The Shakespearean Student

The old German story of Faust had a huge influence on Shakespeare and also Shelly in the iconic works "The Tempest", and "Frankenstein".

The importance of poetry in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night- the good, the bad, and the ugly.

In the wake of the Golden Globes season, I discuss the connections between Frankenstein and the Shakespeare play,"The Tempest." This will also include my own critiques of the Guillermo Del Toro version from 2025.

A quick crash course on the Civil War that inspired three of Shakespeare's plays.

After seeing the hit Broadway Musical "&Juliet" I reflected on how the story retells and expands the "myth" of William Shakespeare- that of a workaholic genius who is completely self-absorbed and obsessed with his art. In this episode, I talk about how this Shakespeare archetype is built on and expanded in this toe-tapping jukebox musical.

I talk about my favorite moments from a live online version of "Romeo and Juliet," and discuss how it may influence future productions of Shakespeare going forward.

Last time I mentioned Luke’s journey and how Droesher adapts the cinematic quality into Elizabethan drama through soliloquies. This time, I’m going to talk about the other main characters, Han and Leia.

Happy May the Fourth! In this episode, I review a Shakespearean parody of "The Empire Strikes Back," lovingly parodied and translated into Shakespearean verse by Ian Doescher. This episode is a two-parter where I talk exclusively about the journey of Luke Skywalker, from humble moisture farmer from Tatooine, into a Jedi Knight.

I know this is subjective, but in my opinion, the BBC series "Upstart Crow" is just a worse version of Blackadder with no stakes and static, unlikable characters. Here I'll be presenting my arguments for why this series doesn't work, but if you like the show, don't take my criticism too seriously. It's all in fun.

I delve into the man and myth of Cardinal Thomas Woolsey, the power behind Henry VIII's throne, whom Shakespeare portrays as a hypocritical, corrupt, and duplicitous villain. Is this historical interpretation valid? Judge for yourself.

A little witches' brew for your Halloween party: I talk about the tropes of "Macbeth" that are subtly deconstructed in "Hocus Pocus 2" and "Brave." I talk about how these films explore themes of isolation, patriarchy, feminism, and fear of female power. I also lament how these films touch on these issues but in many ways do not go far enough.

I tell the story of King Lear from the point of view of his loyal servant, the Earl of Kent. I'm actually playing this character over Discord and Youtube Live this weekend, so stay tuned for that performance!

A close reading of "O That This Too Too Solid Flesh," "O What A Rogue and Peasant Slave Am I," and "To Be Or Not To Be."

I go through the complex plot of Shakespeare's "Cymbeline," focusing on the heroine Imogen. This will include a close reading of the famous scene in which she wakes up near a headless corpse!

I reminisce with my former director Jeff Chips, who directed me in a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" back in 2010. We also discuss his philosophy at Steel City Shakespeare, and his upcoming production of "The Merry Wives Of Windsor."

I discuss the film "Anonymous" by Roland Emmerich, which tells the story of Edward DeVere, considered by many to be the true author of Shakespeare's plays.

Some fun and frivolous reflections on Shakespeare's shortest and silliest comedy, "The Comedy Of Errors."

I give dramatic readings and some heartfelt analysis of a wonderful mash-up of Shakespeare and my favorite film series: "William Shakespeare's Star Wars," a play by Ian Droesher. Special thanks to Online Classical, 123 Apps, Kessel Labs, and of course, Anchor for their technical support in this episode.

I try to unravel the mystery of Shakespeare's most ambiguous character: Brutus from "Julius Caesar."

For Women's History Month, I do an analysis of Shakespeare's Roman Characters- Tamara and Lavinia in "Titus Andronicus," Portia in "Julius Caesar," Valumnia in "Coriolanus," and Cleopatra in "Antony and Cleopatra." This will include some historical context into the feminine values that Romans instilled in their women, which carried over into Shakespeare's day. I argue that in all his plays, but es...

I examine the traditions of Shrove Tuesday and Lent, and how they transfer into plays like "Merchant of Venice" and "Measure For Measure"

A dramatic reading of Act V, Scene i of "Romeo and Juliet." This is a modern type paraphrase by Perfection Learning, (2012). All parts played by me.

A full dramatized reading of the first meeting between Romeo and Juliet in a modern paraphrase by Perfection Learning. Paul Hricik- Lord Capulet, Cousin Cauplet, Tybalt, Benvolio, and Romeo Sara Hricik- Juliet, Nurse

Modern paraphrase of Act I, Scene iii of Romeo and Juliet. All parts played by Sara Hricik.

My interpretation of Mercutio's Queen Mab speech, from Act I, Scene iv of "Romeo and Juliet."