Shakespeare

The 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Fat Ham” possesses a familiar dramatic ingredient. The protagonist, Juicy, is visited by his dead father at a barbecue. The ghost asks for his murder to be avenged by his son. But this isn’t a reboot of Hamlet- Juicy is very aware of the Shakespearean tragedy and wants to break the cycle of violence and trauma. The Arkansas premiere of James Ijames ‘ “Fat Ham” is taking place through May 12 at TheatreSquared. This week, Monteze Freeland, the director, came to the Anthony and Susan Hui News Studio to talk about the production.

Hamlet and Mercutio never met in their respective plays, but their paths will cross this weekend. Tonight, Northwest Arkansas Community College will premiere “Shaken Up,” an imagining of several Shakespearean characters sharing the same universe. Adjunct professor of theater at NWACC Damien Dena is overseeing the production, and she says it was co-created by students as an example of devised theater.

On today's show, a rooftop garden is in the works at Baptist Health Fort Smith. Also, a documentary filmmaker expands on two short films made while at John Brown University in Siloam Springs. Plus, a shared Shakespearean universe.

The University of Arkansas’ production of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” opens tonight in the UA Theatre on campus. Assistant professor and cast member Steven Marzolf came to the Anthony and Susan Hui News Studio to talk about this production in particular and the play in general.

Tonight The Crude Mechanicals revive King Lear at Clapp Auditorium. Four centuries later, the script remains vital to contemporary times.

Many classical composers were inspired by Shakespeare including Korngold in his suite for chamber orchestra from "Much Ado About Nothing." Hear that plus…