings of Tina Packer and Kristin Linklater for shaping his approach to helping actors “own” Shakespeare. His latest collaboration, As You Like It, at the Folger Theatre in Washington, DC runs through April 19. The quote we talk about in the interview: As You Like It; Act 4, Scene 1: (spoken by Rosalind, disguised as Ganymede to Jacques in Act 4, scene 1) 24. I fear you have sold your own lands to see other men's; then 25. to have seen much and to have nothing is to have rich eyes 26. and poor hands. Click here to go to the Folger Website.Nancy Voigts
The Merry Wives of Windsor; Act 2 Scene 2 Mistress QuicklyApril 2, 2026 Which female character became such a fan favorite that Shakespeare featured her in four different plays? Award-winning actor Nancy Voigts …
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The Merry Wives of Windsor; Act 2 Scene 2 Mistress QuicklyApril 2, 2026 Which female character became such a fan favorite that Shakespeare featured her in four different plays? Award-winning actor Nancy Voigts brings this famously bawdy mischief-maker and mistress of misinformation to life in a vibrant new production of The Merry Wives of Windsor at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Click here for more information about the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for the First Folio version of the text.Carol Grieb
A Truant Dispostion: Hamlet and HoratioMarch 4, 2025 Is Horatio the villain? A literary stand-in for the murderously opportunistic “friends” who stalked the halls of power in Elizabethan England? Carol Grieb …
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A Truant Dispostion: Hamlet and HoratioMarch 4, 2025 Is Horatio the villain? A literary stand-in for the murderously opportunistic “friends” who stalked the halls of power in Elizabethan England? Carol Grieb imagines a Hamlet in which Hamlet’s so-called best friend is anything but. Click here to go to the book website. Click here to purchase the book.Saul Rubinek
The Merchant of Venice; Act 3, Scene 1 ShylockNovember 10, 2025 The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.” Actor and storyteller Saul Rubinek takes us …
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The Merchant of Venice; Act 3, Scene 1 ShylockNovember 10, 2025 The villainy you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction.” Actor and storyteller Saul Rubinek takes us inside his one-man show Playing Shylock, now on stage at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center in New York City. Rubinek explores Shylock’s confounding genesis and reveals why one of Shakespeare’s so-called “minor” roles continues to be one of the most groundbreaking, misunderstood and controversial characters in theater history. Click here to see the Folio Version. Click here for a Modern Version of the Text. Click here for more information about Playing Shylock. Click here for Saul's book, All in the Telling. Click here for a transcript of "The Stranger's Case" by Thomas More.Terry Knickerbocker
Measure for Measure; Act 2, Scene 4 AngeloOctober 20, 2025 If the goal is to be a working actor, is training optional? Terry Knickerbocker offers his perspective on the purpose of actor training. And in …
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Measure for Measure; Act 2, Scene 4 AngeloOctober 20, 2025 If the goal is to be a working actor, is training optional? Terry Knickerbocker offers his perspective on the purpose of actor training. And in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, we confront a timeless dilemma: is it better to perish for the sake of principle, or debase yourself and survive? Click here to follow along with the text. Click here to see the Folio Version. Click here for a scanned version of the text.Bonnie J. Monte and Isaac Hickox-Young
Romeo & Juliet; Act 1, Scene 4 RomeoSeptember 3, 2025 From forth the fatal loins of civil strife springs a bold new Romeo and Juliet. The Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey presents this re-envisioned classic …
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Romeo & Juliet; Act 1, Scene 4 RomeoSeptember 3, 2025 From forth the fatal loins of civil strife springs a bold new Romeo and Juliet. The Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey presents this re-envisioned classic, starring Isaac Hickox-Young and directed by Bonnie J. Monte. Is it love, lust, or something more sinister that propels the star-crossed lovers to their untimely end? Romeo and Juliet runs from September 10th to October 5th at the Shakespeare Theater of NJ. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here to see the Folio Version. Click here for a scanned version of the text. Click here for information about Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey.Tracy Michelle Arnold
King John; Act 3, Scene 1 ConstanceAugust 5, 2025 Words, words, words. A love of words makes Tracy Michelle Arnold the perfect candidate to run the Language Project at American Player's Theater. With the focus …
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King John; Act 3, Scene 1 ConstanceAugust 5, 2025 Words, words, words. A love of words makes Tracy Michelle Arnold the perfect candidate to run the Language Project at American Player's Theater. With the focus on language, words, syntax, punctuation, Arnold is the perfect guest for the State of Shakespeare. The Language Project is the latest innovation that this gem of theater in Spring Green, Wisconsin has brought us. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here to see the Folio Version. Click here for a scanned version of the text. Click here for information about American Players Theater and The Language Project.Mei Ann Teo
Twelfth Night Folger TheaterJune 18, 2025 “Most wonderful!” Olivia’s (ahem) climactic outburst isn’t just a line, it’s the line that catches the spirit of director Mei Ann Teo’s current production of Twelfth …
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Twelfth Night Folger TheaterJune 18, 2025 “Most wonderful!” Olivia’s (ahem) climactic outburst isn’t just a line, it’s the line that catches the spirit of director Mei Ann Teo’s current production of Twelfth Night at the Folger Theatre. Teo, who also serves as Artistic Leader at Ping Chong and Company, teases how to treat Shakespeare’s classic as if it’s a new love (er… play.) Click here to follow along with the text. Click here to see the Folio Version. Click here for information about Twelfth Night and the Folger Theater https://www.folger.edu/whats-on/twelfth-nightGideon Rappaport
Shakespeare, Appreciated Hamlet; Act 5, Scene 2May 29, 2025 Gideon Rappaport, author of Appreciating Shakespeare, has released a newly annotated edition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Can modern readers and actors …
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Shakespeare, Appreciated Hamlet; Act 5, Scene 2May 29, 2025 Gideon Rappaport, author of Appreciating Shakespeare, has released a newly annotated edition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Can modern readers and actors truly grasp Shakespeare’s work as he intended? Rappaport believes they not only can, but they must. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here to see the Folio Version. Gideon's Media Connections: Appreciating Shakespeare Shakespeare's Real Take Gideon's podcastDerek Hunter
Anonymous Agnostic Antichrists March 31, 2025 The Authorship Question may ebb and flow in popularity, but the mystery behind the origins of the Bard’s works remains endlessly intriguing. What better way to …
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Anonymous Agnostic Antichrists March 31, 2025 The Authorship Question may ebb and flow in popularity, but the mystery behind the origins of the Bard’s works remains endlessly intriguing. What better way to explore the rich world of Shakespeare’s contemporaries than by investigating who might have truly penned the plays? Our guest, author Derek Hunter, has spent over thirty years pursuing the possibilities. His tetralogy, Anonymous Agnostic Antichrists, presents four compelling theories. Amazon: Anonymouse Agnostic AntichristsDrew Lichtenberg
Shakespeare in the U.S.February 24, 2025 As the Artistic Producer and Dramaturg at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., Drew Lichtenberg has a front-row seat to the unfolding drama at one of the …
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Shakespeare in the U.S.February 24, 2025 As the Artistic Producer and Dramaturg at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., Drew Lichtenberg has a front-row seat to the unfolding drama at one of the globe's most powerful artistic and political nexuses. In a recent essay for The New York Times, he shared hard truths about the state of Shakespeare in contemporary America. Over the past half-decade, the number of Shakespeare productions has declined steeply. What might be driving this trend, and is it likely to change? New York TImes: Who's Afraid of William Shakespeare New York TImes: Cancel Shakespeare Shakespeare in the Theatre: Shakespeare Theatre Company.John Ahlin
Falstaff; Act 4, Scene 2 Henry IV, Part 2January 10, 2025 Falstaff is Shakespeare’s greatest comic creation. John Ahlin is the greatest ‘Simon Says’ player in the world. Discover how this talent helped launch a …
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Falstaff; Act 4, Scene 2 Henry IV, Part 2January 10, 2025 Falstaff is Shakespeare’s greatest comic creation. John Ahlin is the greatest ‘Simon Says’ player in the world. Discover how this talent helped launch a career that has seen him play the role sixteen times… and counting. Just don't call it a bit! Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio Version.Graham Stevens
Macbeth; Act 3, Scene 1 MacbethSeptember 20, 2024 From Whiffenpoof to Macbeth. Graham Stevens has worn many hats in his career, none of which fits as comfortably as Macbeth's crown. How does he bring all of his …
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Macbeth; Act 3, Scene 1 MacbethSeptember 20, 2024 From Whiffenpoof to Macbeth. Graham Stevens has worn many hats in his career, none of which fits as comfortably as Macbeth's crown. How does he bring all of his diversity of skills to bear in the role of the Scottish King? And it isn't just the kilt... Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio Version. Click here for a scanned version.Vanessa Morosco
The American Shakespeare Center July 30, 2024 Vanessa Morosco likes asking the big questions. As Executive Director of the American Shakespeare Center, she is perfectly positioned to do just that. Using …
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The American Shakespeare Center July 30, 2024 Vanessa Morosco likes asking the big questions. As Executive Director of the American Shakespeare Center, she is perfectly positioned to do just that. Using Original Practices, Vanessa and ASC are re-centering the focus on Shakespeare for the 21st Century. Click here for more information on the American Shakespeare Center Click here for more information on Vanessa's 50/50 Shakespeare ProjectJasmine Bracey
Henry IV, Part I; Act 5, Scene 1 WorcesterJune 30, 2024 Inside-out or outside-in? Accomplished stage actor and teacher Jasmine Bracey gives Stanislvaski his due, but argues for a more visceral approach to …
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Henry IV, Part I; Act 5, Scene 1 WorcesterJune 30, 2024 Inside-out or outside-in? Accomplished stage actor and teacher Jasmine Bracey gives Stanislvaski his due, but argues for a more visceral approach to crafting character. Either way, her objective is all about change. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio Version. Click here for a scanned version. Click here for more information on the Backroom Theater Project.Rod Kinter
Fight Direction ShakespeareMay 30, 2024 There’s more to choreographing stage combat than beating shields and bashing heads. Fight Director Rod Kinter works closely with Actors, Directors and Designers on …
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Fight Direction ShakespeareMay 30, 2024 There’s more to choreographing stage combat than beating shields and bashing heads. Fight Director Rod Kinter works closely with Actors, Directors and Designers on "Designing the Fight". Safety and repeatability are paramount, but swords are optional. Click here for more information about Rod KinterJason King Jones
Henry V; Prologue PrologueApril 30, 2024 In his second season as the Artistic Director of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Jason King Jones brings a seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm to the …
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Henry V; Prologue PrologueApril 30, 2024 In his second season as the Artistic Director of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Jason King Jones brings a seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm to the leadership role. This summer, PSF will produce 8 shows, the equivalent of a full regional theatre season, in just sixteen weeks. Click here for more information about Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Click here to follow along with the text. Click here to see a First Folio Version Click here to see a Scanned VersionBen Steinfeld 2.0
Pericles; Act 5, Scene 1 Pericles and MarinaMarch 12, 2024 We welcome one of our favorite guests back to the State of Shakespeare. Ben Steinfeld catches us up on his own epic journey and on Fiasco Theatre’s …
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Pericles; Act 5, Scene 1 Pericles and MarinaMarch 12, 2024 We welcome one of our favorite guests back to the State of Shakespeare. Ben Steinfeld catches us up on his own epic journey and on Fiasco Theatre’s production of Pericles, in performances now at the Classic Stage Company in NYC. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here For More information about Pericles at the Classic Stage CompanyYao Dogbe
Richard III; Act 5, Scene 1 BuckinghamFebruary 28, 2024 Photo by Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez Actor Yao Dogbe returns to the stage of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre for the highly-anticipated production of Richard III …
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Richard III; Act 5, Scene 1 BuckinghamFebruary 28, 2024 Photo by Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez Actor Yao Dogbe returns to the stage of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre for the highly-anticipated production of Richard III. The inaugural effort by brand-new helmsman Edward Hall, this reimagining of one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest plays has been grabbing attention for its unconventional casting and daring concept. But for Dogbe, it's more than just another role—it's a personal journey about family. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio Version of the text. Click here for a scanned version of the text. Click here For More information about Richard III at the Chicago Shakespeare TheaterStephen Charles Marzolf
The Tempest; Act 4, Scene 1 ProsperoJanuary 16, 2024 To the uninitiated, northwest Arkansas may sound like an unlikely paradise for an actor. But as Shakespeare’s Prospero shows us, magic is found where you …
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The Tempest; Act 4, Scene 1 ProsperoJanuary 16, 2024 To the uninitiated, northwest Arkansas may sound like an unlikely paradise for an actor. But as Shakespeare’s Prospero shows us, magic is found where you choose to make it. Our guest Steven Charles Marzolf has happily made an artistic home in Fayetteville for the past twelve years, where he recently played Prospero in the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre / University of Central Arkansas co-Production of The Tempest. Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a First Folio Version of the text. Click here for a scanned version of the text.Elena Hollenbeak and Lyn Ackerman
Macbeth; Act 5, Scene 1 Lady MacbethNovember 21, 2023 Elena Hollenbeak is the winner of the 2023 English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition. We spoke with the talented Ms. Hollenbeak and her …
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Macbeth; Act 5, Scene 1 Lady MacbethNovember 21, 2023 Elena Hollenbeak is the winner of the 2023 English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition. We spoke with the talented Ms. Hollenbeak and her mentor, Dr. Lyn Ackerman, about this year’s competition and what’s so fascinating about Shakespeare. Along the way we learn about a heart-stopping moment for Lady Macbeth. that Shakespeare might have missed, and why the state of Hawaii produces so many exceptional ESU competitors. Click here to follow along with the text.Sara Topham
Romeo & Juliet; Act 3, Scene 2 JulietOctober 24, 2023 Canadian actor Sara Topham met Shakespeare’s Juliet when she was just seventeen and facing the premature overthrow of a promising career. This could be a …
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Romeo & Juliet; Act 3, Scene 2 JulietOctober 24, 2023 Canadian actor Sara Topham met Shakespeare’s Juliet when she was just seventeen and facing the premature overthrow of a promising career. This could be a story about how a star-crossed young dancer became one of the most accomplished classical stage actors of her generation. Or it could be a masterclass in respecting Shakespeare’s verse. Or it could be a love letter to a future generation of Juliets. All we know is to breathe at the end of the line! Click here to follow along with the text. Click here for a Folio Version. Click here for a Scanned Version.Marquis D. Gibson
Hamlet; Act 2, Scene 2 HamletSeptember 29, 2023 Marquis D. Gibson's Broadway debut was as sudden as it was spectacular. Appearing in the Hamlet inspired Fat Ham, Marquis played the Hamlet character wrestling …
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Hamlet; Act 2, Scene 2 HamletSeptember 29, 2023 Marquis D. Gibson's Broadway debut was as sudden as it was spectacular. Appearing in the Hamlet inspired Fat Ham, Marquis played the Hamlet character wrestling with a lot of different big questions. For Marquis, it came down to truth, connection and a big dose of relationship. What a piece of work is a man, indeed. Click here to follow along with the text Click here for a Folio Version
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