Skip to main content
All 83 posts by

Austin Tichenor

is the co-artistic director of the Reduced Shakespeare Company; a writing and acting coach at The Shakespeareance; the co-author of ten stage comedies, including William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) and The Comedy of Hamlet! (a prequel); the co-creator of the illustrated children’s books Pop-Up Shakespeare and Daisy, the Littlest Zombie; a contributor to The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Global Shakespeare and Shakespearean Biofiction on the Contemporary Stage and Screen (from Arden Shakespeare); and the host of the world’s oldest and longest-running theater podcast, the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast.
“Th’ unruly camp”: The savage Shakespearean beauty of Deadwood
Shakespeare and Beyond

“Th’ unruly camp”: The savage Shakespearean beauty of Deadwood

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor dives deep into the Shakespearean character of the HBO Western Deadwood, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

“The purpose of playing”: Working with Shakespeare in Sing Sing and Ghostlight
Still from movie with Colman Domingo in foreground at left, Clarence Maclin to his right.
Shakespeare and Beyond

“The purpose of playing”: Working with Shakespeare in Sing Sing and Ghostlight

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor explores how the films Sing Sing and Ghostlight show the power and healing of theater and Shakespeare, in both forceful and amusing ways.

"Merry sport": The Olympic Games are afoot!
Shakespeare and Beyond

"Merry sport": The Olympic Games are afoot!

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Inspired by the Olympics, Austin Tichenor explores how Shakespeare uses sports in his plays, including as a way to show tensions between England and France.

“Speak what terrible language you will”: Shakespeare and TikTok
Shakespeare and Beyond

“Speak what terrible language you will”: Shakespeare and TikTok

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor on whether TikTok, like Shakespeare, is adding new words and phrases.

“Without much shame retold”: Shakespeare’s sources transformed
Shakespeare and Beyond

“Without much shame retold”: Shakespeare’s sources transformed

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor on how Shakespeare drew from the classics, history texts, folk tales, contemporary politics, and more.

Worthy scaffold: The epic intimacy of William Shakespeare
a dramatic black and white image of a man and woman leaning with their faces close together
Shakespeare and Beyond

Worthy scaffold: The epic intimacy of William Shakespeare

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor writes about movies that feel like plays and theater that feels cinematic.

“Murder most foul”: How Shakespeare connects Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth
Shakespeare and Beyond

“Murder most foul”: How Shakespeare connects Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor explores the deep connections the president and his murderer share with William Shakespeare.

“Cast in darkness": Who should play Richard III?
Shakespeare and Beyond

“Cast in darkness": Who should play Richard III?

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor argues for the importance of casting disabled actors as Richard III, spotlighting Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production with Katy Sullivan in the title role.

Re-thinking "Honest Iago"
Shakespeare and Beyond

Re-thinking "Honest Iago"

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor grapples with the larger question of whether Iago deserves the sympathetic re-evaluation found in Iago: The Green Eyed Monster.

How William Shakespeare invented the holiday romcom
Shakespeare and Beyond

How William Shakespeare invented the holiday romcom

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor argues that today’s holiday romantic comedies are full of recognizably Shakespearean motifs.

“What the Dickens": How Shakespeare haunts "A Christmas Carol"
A ghostly grey figure wrapped in chains confronts a recumbent man with white hair and a white nightgown
Shakespeare and Beyond

“What the Dickens": How Shakespeare haunts "A Christmas Carol"

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor unpacks Shakespeare’s influence on Charles Dickens in the beloved holiday classic A Christmas Carol.

A witty Fool and foolish wit: Christopher Moore’s Pocket Chronicles
Shakespeare and Beyond

A witty Fool and foolish wit: Christopher Moore’s Pocket Chronicles

Posted
Author
Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor writes about Christopher Moore’s trio of comic novels, which follow the fool from King Lear as he interacts with other Shakespeare characters.

1 2 3 7