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Austin Tichenor

is the creator of The Shakespeareance; co-artistic director of the Reduced Shakespeare Company; and the co-author of Pop-Up Shakespeare (illustrated by Jennie Maizels); the irreverent reference book Reduced Shakespeare: The Complete Guide for the Attention-Impaired (abridged); and the stage comedies William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) and Hamlet’s Big Adventure! (a prequel). Find him on Twitter @austintichenor.
The Shakespearean parts of “Barbenheimer”
Shakespeare & Beyond

The Shakespearean parts of “Barbenheimer”

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Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor explores how Barbie and Oppenheimer wrestle with Shakespearean themes of identity, hubris, and redemption.

Shakespeare and gaming in "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Shakespeare & Beyond

Shakespeare and gaming in "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"

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Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor reflects on the Shakespeare allusions and storytelling world in Gabrielle Zevin’s bestselling novel.

All things Shakespearean
Shakespeare & Beyond

All things Shakespearean

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Austin Tichenor

Dynastic power struggles, political intrigue, and forbidden love: Austin Tichenor looks at “Shakespearean” as a popular cultural shorthand.

“By false intelligence": AI, ChatGPT, and (the) Bard
Shakespeare & Beyond

“By false intelligence": AI, ChatGPT, and (the) Bard

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Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor finds that AI does not quite measure up to William Shakespeare when he asks ChatGPT and Bard to write a new play called “Cardenio.”

“The book of his good acts”: Shakespeare’s First Folio onstage and on the page
Austin Tichenor as Richard Burbage
Shakespeare & Beyond

“The book of his good acts”: Shakespeare’s First Folio onstage and on the page

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Austin Tichenor
“They do me wrong”: Reputation, Richard III, and The Lost King
Man wearing a crown and dressed in a royal robe sitting on a bench next to a woman dressed in modern clothing
Shakespeare & Beyond

“They do me wrong”: Reputation, Richard III, and The Lost King

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Austin Tichenor

Shakespeare’s play Richard III turns real people into fictional villains, as does a new movie about the search for Richard III’s remains, writes Austin Tichenor.

Proving a villain: Problematic Shakespearean mentors
Tom Hanks looking mean and holding a cigar
Shakespeare & Beyond

Proving a villain: Problematic Shakespearean mentors

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Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor writes about the problematic protagonists of the Oscar-nominated films Elvis and Tár, who evoke Shakespeare’s Richard III as they seek to control their respective narratives.

“Wanton boys": Shakespeare and The White Lotus Season 2
Two female characters in a scene from The White Lotus
Shakespeare & Beyond

“Wanton boys": Shakespeare and The White Lotus Season 2

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Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor writes a blog post about how, like many of Shakespeare’s plays, the HBO series The White Lotus explores power among the privileged and the people who attend them.

“All I Want For Crispin’s:” Mya Gosling’s Shakespearean Holiday Songbook
Shakespeare & Beyond

“All I Want For Crispin’s:” Mya Gosling’s Shakespearean Holiday Songbook

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Austin Tichenor
Combating Shakespearean shrinkage
Shakespeare & Beyond

Combating Shakespearean shrinkage

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Austin Tichenor
“I Want It That Way”: Rosaline & Juliet
Cast in & Juliet
Shakespeare & Beyond

“I Want It That Way”: Rosaline & Juliet

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Austin Tichenor
"In both 'Rosaline,' a charming teen romcom streaming on Hulu, and '& Juliet,' a splashy new musical making its Broadway debut this week, Shakespeare’s tragedy becomes a surprising springboard for music, comedy, and investigations into narrative ownership," writes Austin Tichenor.
“Worthy service": The Tempest-uousness of The White Lotus
Natasha Rothwell and Murray Bartlett in The White Lotus
Shakespeare & Beyond

“Worthy service": The Tempest-uousness of The White Lotus

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Austin Tichenor
HBO's Emmy-winning "The White Lotus" transforms Shakespeare’s "The Tempest" into a darkly funny satire of the hospitality industry, writes Austin Tichenor.
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