Everyday Shakespeare

In this episode, we talk to Dr. John "Ray" Proctor, Assistant Professor of Theatre at Tulane University. Dr. Proctor is an expert on the intersection of race, casting, and the peculiarities and specifics of Identity-Conscious casting practices, especially in Shakespeare. He shares his experiences with us as a director, actor, teacher and researcher to help us take a deep dive into representations...

It's June, and the official public health emergency is over. That means it's time to turn up the dial on entertaining! In this episode, we comb Shakespeare's plays in search of advice on how to deal with some timeless party-throwing dilemmas. We'll take a close look at his most unsung beleaguered hostesses and talk about everything from disastrous dinner parties to guests who can't control their b...

Sex can be fun and exciting, but it also raises all kinds of issues about power, control, and freedom. In this episode, we'll be looking at how people in Shakespeare's day were understanding sexual anatomy, pleasure, and reproduction, and discuss how the debates and anxieties that surfaced back then connect to some of our present-day divisions. We'll be using doctor-approved language—from multiple...

What does Andie MacDowell's dewy skin have in common with Cleopatra's unwithered agelessness? In this episode we tackle the everyday challenges of getting old and explore how people in Shakespeare's day were thinking about – and fighting – the signs of aging. If you couldn't just Google it, how did you know when a woman was "past her prime"— especially if she was plastering her face with makeup? A...

What does an $8,600 GOOP wholeness medallion have in common with a popular plague amulet from 1603? Find out in this episode as we discover the uncanny connections between our COVID-19 experiences and the plague lives of people in Shakespeare's world. We'll talk about how Shakespeare's plays and a best-selling plague guidebook shed light on our own pandemic behaviors — from hoarding toilet paper t...

Two Shakespeare professors travel back in time to offer funny, fresh insights into some of your most pressing modern problems. What would the Capulets hoard during a plague outbreak? Could a 16th-century remedy for staying young work for me? (And am I willing to drink the urine of a male child to find out?) How would Lady MacBeth secure her kid's spot as pee-wee soccer team captain? Whether you're...