Episode 437. Back Room Shakespeare

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“Sam Taylor headshotChicago actor and now author Samuel Taylor chronicles the origins of the Back Room Shakespeare Project in his new book My Life With The Shakespeare Cult. Part cri de coeur, part call to arms, Sam’s book is a brief and inspiring manifesto about restoring life to Shakespeare performance. Featuring the legacy of realism, restoring immediacy to live performance, formative years spent at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Guthrie Theatre, origin myths, riotous pits of bloodthirsty drunks, a special appearance by Folger Shakespeare Library director Michael Witmore, the difference between fidelity to the plays Shakespeare wrote and fidelity to the plays he intended — and beer. Order Sam’s book here — only $10! (Length 24:06)

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