Chop Bard

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The show dedicated to revealing the plays of William Shakespeare as tasty entertainment for today’s hungry audience. Be you actor or observer, this show offers a fresh look at some very old goods.

In Your Ear Shakespeare


    • Apr 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h AVG DURATION
    • 256 EPISODES

    4.8 from 257 ratings Listeners of Chop Bard that love the show mention: craftlit, ehren, shakespeare podcasts, best shakespeare podcast, bard, ziegler, hamlet, chop, romeo, juliet, scholar, plays, long live, emails, scene, considered, actors, accessible, high school, boring.


    Ivy Insights

    The Chop Bard podcast is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to delve into the world of Shakespeare. Hosted by Ehren Ziegler, this podcast breaks down the confusing language and intricate plots of Shakespeare's plays into plain English, making them more accessible and enjoyable for listeners. Whether you're a seasoned Shakespeare fan or someone who has always found his works intimidating, The Chop Bard podcast offers in-depth discussions of each scene, allowing the listener to understand and savor the plays.

    One of the best aspects of The Chop Bard podcast is the host's deep understanding and passion for Shakespeare. Ehren Ziegler clearly does his homework before each episode, providing insightful analysis and commentary on the plays. His readings are lively and immersive, making the listener feel like they are a part of the show. Additionally, Ziegler often relates certain situations in Shakespeare's works to our modern-day mindsets, making them more relatable and understandable. This adds a unique twist to the podcast and makes it engaging for both experienced fans and newcomers to Shakespeare.

    However, one downside of The Chop Bard podcast is the jarring music that begins each episode. While it may seem like a minor complaint, it can be quite distracting and take away from the overall listening experience. It would be beneficial if this aspect could be improved or eliminated altogether.

    In conclusion, The Chop Bard podcast is an excellent resource for anyone interested in exploring Shakespeare's works. Ehren Ziegler's in-depth discussions and analysis make these plays more accessible and enjoyable for listeners. While there may be some minor drawbacks such as the jarring music at the beginning of each episode, overall this podcast provides a valuable study aid for understanding and appreciating Shakespeare's plays. I highly recommend giving it a listen!



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    Latest episodes from Chop Bard

    256 Fear and Warning

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 53:42


    Julius Caesar – Act I scene 3 Cassius finds inspiration in a violent storm, and another ally in the night.

    255 Beware

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 91:16


    Julius Caesar – Act I scene 2 Caesar is given a warning, Brutus has private thoughts, Cassius airs some grievances, and Casca tells us what happened.

    254 Cruel Men of Rome

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 39:32


    Julius Caesar – Act I scene 1  A group of citizens are scolded for celebrating Caesar's triumph.

    253 Lend Me Your Ears

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 61:00


    Julius Caesar – Introduction Brief history of Julius Caesar, events leading up to the beginning of the play, our ways and means of analyzing, and some ideas about why this play feels so weird.

    252 Much Ado About Conclusions

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 73:45


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act V scene 2, 3, 4 Benedick is boastful, Beatrice too witty, Hero too innocent, Claudio's a fool, yet love finds a way to work it all out.

    251 Much Ado About Conviction

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 91:30


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act V scene 1 Claudio and the Prince are confronted with opposition and catastrophe.

    250 Much Ado About Interrogation

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2024 39:24


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act IV scene 2 Dogberry goes about to examine the malefactors in the eftest way.

    249 Much Ado About Revenge

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 88:06


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act IV scene 1 The worst wedding, two confessions of love, and a promise of death.

    248 Much Ado About Anticipation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 39:27


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act III, scene 4, 5 Hero prepares for her wedding, Beatrice isn't feeling so hot, Dogberry and Verges have it handled.

    247 Much Ado About Vigitance

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2024 59:32


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act III, scene 3  It's the night before the wedding as the watch receive their instructions and try to keep the peace.

    246 Much Ado About Perception

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 53:19


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act III, scene 2  Benedick undergoes a transformation, and Don John sows doubt.

    245 Much Ado About Noting

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2024 49:31


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act III, scene 1 Beatrice hears some unexpected gossip.

    244 Much Ado About Deception

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 89:12


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act II, scene 2, 3 Don John finds another way, while Benedick is made sport of.

    243 Much Ado About Masks

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2024 98:29


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act II, scene 1 In the midst of a clever dance we encounter witty word play, misconceptions, and a new challenge.

    242 Much Ado About Plots

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2023 44:15


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act I, scene 2, 3  Leonato is misinformed by his brother, and Don John wants to bite.

    241 Much Ado About Arrivals

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2023 78:15


    Much Ado About Nothing – Act I, scene 1 Don Pedro, the Prince of Aragon, has come to visit the house of Leonato, governor of Messina. A cast of colorful characters is introduced.

    240 Much Ado

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2023 38:59


    Much Ado About Nothing – Into An introduction to our series on Much Ado About Nothing where we talk history, structure, and the building blocks of comedy.

    239 Four Weddings and A Miracle

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2023 76:49


    As You Like It – Act V, scene 3 and 4 Exiles and rustics gather to witness some magic and promised marriages.

    238 The Magician

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2023 50:56


    As You Like It – Act V, scene 1 and 2 Touchstone confronts a rival lover, and Rosalind promises a miracle.

    237 The Lioness

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2023 56:35


    As You Like It – Act IV, scene 2 and 3 Silvius delivers Phoebe's letter, and Oliver finds Ganymede and Aliena.

    236 Wicked Son of Venus

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2023 75:11


    As You Like It – Act IV, scene 1 Ganymede attempts to cure Orlando, which sinks Rosalind deeper in love.

    235 Know Yourself

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2023 46:26


    As You Like It – Act III, scene 5 Rosalind inserts herself into a pageant of disharmony, and only makes things worse.

    234 Among the Goats

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2023 62:29


    As You Like It – Act III, scene 3 & 4 – Even a goat knows that love can turn a person into a fool but won't make a fool personable.

    233 The Trees Say Rosalind

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2023 112:25


    As You Like It – Act III scene 1 & 2 Oliver is uprooted from his comfy life, as words abound in the forest.

    232 All the World's a Stage

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2023 77:45


    As You Like It – Act II, scene 6 & 7 Unexpected encounters in the forest, as if life were a play.

    231 The Forest of Arden

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2022 52:09


    As You Like It – Act II, scene 4 & 5 Rosalind, Celia, and Touchstone arrive in the forest. Jaques offers a dissenting note.

    230 The Uses of Adversity

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2022 54:33


    As You Like It – Act II, scene 1, 2, 3 While Duke Senior and his followers thrive in exile, Orlando is introduced to the perils of excellence.

    229 Aliena and Ganymede

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2022 44:34


    As You Like It – Act I, scene 3 – Rosalind and Celia's world undergoes a sudden transformation.

    228 Sport for Ladies

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2022 68:24


    As You Like It – Act I, scene 2 – Rosalind and Celia encounter a clown, and witness a wrestling match.

    227 How to Manage A Brother

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2022 56:07


    As You Like It – Act I, scene 1 – Orlando wants what's rightfully his.

    226 As You Like It

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2022 40:52


    As You Like It – An introduction – A few survival tips before entering the forest of Arden, lest we fall foul a shouting shepherd and shrug his shenanigans. 

    225 My Kingdom for a Horse

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2022 95:03


    Richard III – Act V Scene 3, 4, 5 At Bosworth field Richard will defend his crown. But the real battle will be fought within.

    224 Richmond

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2022 53:57


    Richard III – Act IV Scene 4, 5 & Act V scene 1, 2  As Richard is bombarded with bad news, Stanley chooses a side, and another Henry appears. 

    223 Let It Go

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2022 93:42


    Richard III – Act IV Scene 4  Margaret makes her final appearance, and Richard's expedition to intercept Buckingham is interrupted.

    222 Princes in the Tower

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2022 78:02


    Richard III – Act IV Scene 1, 2, 3  Richard may have the crown, but keeping it will require the blood of innocents.

    221 Long Live the King

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2022 76:32


    Richard III – Act III Scene 5, 6, 7 Richard has operated from the shadows long enough, it's time to sweep away the last of his obstacles and claim his prize. 

    220 Divided Council

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2021 67:20


    Richard III – Act III Scene 2, 3, 4 It's the day of the coronation council, and heads will roll.

    219 The Ape and The Bear

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2021 58:14


    Richard III – Act III Scene 1 Prince Edward returns to London, accompanied by his Uncle Richard and Buckingham, minus an escort or two.  Kids Learning For Life Bard Cards

    218 Incapable and Shallow Innocents

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2021 64:25


    Richard III – Act II Scene 2-4 The royal family suffers another devastating loss–one that shakes the realm–causing everyone to brace for the coming storm.

    217 The Fruits of Rashness

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2021 50:00


    Richard III – Act II Scene 1  The ailing King Edward tries to make peace among the peers before his time is done. Richard shows up to help.

    216 Into the Malmsey Butt

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2021 70:09


    Richard III – Act I Scene 4  The Duke of Clarence recounts his dream, then receives a couple of unexpected visitors.

    215 Live Long and Suffer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2021 93:22


    Richard III – Act I Scene 3 Richard takes advantage of the family crisis to stir up animosity, and uses the past to slander the present.

    214 Gentle Lady Anne

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2021 80:36


    Richard III – Act I Scene 2  Heaven and hell collide when Richard encounters the Lady Anne as she escorts the corpse of her father-in-law, King Henry VI. 

    213 Richard’s Discontent

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2021 59:40


    Richard III – Act I Scene 1 Richard, having no place in a peaceful world, reveals his deadly intentions.

    212 Son of York

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2021 64:00


    Richard III – Introduction In preparation for Richard III we talk about resources, quartos, the folio, history, recap what has come before, and begin to peer into the darkness that is Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

    211 Born With Teeth

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2021 66:17


    Henry VI part 3 – Act V Scene 5, 6, 7  King Edward gets to work securing his reign. But restoring the peace means dealing with Margaret, the prince, and Henry VI. Richard takes matters into his own hands. 

    king edward henry vi born with teeth
    210 Die We Must

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2021 78:54


    Henry VI part 3 – Act V Scene 1, 2, 3, 4 As the final battles play out, an end comes early for one of the mightiest, and not even a passionate speech from Margaret can save the day.

    209 Two Kings One Throne

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2021 68:55


    Henry VI part 3 – Act IV Scene 5, 6  7, 8 Kings rescued, friends gathered, a glimmer of hope for the future, and the scent of battle wafting on the air.

    208 Warwick’s Revenge

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2021 72:51


    Henry VI part 3 – Act IV Scene 1, 2, 3, 4 The crown is once again put in jeopardy, as King Edward refuses to see the error of his actions, and favors his new wife’s family over his own brothers.

    207 Bona Scorned

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2020 59:30


    Henry VI part 3 – Act III Scene 3 Margaret and her Son Prince Edward travel to France seeking aid from King Lewis, just as Warwick arrives with a tempting offer for alliance with England. 

    206 A Dream of Sovereignty

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2020 93:32


    Henry VI part 3 – Act III Scene 1, 2  Henry returns in disguise, as Edward abuses his power, and Richard contemplates his future.

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