Radio Shakespeare: His Work, His World, & Our World

FAIN: TR-50098-09

CultureWorks, Ltd. (Philadelphia, PA 19143-1868)
Steven Rowland (Project Director: February 2009 to February 2013)

Production of six, one-hour radio programs that examine the enduring resonance of Shakespeare's work and issues in current Shakespeare scholarship.

A series of 6 one-hour documentaries about how Shakespeare's works live and breathe in contemporary culture. Each program will include interviews with scholars, actors, writer and directors, as well as newly produced scenes, dialogues and monologues. The focus of the series is to 'de-mystify' Shakespeare's works, language, characters, poetry - so that thousands of Americans can feel the plays (and poems) are accessible and speak to each one of us. Attention will be paid to the myriad of scholarly approaches that now prevail in the world of Shakespeare studies -- introducing the audience to different points of view. The programs will be richly produced, in the style of our previously NEH funded series "Leonard Bernstein: An American Life, narrated by Susan Sarandon". That 11 hour series was the most widely heard special in the history of public radio, and won a Peabody Award. Has guaranteed distribution by The WFMT Fine Arts Network & matching funds from Corp for Pub Bdcstg and the National Endowment for the Arts.