Remembering Christopher Plummer

The “grand old man of the theatre” energy of the late Christopher Plummer lives on in our production of Completely Hollywood (abridged), through our old friend, actor and Broadway fight director Thomas Schall (left), who, in this special bonus podcast episode, remembers the extra-close encounter he had with the legendary actor while appearing in the ill-fated (is there any other kind?) 1988 production of William Shakespeare’s Scottish Play. Featuring: rehearsals with Mr. Plummer’s golden retriever; a revolving door of actors, directors, and designers; bon mots from Lady M herself, Glenda Jackson; old-school grandness; immense charm; some unfortunate emergency dentistry; and how the story has both grown in theatrical legend, and — until now — mercifully been forgotten. (Length 16:51) 

Alli’s Great(x30)Grandpa Duncan

RSC company manager Alli Bostedt has just discovered (through the genealogical detective work of her husband, RSC web dude Davey Naylor), that she’s the 30th great granddaughter of Scottish King Duncan I, the one slain by Macbeth in both real-life and Shakespeare’s tragedy. Alli and Davey share how they made this very cool discovery and it how it will radically change their lives (SPOILER ALERT: It probably won’t); some minor confusions with Hamlet; how Shakespeare changed history like the Tarantino of his day; a reminder of Davey’s great love for British Kings and Queens; and how royal etiquette demands some pretty goddamn more respectful behavior backstage from now on or heads will roll. (Length 19:50) (Pictured: King Duncan I’s 30th great-granddaughter Alli and 31st great-grandson Arthur.)

Shakespeare In The Shadows

One Camera. One Actor. One Bard. Joshua Dylan Mellars is the director of the new film Shakespeare In The Shadows, featuring actor Mark Cohen (above) performing Shakespeare in a variety of northern California locations and exploring themes of power: the getting of it, the abuse of it, the losing of it, and the transcendence of it. Joshua talks about his inspiration for the film, what it’s like having — and sharing — the best seat in the house, where you can see it, the advantage of keeping things, ahem, reduced, and what it really means when you say that “Shakespeare just keeps getting better.” (Length 17:03)

Episode 597. Lady Macbeth Herself

Chaon Cross plays Lady Macbeth in the exciting and literally magical production of the Scottish play directed by Aaron Posner and Teller in the current production at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and discusses the challenges of finding the balance between the textual and theatrical and between character and razzmatazz; the difficulties of acting while performing magic; the art of creating a useful backstory; the pitfalls of human desires: the glory of creating a world; the relative usefulness of politics; and the surprising delight of speaking with Lady She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. (Length 21:16)