Podcast appearances and mentions of austin tichenor

Adam Long, Reed Martin, and Austin Tichenor – the cast of the film version of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) – reminisce about the 2000 filming of the RSC's signature work, and discuss the extraordinary lengths the production went to ensure they were jet-lagged for the entire process. Revelations include the secret cameo from co-author and RSC founding member Daniel Singer; how different actors must play jokes differently; the Spinal Tap observation that relative size is the difference between funny and scary; how to make friends in British and Irish pubs; and how the RSC vibe might best be described as squabbling siblings bound together in a brotherhood of Shakespeare. (Length 21:33) (PICTURED: Reed Martin, Adam Long, and Austin Tichenor enjoying post-show beverages in Shuttleworth's Pub, Charing Cross Road, 1992. Photo by Kent Tichenor.) The post Filming ‘Complete Works' appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Playwrights and RSC artistic directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor discuss the updates they've been making to all their scripts (including All the Great Books (abridged), featuring Doug Harvey, Tré Zijuan Tyler, and Michael Faulkner, below) and how their writing process begins with coming up with material that's personal resonant. Martin and Tichenor reveal the despair of artists listening to the mortgage when evaluating their work; how not all laughs are created equal; how the great job of making people laugh now feels like an supremely important job; and how hearing the audience gasp at the turns in the narrative is even more satisfying to us. (Length 24:21) The post Funny To Us appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

409 years ago today, on April 22, 1616, William Shakespeare himself spoke to Tony Dean, the creator and host of the Calling History Podcast, which features conversations with history's most influential and interesting people. Tony explains how the podcast got started, how he finds his guests (including Austin Tichenor as Shakespeare), how Ralph Waldo Emerson remains the podcast's great white whale, and how the Calling History Podcast is filled with unbelievable but absolutely true stories. HEAR HERE! (You can listen to part one of Tony's conversation with Shakespeare here and part two here.) Length 19:50. The post William Shakespeare Speaks! appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Do you not "get" Shakespeare? Well, you're not alone! Improviser and "ensemble whisperer" Liz Allen returns to the podcast to explore the reasons she's never really connected with Shakespeare's plays. Allen famously coached the fictional improv team in Mike Birbiglia's film Don't Think Twice but fears missing out on both cultural and satirical opportunities, and discusses with host Austin Tichenor the ways in which she (and many others) have missed the Shakespeare boat; how to describe the appeal of Shakespeare in five words; the value of “Tools, Not Rules;” drawing inspiration from Darren Freebury-Jones's Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers; how being haughty at dinner parties is the real goal; and the very real relationship between Shakespeare and improvisation. (Length 31:14) The post Connecting With Shakespeare appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

7 Ages Theatricals is producing the world premiere of Fool, Austin Tichenor's adaptation of Christopher Moore's New York Times bestselling comic novel. Tom Berger, 7AT's executive artistic director, talks about how this theatrical collaboration came to be, and reveals how the combination of Tichenor and Moore creates "a match made in Shakespeare comedy heaven" (Broadway World). Berger discusses the pleasure of being a theatre slut; the importance of staying in one's artistic lane; the stress of not wanting to disappoint each other (or Fool's creator); the paradox of having written "Schrödinger's Play;" the trick of making sure the audience catches what we're throwing; and the fateful coincidence of being a Christopher Moore superfan and a Reduced – as well as a real – Shakespeare guy. (Length 22:46) The post Fool's World Premiere appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

RSC artistic directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor discuss their return to Merrimack Repertory Theatre with the company's 11th show, The Comedy of Hamlet! (a prequel) as MRT's 300th production. Reed and Austin reveal the RSC's deep connections to New England; how this will be the RSC's third show to premiere at MRT (after The Complete World of Sports (abridged) and The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) and seventh visit overall; and share insights into the creation of the show and why they changed the title; how the show's roll-out and script development got interrupted by the pandemic; what milestone anniversary will be celebrated by our first MRT performance; and how creating a prequel to Shakespeare's greatest play brought unexpected emotional connections to the characters. (LENGTH 18:24) The post Returning To MRT! appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Perennially one of the most-produced playwrights in America, Lauren Gunderson returns to discuss A Room in the Castle, her new play based on the women of Hamlet now having its world premiere at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Folger Theatre in Washington DC. Lauren talks about the evolution of her play and reveals how it became more focused on Gertrude, rather than Ophelia; an excellent reason why artists should lunch with other artists; how there is always another story going on; how young people in love are dumb; what her next play will focus on; the definitive answer to the question of Gertrude's complicity in King Hamlet's murder; and how the women of Denmark survive in a world (much like ours) where “patriarchy's gonna patriarchy.” (Length 24:13) (PICTURED, above: Sabrina Lynne Sawyer and Oneika Phillips in the world-premiere of “A Room in the Castle” based on the women of “Hamlet,” by Lauren M. Gunderson, directed by Kaja Dunn, co-produced with Folger Theatre playing January 24-February 9, 2025 at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Photo by Mikki Schaffner. Below, Lauren Gunderson and Austin Tichenor, San Francisco, 2025. Selfie by Austin Tichenor.) The post Gertrude And Ophelia appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

At the closing night banquet of last weekend's Shakespeare Theatre Association conference in San Francisco, Reduced Shakespeare Company artistic directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor were awarded the Sandra and Sidney Berger Award "in recognition of their outstanding talent and dedication to the works of William Shakespeare." In a conversation recorded immediately afterward, Reed and Austin express their shock and gratitude; thank the many people who have kept the RSC going over the years; share an excerpt of their acceptance speech; and talk about their decades-long journey that brought them to this unlikely moment. (Length 19:30) The post Sidney Berger Award appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

For this first episode of 2025, RSC co-artistic directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor discuss how Austin plays the "Alternate Scrooge" in the Goodman Theatre production of A Christmas Carol for the third year in a row. Austin reveals how he threads the needle of honoring the Scrooges he alternates with (Larry Yando and Christopher Donahue) while still making the character his own; the difference between being an alternate and an understudy; how he inherited the role from previous alternate and now current Scrooge Allen Gilmore; the secrets to flying, including massive shout-outs to ZFX Flying, who makes the magic happen (not "VFX," as misidentified by Austin); what it's like to work with young performers; the danger of running out of mental bandwidth during the holidays; and the privilege of jumping from reduced productions to the Goodman's massive annual extravaganza. (Length 38:46) The post Threading The Needle appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

For this special encore podcast episode, we present – in its entirety – the complete and unabridged recording of A Little Dickens: The Complete Christmas Carol (abridged). (Dickens's story is abridged, not the recording. You'll work it out.) First heard on Public Radio International in 1995, this antic audio adaptation features Reed Martin as Jacob Marley, Matthew Croke as Tiny Tim, and Austin Tichenor as Ebenezer Scrooge (the role he's currently playing at Chicago's Goodman Theatre). May it warm your cockles! (Length 10:47) The post Special Christmas Encore! appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

It's the Podcast's 18th birthday! Austin Tichenor, Reed Martin, and Adam Long celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Ring Reduced, the RSC's 1994 film for Britain's Channel 4 which compressed Wagner's epic opera Der Ring des Nibelungen into a brief and palatable 24 minutes. Adam, Austin, and Reed share their favorite fun facts about Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung; reveal their inspiration from Anna Russell; speculate on comic directions not taken; confirm that the Reduced Shakespeare Company is completely and utterly responsible for the success of Ted Lasso; disclose how they created the most expensive and complicated gag of the entire shoot; and marvel how for one brief shining moment, they were the Rhinemaidens of all media. (Length 29:09) The post Ring Reduced Remembered appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

They keep writing American history so we have to keep reducing it! Playwrights Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor discuss how they've updated The Complete History of America (abridged), which they wrote with Adam Long back in 1993. Reed and Austin share how Dee Ryan's recent one-hour production of the script was so helpful; how Reed discovered who the most pivotal figure in American history has been for the last 30 years; the challenges of keeping up just the last two weeks of American history; how the "Special Election Edition" that the RSC performs differs from the published version of the script; why Reed's heavy teaching schedule prevents him from joining us on the road; and how adjunct professors are doing the Lord's work (without the benefits). (Length 18:18) The post Updating America (Abridged) appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Playwright Alice Scovell (The Rewards of Being Frank) discusses her new comedy Kindred Spirits, a sequel to Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit now having its world premiere at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (and featuring our own Austin Tichenor as Charles Condomine, whose late wives Elvira and Ruth return once again to stir up trouble). Scovell talks about how she gave Oscar Wilde's characters from The Importance of Being Earnest the seven-year-itch; how she's played around in the STU – the Shakespeare Theatrical Universe – through her sequel to Love's Labor's Lost; the challenges and rewards of negotiating with an author's estate; and how a life of theatergoing has led to a new life of theatre making. (Length 21:36)

In this episode, we're talking with Austin Tichenor, co-Artistic Director of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, and longtime actor, author, podcaster, and Folger Shakespeare Library blogger. Austin takes us back to the early Renaissance Faire days of the RSC, and tells us about the Company's experiences reducing other Great Works and Notable Events—from being banned in Belfast for their Bible play to revising their “Compete History of America (Abridged)” to meet our current political moment.

Last week was the tenth anniversary of "The Kerfuffles," that time when our performance of The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) was banned by conservative politicians and then UNbanned when an international media storm arose. Co-authors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, and Matt Croke – the show's original cast (pictured above) – reminisce about the creation of the script, how it developed in workshop performances, and how the controversy was handled. Featuring the show's big Broadway musical ending; conscious comic and commercial decisions; lost scenes and cut props; and the importance of always heeding the wisdom of former dean of Ringling Brothers Clown College Steve Smith. (Length 24:28)

On the eve of our upcoming tour of The Complete History of Comedy (abridged), co-authors and RSC co-artistic directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor talk about measuring the success of a production, and how it's easier with a comedy but not so much with a drama. Reed and Austin reveal how comedy opens up the heart; how laughs preceded by quiet moments are usually stronger; their greater willingness to go on a comic journey than a tragic one; a shout-out to George Saunders's book A Swim in a Pond in the Rain; their feelings about whether Chekhov's plays are actually funny; their ability to take their own notes about slowing down; how not all laughs are created equal; a special appearance by half an EGOT winner "Weird Al" Yankovic; the complete song, “I Laughed Till I Cried;” and the ultimate challenge of wondering whether a quiet audience is enthralled or simply bored. HEAR HERE! (Length 20:36)

Joe Dempsey and Austin Tichenor play Mr. Potter and Ebenezer Scrooge in, respectively, It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! at the American Blues Theater and A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre. The two Chicago actors share their stories of being cast and the mixed blessing of being perfect casting for two miserable old characters. Dempsey also reveals an appreciation for Saturday Night Live's famous “Lost Ending” to the Frank Capra film; a shout-out to American Blues Theater's brand new performance space; what one taps into to play a scurvy little spider; the luck of getting emotional plausible deniability; having front-row seats to some of the finest acting ensembles anywhere; the value of being of service to great stories; and the ultimate privilege of fulfilling audience desires at this time of year. (Length 21:15)

Larry Yando (left, above) discusses playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the Goodman Theatre production of A Christmas Carol with his "Alternate Scrooge," the Reduced Shakespeare Company's own Austin Tichenor. The two actors talk about the challenge of being haunted by the Ghost of Productions Past; how Dickens's story continues to percolate in the off-season; how they navigate script changes, especially the little annoying ones; how Scrooge compares to some of the other great roles Yando's played (such as Scar in The Lion King, Prospero, Roy Cohn in Angels in America); how seeing another actor play “your” role can sometimes act like “an undigested bit of beef;” why the story stays relevant year after year; the value of staying on your toes; how and why Scrooge chooses Marley over Belle; and how if A Christmas Carol ended 20 minutes earlier, it'd be King Lear. (Length 21:48)

"Some zombies are big Some zombies are small But Daisy's the littlest zombie of all..." So begins Daisy the Littlest Zombie, the sing-songy coming-of-age tale for children of most ages written by Austin Tichenor and illustrated by Gary Andrews (and published by Sordelet Ink). Austin and Gary reveal how this tale of the undead was brought to life; their love of mashing up genres; how darkness can be cathartic; why it's sort-of Shaun of the Dead for kids; the joy of including (and discovering!) Easter eggs; inspiration from a performance of Completely Hollywood (abridged); their decision to follow up on the massive success of their award-ignored web series Drawing on Shakespeare; their shared experiences of being a dad to a brother and sister raised in theaters; and how they found meaning and humor in combining profundity and silliness. Now available on all digital platforms and in a handsome hardcover edition! (Length 20:57)

The original cast (pictured, left to right: Reed Martin, Dominic Conti, and Austin Tichenor) returns to The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) for performances this April and July of 2023 and they discuss how both the show and their performances have changed; how different people can get away with different jokes; the value of bashing away at the material; the audacity of comparing ourselves to Shakespeare; how it's our most autobiographical show; what it's like to act with other companies like Chicago's Goodman Theatre and San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre; fixing certain punchlines; and a special appearance from Grammy Award-winning comedian “Weird Al” Yankovic! (Length 18:49)

In this minute of Joe Johnston's 2011 film ‘Captain America: The First Avenger,' Nick Fury reveals to Steve that he's been asleep for nearly 70 years. He's sad because he missed his date with Peggy. And the credits start! Austin Tichenor from Reduced Shakespeare Company and The Shakespearance joins us!

A family affair this week as host Austin Tichenor is joined by his brother John Tichenor and sister Amy Tichenor Moorhead to discuss their early years performing The Nutcracker for the Metropolitan Ballet Company in Oakland, CA, in the 1970s. The siblings share memories of teacher, choreographer, and director Vern Nerden; discuss favorite Nutcrackers; celebrate the rewards of following in your sister's footsteps; remember the exact craving tech rehearsals and the smell of greasepaint continue to trigger; how one is connected to Tchaikovsky's music on almost a cellular level; how the Nutcracker is an almost religious experience; and how early exposure to ballet led to lifetimes in the performing arts. (Length 30:58) (PICTURED: Tom Larson's poster for the Metropolitan Ballet's Nutcracker, circa 1970. Courtesy of Amy Tichenor Moorhead.)

Jessica Thebus directs the Goodman Theatre's annual production of A Christmas Carol, and this year she's brought our own Austin Tichenor along to play Scrooge at ten designated performances. Jessica and Austin discuss how much the production changes from year to year (and, surprisingly, how little); how heaping helpings of Dickens' actual text is present in the production; the willingness of returning veterans to investigate the script anew; the eagerness of artists and audiences to revisit this ritual; how a story is only as good as its bad guy; how everyone is invited to the Christmas Carol party; and how Ebenezer Scrooge is one of the great roles in the theatrical canon. (Length 17:43) (PICTURED: Larry Yando as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Goodman Theatre production of A Christmas Carol, directed by Jessica Thebus. Photo by Liz Lauren.)

Mya Gosling, aka GoodTickleBrain, joins us to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast, new episodes of which have dropped weekly since early December, 2006. Mya interviews producer/host Austin Tichenor, who discusses the podcast's origins and evolution; the greatest gift the podcast has turned into; how it was partially inspired by physical media; how much of a Shakespearean he was to begin with (and how much of one he's become); how the RSC's shows evolved into longer narratives; and the fun of filling existing spaces with your own stories. (Length 26:18) (Stick-figure Mya and Austin courtesy of Mya Gosling/GoodTickleBrain. Used by permission.)

The first season of Rob Myles' extraordinary Owning Shakespeare podcast is now available on all the usual platforms, and it's a fantastic collection of six noted Shakespeare actors tackling (in real time) a speech they've never looked at before, and sharing their process, stumbles, and successes with the listener. Rob's a wonderful guide, and he joins us to discuss how the podcast came together; how the RSC's Austin Tichenor was a briefly unwitting test subject; what this and future seasons will accomplish; how he blushes at praise for his knowledge of Shakespeare and skills as a director; the joy of taking both Shakespeare and actors off pedestals; how a rushed rehearsal process led to a kind-of triage of Shakespeare; the importance of demystifying the idea that actors are only using “intuition;” how to avoid "impenetrable babble;" the value of showcasing the new generation of Approved Shakespeareans; and the hoped-for possibility of getting an Avenger on Season Two. (Length 21:40) (PICTURED, clockwise from top left, the six "text detectives" from Season One of Owning Shakespeare: Isabel Adomakoh Young, Austin Tichenor, Miguel Perez, Debra Ann Byrd, Paterson Joseph, and Adjoa Andoh.) The post ‘Owning Shakespeare' Podcast appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Part 3 features close-readings of three key speeches that uniquely reflect the corruption and cynicism of this play-world – either in lamenting it, or increasing it. Speeches and Performers: Ulysses, Act 1, “Troy, yet upon his basis, had been down …” (Rob Myles) Ulysses, Act 1, “The great Achilles, whom opinion crowns …” (Rob Myles) Pandarus, Act 5, “A goodly medicine for my aching bones…” (Austin Tichenor)

Hi! My name is Terry J. Aman and this installment marks my 82nd episode of VideoFuzzy, reporting the progress I've made in cataloging more than 3,000 VHS transfers and digital recordings. For this installment, titled "Expanding My Mystical Center," my Fuzzy Feature highlights the pilot episode of Ryan Murphy's "Glee." After some soul-searching, I have determined, 82 episodes in, Ryan Murphy's works represent a third chakra at the mystical center of my media collection, that challenge now designated as "Studio Murphy Under." I explore several cross connections through "Glee" and other Ryan Murphy productions, as well as several movies and shows I watched in my classic and current collections, including Greta Garbo in 1933's "Queen Christina," and through the 1960 Korean language film "The Housemaid."  In my Classic Collection (VHS-to-DVD), comments on Tim Roth's "Funny Games" from 2007, "Drop Dead Diva," catalog debuts for "Glee," "Drawn Together" and "Vampire Diaries." Also, "Alias," "Warehouse 13," "Medium," "Eureka," "Prison Break," "Mad Men," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Rescue Me." Tracking information from an episode of "Six Feet Under" I found out they made a TV movie of "Fargo" starring Edie Falco and I am excited to track that down, along with indie film "In a World" and maybe 2005's "Bobby." Also, Bravo's presentation of Madonna's "Confessions" tour in Wembley Stadium from August 2007. In my Current Collection (direct-to-DVD), I watched Elizabeth Taylor in "The Night Watch," "Butterfield 8" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." I watched "The Apartment," "Harper," "Ragdoll," "Hotel Rwanda," "Malcolm X," "Antebellum," "The Raven," "Hotel Artemis," "Den of Thieves" "Gigi," "Carmen Jones," "Brigadoon," "The Thief of Bagdad," "Citizen Kane," "Executive Suite," "Queen Christina," "The Housemaid," "Knives Out," "Better Call Saul" and "Kung Fu." In What I've Been Watching, I checked out Michelle Yeoh in "Everything Everywhere All At Once," "Free Guy," "The Crazy Ones" and Amazon's reboot of "The Kids in the Hall." This segues directly into my streaming activities, including "Mrs. Brown's Boys," "Shakespeare & Hathaway," Hugh Laurie's Britbox adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" and "The Ipcriss Files" on AMC+. Also, check out a podcast by Caroline Crampton called "Shedunnit," which came to me highly recommended by "All About Agatha" co-host Kemper Donovan and I heartly agree. She'll be making an appearance shortly on "All About Agatha," and both are well worth a listen. I celebrate five years of VideoFuzzy with a Zoom interview I conducted in March with actor, writer and host of "The Reduced Shakespeare Podcast," Austin Tichenor. He shared comments on appearances and experiences with shows in my collection including "Close to Home," "The West Wing," "Nip/Tuck" and "The Practice." My thanks to Austin Tichenor both for his time, and for the care he brings to the characters he creates and brings to life. Finally, I make my Bismarck stage debut as the nutty Dr. Caius in Director Erin Weichel's adaptation of William Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" for Capitol Shakespeare, now in its 15th year. The show goes up July 20-24 at 7 p.m. near the North Dakota Heritage Center. Admission is free; a freewill offering is collected. Come out and enjoy the show!

Hiya! It's Terry J. Aman, host of VideoFuzzy, my blog and affiliated podcast for media, commentary and nostalgia. In episode 82: "Expanding my Mystical Center," comments on "Glee," I'm in the Capitol Shakespeare production of "The Merry Wives of Windsor" July 20-24, come out and see that if you can, and I celebrate five years of this project with a conversation with Austin Tichenor, host of the Reduced Shakespeare Podcast.  LINKS: Capitol Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" July 20-24, 7pm near the North Dakota Heritage Center: More info at https://www.capitolshakespeare.org/ ; and The Reduced Shakespeare Company: https://www.reducedshakespeare.com/ 

Austin Tichenor of the infamous Reduced Shakespeare Company chats with the Shrews about the origins of podcasting, the RSC’s history, and updating and crafting their many plays. Check out the Shrews on Austin’s podcast @reducedshakespeare! Tune in every third Sunday of the month on YouTube, SunSounds.org, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, or Stitcher! https://linktr.ee/untamedshrewspodcast Starring… Hannah FontesDawn TuckerBecki ZaritskyAustin Tichenor […]

Austin Tichenor was a guest on the Folger Shakespeare Library's Instagram Live series Shakespeare Lightning Round, a hugely fun format where guests from all corners of the Shakespeare world answer rapid-fire questions about all aspects of Shakespeare. Host Ben Lauer, the Folger's Social Media and Communications Manager, hurls thirty rapid-fire questions at Austin, who reveals his favorite prop, his favorite Midsummer mechanical, and his favorite Shakespeare ghost; which Shakespeare moments have made him cry; how the RSC set a Guinness World's Record; his favorite Shakespeare play he's never got to work on; and how not getting #SnakesOnAPlane trending is such a missed opportunity. In the words of Shakespeare himself, strap in. (Length 23:14) The post Shakespeare Lightning Round appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Is The Batman a Hamlet story? The Joker an Iago? I'm joined by Austin Tichenor (he/him), artistic director of the award winning Reduced Shakespeare Company as we talk about the Bard's approach to villains, and storytelling in general, and how we see those same themes in the stories we love today.Austin Tichenor (he/him) is an actor, playwright, and the artistic director of the award winning Reduced Shakespeare Company. An intellectual welterweight, Austin remains disappointingly average despite three expensive degrees (two from UC Berkeley and one from Boston University). An intellectual welterweight, Austin remains disappointingly average despite three expensive degrees (two from UC Berkeley and one from Boston University).He blogs monthly for the Folger Shakespeare Library (where you can find his article on The Batman and Hamlet) and since 2006 has produced and hosted the world's longest running weekly theater podcast, the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. Recent directorial credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream for Starling Shakespeare Company, Twelfth Night for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, William Shakespeare's Long Lost First Play (abridged) for the Folger Shakespeare Theater, and Much Ado about Nothing for Pacific theater. As an actor, Austin has logged many hours on episodic television, playing recurring roles on 24, Allias, Felicity, Ally McBeal, and The Practice as well as guest starring as Guys in Ties on The West Wing, Gilmore Girls, The X-Files, E.R., NYPD Blue, and shoes like them. He also offers his services as a writing and acting coach at The Shakespeareance.He collaborated with Reed Martin on Pop-Up Shakespeare (illustrated by Jennie Maizels) and the definitive compendium of Shakespearean scholarship Reduced Shakespeare: The Complete Guide for the Attention-Impaired (abridged).Co-Artistic Director, Reduced Shakespeare Company https://www.reducedshakespeare.com/Creator, The Shakespeareance https://www.theshakespeareance.com/Producer/Host, Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast https://www.reducedshakespeare.com/podcasts/Monthly Contributor, Folger Shakespeare Library https://shakespeareandbeyond.folger.edu/author/austin-tichenor/Plays at Broadway Play Publishing - https://www.broadwayplaypub.com/?s=Tichenor&post_type=product&order=descAustin on Twitter https://twitter.com/austintichenorAustin on Facebook Austin on FacebookSupport The Shakespeareance on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/austintichenor?fan_landing=true

Last week we gathered in the RSC's hometown of Sonoma, California to finally return to Hamlet's Big Adventure! (a prequel) since the last time we performed it back in 2019. Original cast members Doug Harvey, Austin Tichenor, and Chad Yarish talk about what it's like to back on their feet; how they survived this "long intermission;" how it was time to retire from cracking nuts; the promise of a possible live RSC D&D one-shot; some important pandemic pivots; the importance of crystallizing our purpose; the (hopefully only temporary) end of an RSC tradition; and how the themes of Hamlet's Big Adventure! (a prequel) have become surprisingly resonant and more comically powerful in the intervening two years. (Length 18:41) The post Back To Rehearsal appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Hi! My name is Terry J. Aman and this installment marks my 80th episode of VideoFuzzy, reporting the progress I've made in cataloging more than 3,000 VHS transfers and digital recordings. For this installment, titled "F is for Fiasco," in my Friday Night Feature, episodes of "Close to Home" spark an unexpected connection with an appearance by Austin Tichenor, host of the Reduced Shakespeare Company podcast. In Cross Connections, in my "Studio Six Feet Under" challenge, I trace Austin Tichenor's appearances within a step of mystical centrality in my media collection. Also, Jeff Perry appears as a Golden Thread through a lot of the media I grew up watching and throughout my media collection. Also, appearances by Laurie Metcalf, Josh Hopkins, Carrie Preston and Bruno Campos. I don't break out a Fond Reflections this time because 2022 has been brutal, but I encountered a Bob Saget reference in a season 14 episode of "The Simpsons."  In my Classic VHS-to-DVD collection, discussion of "Blind Justice," "Defying Gravity," "The Universe," "Mad Men," "Drop Dead Diva" (with quick aside to Season 19 of "Project Runway,") "Nip/Tuck," "The West Wing" and "The Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson." Also, a song by Alabama3 featured in the BBC's "Being Human."   In my Current direct-to-digital collection, discussion of title inspiration for this installment, Orson Welles' 1973 documentary "F is for Fake." I talk about "Trance," "The Dark Half," "The Magician," "Gone," "In Cold Blood" and "Badlands." I include a compare-and-contrast of the 1947 and 2021 releases of "Nightmare Alley." Comments on "Doctor Who," "Looper" and "Naomi." Also, I talk about "4400" with breakout commentary on the 2009 reboot of "V" and the 2017 reboot of "Murphy Brown." In What I've Been Watching, I talk about Joel Coen's Apple TV presentation of "The Tragedy of Macbeth," I run into Lauren Kristy, Live and Linkin Park songs in my iTunes catalog. Shoutout to my friend Mikey Heinrich for the heads up on the opening sequence to HBO Max's "The Peacemaker" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mrr3UNALww - OMG. Definitely added Wig Wam's "Do You Really Wanna Taste It" to my playlist. Also, block out the time and watch ROFL Audio's "Ultimate James Bond Medley" at https://youtu.be/SeYfAmz0Jlk, it's amazing. My By the Numbers segment includes a breakdown of the process in putting these things together, and a show so far milestone 3,000 homeburned DVDs! Finally, a link to my ninth installment of "VideoFuzzy: The Video" with comments from my Friday Night Feature and a show so far with my By the Numbers segment: https://youtu.be/5y_z-XBWWLY TOP TEN: Here's a "top ten" episode guide for people looking for a quick read-in on this blog and podcast effort. Enjoy! https://videofuzzy.libsyn.com/about VideoFuzzy on YouTube: https://bit.ly/39IsQ2h

Gina Pulice and Jen Bosworth-Ramirez are the hosts of the “I Survived Theatre School Podcast”, which started as a pandemic project, but has become a fantastic ongoing conversation about the things we learned in theatre school, the things we didn't learn, and how we've all managed to survive: some of us in the theatre, and some of us in other fields. Austin Tichenor was a guest on their podcast and now returns the favor, letting Gina and Bos talk about how their podcast came to be and what it's now become. FEATURING: the value of active listening, both within the theatre and without; the counterintuitive freedom of a rigid schedule; the joy of “psychological spelunking;” how one can become a reimagined artist; and how something that didn't start out to be a “self-help” podcast has turned out to be, for its listeners, remarkably healing. (Length 19:15) The post Surviving Theatre School appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Intro: writing comedy, Joss Whedon, unproblematic men, putting public figures on a pedestal, the hierarchy vs. collaboration dialectic.Let Me Run This By You: White coat hypertension, writing seminars, Boz's success story!, navigating systems for your own benefit.Interview: We talk to Reduced Shakespeare Company's Austin Tichenor about UC Berkeley, Boston University, law school, surviving a directing MFA.

Attend the tale!! In 2016, The Sondheim Review published an article by our own Austin Tichenor that discussed the similarities between the Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt musical The Fantasticks and the James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim collaborations Sunday in the Park with George and Into The Woods – and Mr. Sondheim was sorely displeased. What follows is a tale of honest curiosity; genuine repentance; possible projection; extreme umbrage; high dudgeon; missed fact-checking; lack of graciousness; sincere regret; and everlasting gratitude. CLICK THROUGH TO READ THE CORRESPONDENCE AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF. (Length 15:54) The post Austin's Sondheim Tale appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Minute Forty-Five: From An Offer for Jane to A Kiss for Jane Joining us on the show to discuss Thor's offer, Erik's warning, Jane's giggles, and Darcy's ‘myeu-muh' is Austin Tichenor, creator of The Shakespeareance, co-artistic director of The Reduced Shakespeare Company and producer & host of the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. In the forty-fifth minute of Kenneth Branagh's 2011 film Thor... We talk about how Thor finally seems to notice that these Midgardians around him want something and if he strikes a deal with them, he could get what he want. He also seems to notice Jane's desire for him but ignores Erik's suspicion. That's interesting that he never pushes back against Erik. Is it that Jane's just dazzled? Or is Erik feeling that his childhood myth couldn't actually have come to life? There is certainly a paternalistic nature to Erik here as well, as far as the professorial care he shows. What's great about how grounded the film works to make Thor seem and how great Erik's heritage plays opposite that. Meanwhile, Darcy's attempt at saying Mjølnir – myeu-muh – cracks us up to no end. And then Erik says Mjølnir and it sounds perfect. But it's not myeu-muh. Matthew references Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance and the romance as it comes to Jane's fascination with Thor. Is Thor eavesdropping when Erik pulls Jane aside to warn her? It's hard to tell. What does Thor think is going to happen when he finds Myeu-muh? Thor says his goodbyes to go find Myeu-muh as Jane acknowledges Erik's warnings. We love how Thor continues to act in unexpected ways, whether it's smashing mugs or giving a genuine goodbye kiss. Thor is present. He's genuine. He pays incredible attention. His active listening is great. It's amazing how well that works. But why does he ignore Darcy when he says goodbye? Is it just that he's so taken with Jane? Maybe he sees Darcy like a servant? Or that he called his hammer Myeu-muh? No matter how you slice it, the Shakespearean parallels are all through this minute and this entire film. It's a thrill and clearly, Branagh knows what he's doing. Thor's genuine, Jane's flustered, Erik's hesitant, and Darcy's confused about ‘myeu-muh.' Tune in! Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel's Discord channel! Film Sundries Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+ Join the conversation on Discord Script Transcript Trailer #1 Trailer #2 Poster artwork Original Material Austin Tichenor on Twitter The Shakespeareance on the web and on Instagram The Reduced Shakespeare Company on the web, Facebook, and Twitter

Minute Forty-Four: From Satellite Talk to Middle-of-the-Street Talk Joining us on the show to discuss the mysterious satellite Jake and Pete tell Izzy about as well as Jane stopping Thor in his pursuit of it is Austin Tichenor, creator of The Shakespeareance, co-artistic director of The Reduced Shakespeare Company and producer & host of the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. In the forty-fourth minute of Kenneth Branagh's 2011 film Thor... Jake and Pete tell Izzy about the satellite they found in the desert and the big party that took place. It's great how Erik and Jane are drawn to them talking about a satellite and Thor is drawn in when they say how heavy it is. We're glad these townies don't play to the tropes of how townies so often are there just to bully our heroes. Darcy takes pictures of Thor for Facebook. A few years earlier, it was MySpace in Iron Man. So much of these stories is about identity, as Austin points out, including our identity as watchers. Darcy, Coulson, Wu – so many characters speak to the nature of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Shakespeare's works, though perhaps more in Tom Stoppard's “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.” This type of storytelling has grown in popularity so much. Fool. Wicked. Maleficent. It's walking in someone else's shoes. The villains are the heroes in their own stories. It's all a type of fan fiction to an extent. Even the Bible comes into the conversation. That's all to point out that Darcy has little interest in the conversation about the satellite. She's in her own space here. Thor gives such a great goofy smile here. But Thor catches the satellite conversation, albeit only when they talk about how heavy it was. And that sends Thor on his quest to find Mjølnir. Thor leaves Isabela's Diner to find the satellite, aka Mjølnir. How does Thor know which direction is west? And who paid the bill? We decide they have a tab here. We love that Thor clearly sees himself as essentially the focal point of every place he goes. Shakespeare popularized the use of the word ‘swagger.' Who knew? Where did all these cars come from suddenly? We laugh about the possible connection between Donut Land here and the donut shop in Iron Man 2. Is the OK Furniture a nod to JMS's storyline in the Thor comics involving Thor landing in Oklahoma (where the wind goes sweeping through the plains)? Radioactivity and a satellite and government, oh my! There's plenty to talk about with Austin in this minute. Tune in! Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel's Discord channel! Film Sundries Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+ Join the conversation on Discord Script Transcript Trailer #1 Trailer #2 Poster artwork Original Material Austin Tichenor on Twitter The Shakespeareance on the web and on Instagram The Reduced Shakespeare Company on the web, Facebook, and Twitter

Minute Forty-Three: From One Gentle Touch to Two Excited Townies Joining us on the show to discuss Thor's appetite, mug smashing, and excitable townies is Austin Tichenor, creator of The Shakespeareance, co-artistic director of The Reduced Shakespeare Company and producer & host of the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. In the forty-third mug-smashing minute of Kenneth Branagh's 2011 film Thor... Loki's moment with Odin after Odin collapses is incredibly touching. He clearly loves his father and is shocked by his collapse, despite being left in the middle of this fight. It's also at least a bit of a relief to see that Odin is breathing, so we know he's alive. But what did the guards hear? As we find out, they were in earshot just on the other side of the doors. Do they tell their partners all about what they heard at work each evening? Write notorious memoirs down the road? Too bad there wasn't a chance for some mug smashing in this scene. We return to Midgard for Isabela's Diner and some mug smashing. Our tour of Puente Antiguo gives us a bit more insight into this corner of the town. But still, over 2000 people live here? Hrm... There's something magical about small town diners, but they can be gambles. The fish out of water comedy is great in this scene with Thor's dopey alien in America bit. Kat Dennings' lines about Pop Tarts and Thor's eating is great. So are the cuts showing Thor eat. It's ridiculous and absurd and so perfect because of it. Branagh handles comedy well even though he doesn't do comedy that often. Much Ado About Nothing and Dead Again both have great comedic bits. Again, we have more to complain about with Thor's wig and eyebrows. Jane, Darcy, and Erik feel like the Midgard versions of the Warriors Three. Erik is a great character to help ground Thor's mythology and history in Nordic cultures. The mug smashing moment. Seriously. One of the greatest moments in the MCU? It has to be. They even repeated the mug smashing in the Loki tv show. The mug smashing feels like a great celebratory joy for how great the coffee was but it scares off a customer and forces Isabela and Melinda her employee to clean up the mess. Thor's royal mindset is so funny here, but his sincerity with Jane afterward and promise to not smash any more is full of honesty. We dig into the traditions of smashing dishes. And Isabela shows up so we get to play the IMDb game with Adriana Barraza. But why was she given so little to do here? There's a truck that drives by. It's Stan the Man's truck with no bed! Pete and Jake enter and start talking with Izzy about the day they just had at the crater. The local rustics is very much Shakespearean. Pete and Jake fit very much in that model. It's a fun minute that still feels full of Shakespearean elements. Plus mug smashing. Tune in! Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel's Discord channel! Film Sundries Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+ Join the conversation on Discord Script Transcript Trailer #1 Trailer #2 Poster artwork Original Material Austin Tichenor on Twitter The Shakespeareance on the web and on Instagram The Reduced Shakespeare Company on the web, Facebook, and Twitter

Minute Forty-Two: From Odin's Reasoning to Odin's Collapse Joining us on the show to discuss baby Loki, Odin's reasoning to take him from Jotunheim, and the Shakespearean argument between Odin and Loki is Austin Tichenor, creator of The Shakespeareance, co-artistic director of The Reduced Shakespeare Company and producer & host of the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. In the forty-second minute of Kenneth Branagh's 2011 film Thor... Odin lays out his reasoning as to why he took Loki from Jotunheim, but does it make sense as a way to unite the kingdoms? And why does he say it no longer matters? Perhaps he shouldn't have disguised him all these years? Has Odin never realized that this maybe wasn't the best way forward? Or had he been lying so long that he got past the point of figuring out how to talk to him? We certainly feel that Odin's twisting his own words. When Odin brought Loki back, did he have to send Frigga off Asgard for nine months with the baby then have her come back, acting as if she delivered him? Can Heimdall see past Odin's spell? Does he know Loki is a Jotun? But the biggest issue is the fact that Loki isn't big, and when the Casket reveals his true nature that he doesn't also change size. What's up with that? We know that Odin says he was small for a frost giant, but does that mean he's Asgardian sized? According to What If...?, he's definitely taller. All told, though, Odin is gaslighting Loki a bit. As Loki continues to develop his villainy, Austin points out the charming villain lineage he shares in Shakespeare's works. Loki pushes Odin into the Odinsleep after not buying into Odin's reasoning. It's interesting to us that with everything going on, it's this fight with Loki that pushes Odin to fall into the Odinsleep. Marvel created the Odinsleep in the comics as something Odin needs to do every few millennia to restore his Odinforce. It's a little similar to the trance that Odin would go into in Norse mythology, but it's different enough to bother people who study Norse mythology. Loki's anger doesn't abate when Odin falls, perhaps because his fallibility and weakness feels to Loki like another power play, albeit not one in his control. And to that end, perhaps that's why it takes Loki so long to look at Odin on the ground before he does anything (in the next minute). Austin points out how so many of Shakespeare's stories could take place in high school settings, and how the heightened emotions in this film feel that way as well. It's a heavy minute with Loki not buying Odin's reasoning then pushing him into the Odinsleep. Tune in! Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel's Discord channel! Film Sundries Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+ Join the conversation on Discord Script Transcript Trailer #1 Trailer #2 Poster artwork Original Material Austin Tichenor on Twitter The Shakespeareance on the web and on Instagram The Reduced Shakespeare Company on the web, Facebook, and Twitter

Minute Forty-One: From Frosty Baby to "Tell me!” Joining us on the show to discuss frosty baby Loki and the Shakespearean argument between Odin and Loki is Austin Tichenor, creator of The Shakespeareance, co-artistic director of The Reduced Shakespeare Company and producer & host of the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. In the forty-first minute of Kenneth Branagh's 2011 film Thor... We see elements of King Lear in here, but Austin also points out elements from Henry IV Parts I and II, particularly conflict between Hotspur and Prince Hal. There's certainly an element of big acting that works so well in Shakespearean heightened language, and we certainly see that when Loki screams “Tell me!” Austin calls it the intensity of intention, which we definitely see. When Odin told young Thor and young Loki about how they're both born to be kings but only one gets to be king, was he debating if he would tell Loki about his heritage? Being born to be king paired with identity is such a core part of Shakespeare's plays. Yet no one debates if this type of hereditary monarchy should still exist. Tom Hiddleston and Anthony Hopkins deliver such strong performances here. So at this point, where do Loki and Odin feel about who is next in line for the throne? Does Loki think this frost giant past has removed him from the line? Or is Loki thinking about the possibility of being king of Jotunheim, the place he just nearly destroyed with the raid? But Odin had to have seen what terrible king Thor would've made, right? That being said, do you give the throne to the god of mischief? There is a bit of Caliban from The Tempest in Loki too. We do talk about the frosty baby, at some point, right? How does Loki feel knowing that he was slaughtering Jotuns earlier? We bring in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Henry VI in as well. And Cymbeline too! How much of Odin rewriting his own history are we getting in this conversation? So much feels retconned. We finally talk about the frosty baby. We talk about the Loki baby, who starts as a frost baby and changes at the hands of Odin to normal looking. So that's his spell we guess? Was baby Loki abandoned? Left in a temple? A bit of both? Or is this all just from Odin's perspective? The lighting in this scene is stunning, as is the production design. Do the marks on the frosty baby change over time? The idea of masters of magic still confuses us – Odin's in this category now for sure. Does Loki know what he wants to hear from Odin? Odin freezes when Loki confronts him. Truth versus comfort. It's a tough line for a parent. From King Lear to Henry IV Parts I and II to The Tempest to Richard II, we cover all sorts of Shakespearean elements in this minute – plus a frosty baby – with Austin. Tune in! Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel's Discord channel! Film Sundries Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • Netflix • YouTube • Disney+ Join the conversation on Discord Script Transcript Trailer #1 Trailer #2 Poster artwork Original Material Austin Tichenor on Twitter The Shakespeareance on the web and on Instagram The Reduced Shakespeare Company on the web, Facebook, and Twitter The Hollow Crown Season One on iTunes, Amazon, or both seasons on JustWatch

In celebration of the RSC Podcast's 15th Anniversary, artistic directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor remember the surreal week they spent performing The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) at the Gielgud Theatre in London in the wake of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Featuring memories of how the country came together; how all the performing arts suffered at the box office; how we were the only West End show to perform during Diana's funeral; how news traveled via Town Crier; the joy of meeting Bernard Shaw (not George Bernard Shaw); and how something always happens when we perform in London. (Length 18:17) The post Remembering Princess Diana appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

If music be the food of love then play on, and if beer be the food of great banter drink up! Joined by Austin Tichenor of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, and host of The Reduced Shakespeare Podcast and The Shakespearience we talk about the Bard, how he's for anyone who wants him (oo-er), and make a lot of C-bomb puns. Like the Shakes, we keep it classy! Shakesbeer British Ale (5 Gallons) (90 min mash, 90 min boil) Grain: 7lb Maris Otter 12oz Biscuit Grain 12oz Light Crystal UK Hops: 0.5oz Target (90 mins) 0.5oz East Kent Golding (5 mins) English Ale Yeast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, Austin Tichenor put up with more of our inane questions to give us even more delightful content! We talk about Austin's writing process, learning to "play" well with others, and chat a bit about his youtube series "Drawing on Shakespeare" with co-creator Gary Andrews. Big thanks to Austin Tichenor (@AustinTichenor) for all of his time and expertise. Also a thank you to Cullen Vance (cullenvancecreative.com) for the intro/outro music and Daniel Blue Rodriguez (@BlueWolfD) for the thumbnail artwork. If you would like to comment on the show, we can be reached on twitter @WebStagePodcast or via email at WebStagePodcast@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Dr. Kavita Mudan Finn is an independent scholar (late of Georgetown University, George Washington University, and most recently, MIT) who is both a creator and scholar of Fan Fiction Studies, and who recently filmed an hour-long interactive conversation with Austin Tichenor on The Shakespeareance. In this excerpt, Dr. Finn discusses how "fan fiction" might be best defined; how fan fiction is a surprisingly new field of study, despite it being a centuries-old practice; some of fan fiction's earliest examples, including the identity of two OG slashers; the distinctions (such as they are) between performance studies and fan studies; what the actual opposite of fandom is; ridiculous casting uproars; and how the shows of the Reduced Shakespeare Company – including the RSC name – are forms of fan fiction themselves. (Length 21:17) The post Fan Fiction Finn appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

LIVE FROM LONDON, ENGLAND! The Show Must Go Online – the international phenomenon that performed Shakespeare's uncut complete works once a week during the pandemic on Zoom – had an in-person reunion at the Globe Theater in London on September 22nd and 23rd, and Austin Tichenor and Elizabeth Dennehy (who each performed in three of the shows) were there to surprise co-creators Rob Myles and Sarah Peachey, and the several dozen alumni who came from all over the world to celebrate this community born of lockdown. Enjoy the surprise, the fear of anti-climax, the possible double surprise, the excited reunion, the loving testimonials, and revel in the possibility and hope for the future The Show Must Go Online represents. (Length 22:18) The post #TheShowMustGoOnline In Person appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

On today's interview episode we catch up with Austin Tichenor, host of the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast (@Reduced). In this first half of our conversation we discuss the plans and safety strategies of the Reduced Shakespeare Company returning to the road and talk about Austin's new web-based project called The Shakespeareance (theshakespeareance.com). Thanks to Austin Tichenor for hopping into the episode, and thanks to Cullen Vance (cullenvancecreative.com) for the show music, as well as to Daniel Blue Rodriguez (@bluewolfd) for the thumbnail artwork. If you enjoy today's show, please consider leaving us a rating and review on your podcatcher of choice. And then tell everyone on your friend's list about our little program. If you would like to get in touch with us we can be reached via twitter @WebStagePodcast or by email at WebStagePodcast@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Stephanie Crugnola is the creator and host of Protest Too Much, a Shakespeare Showdown podcast that pits Stephanie against performers, educators, and scholars in a weekly battle of Shakespearean comparisons, challenges, and 'best ofs'. Recently, Stephanie debated with Austin Tichenor the question of what is “Shakespeare's Funniest Non-Comedy,” a conversation that lasted 45 minutes, and a 15-minute abridgment of which you can hear below. Featuring: Shakespearean pet peeves; the danger of sleeping on the Histories; how Shakespeare is all about contrasts; backup from Samuel Johnson in 1765; the comedy of ‘sad-off's; comparisons to Monty Python and The Death of Stalin; and how Shakespeare is the king of tentpole media! (Length 20:38)  The post Protest Too Much appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Drawing on Shakespeare is a 16-episode webseries hosted by Austin Tichenor and the ridiculously talented Gary Andrews, where we talk about Shakespeare with witty, wonderful, and wise people while Gary draws what we're talking about. As a possible second season/series gets closer, Gary and Austin remember how Drawing on Shakespeare began, discuss how different actors bring new meaning to a character; how every conversation leads to new insights about a play; how Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream can be like Keith Richards; and how audience figures are staggering into the several. (Length 17:40) The post Drawing On Shakespeare appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Austin Tichenor joins host Stephanie Crugnola on this week's episode to argue which of Shakespeare's non-comedy plays is the funniest! Austin brings Henry VI part 1 and gives Stephanie Henry IV part 1! It's the battle of Henrys part fun! Vote for who you think should be the winner on Facebook (/p2mpod) or Twitter (@p2mpod)! Check out Austin on his twitter, or through the Reduced Shakespeare Company! Also you should absolutely look into his website: The Shakespeareance and support his patreon! Make sure to check out our Patreon for the bonus materials and extra content - including my picks for each of the months' episodes, and some new audition monologue content! Special thanks to our new network: Serious Business for bringing us on board and giving us the space to discuss such an important element of Shakespearean Theatre. Check out their other two shows Adventure Incorporated (an actual play DnD 5e podcast) and Ask The Pokedexpert (a highly academic question and answer podcast/stream about Pokemon)!

In this all interview episode of our podcast we take a listen back to Steven's time on the road as he chats with a couple of fellow U.W. grads that happened to house him for the week. D.J. and Tori talk about welcoming strangers into their home, their experiences with the arts helping them in their workplace, and the finer points of making a trip to Woodinville, WA. The opinions expressed in this episode are those of the individual and do not reflect the opinions of Missoula Children's Theatre. Thanks to Missoula Children's Theatre for making this audio available to produce. Thanks to Cullen Vance (CullenVanceCreative.com) for the music and to Daniel Blue Rodriguez (@BlueWolfD) for the thumbnail artwork. Thanks to Austin Tichenor (@austintichenor) for inspiring Host Steven and for help finding useful podcasting equipment. If you would like to contact the show we can be reached on twitter @WebStagePodcast or via email at WebStagePodcast@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Shakespeare's Birthday Month continues with Part Two with our conversation with Dr Edel Semple from University College in Cork, Ireland, and Dr. Ronan Hatfull from the University of Warwick, talking about Shakespearean Biofiction onstage, screen, and this week on the page, too. We share love for both Hamnet the novel by Maggie O’Farrell and Hamnet the play (by Irish companies Dead Centre and the Abbey Theatre); brushes with greatness (in the forms of playwright Edward Bond and comedian Eddie Izzard); and we discuss all the big questions: how intimidating it can be putting words into Shakespeare’s mouth; how biofiction can speculate realistically or fantastically about where Shakespeare’s genius comes from; whether Shakespeare is, in fact, worth it; how Shakespeare compares to Leontes in The Winter's Tale; how we can avoid spoilers for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier; what's amazing about Lauren Gunderson’s The Book of Will; and, amazingly, the good things in Roland Emmerich’s film Anonymous. (Pictured, clockwise from top left: Laurie Davidson as the title character in the miniseries Will; Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell; Austin Tichenor as Richard Burbage in Lauren Gunderson's The Book of Will at Northlight Theatre, photo by Liz Lauren; and Kenneth Branagh as William Shakespeare in All Is True.) (Length 22:31) The post More Shakespearean Biofiction appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Austin Tichenor, the Artistic Director of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, joins us for a chat and a laugh as we discuss the beginnings of the RSC and what the company is up to today. From Shakespeare, to the History of America, to the Bible... the Reduced Shakespeare Company tackles huge topics and reduces them into quick paced, hilarious shows enjoyed by audiences around the world.

The animated film Balto celebrated its 25th Anniversary last month, and RSC members Adam Long, Reed Martin, and Austin Tichenor played the sidekick sled dogs Nikki, Kaltag, and Star...until they, like most of the cast, were replaced with different actors. Their voices stayed in the film, however, and this week Reed (left, with the statue of Balto in Anchorage, Alaska in 2012) and Austin remember the process of how they got the gig, how it went, and what happened next. A fun and funny remembrance featuring revelations about the film’s original title; having one degree of Balto himself, Kevin Bacon; big thanks to director Simon Wells and producer Steve Hickner; clues to executive producer Steven Spielberg’s changing enthusiasm; shout-out to other film projects we were in (Carry On Columbus, Liquid Television: Dogboy); how animated films are recorded first; a special appearance from our co-star and fellow "extra voice" Mike McShane; and how Balto is, appropriately enough, the perfect pandemic movie. (Length 18:48) The post We Remember ‘Balto’ appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Inspired by the Berko Speakeasy, this week we present a festive tale by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies, from his slim volume High Spirits: A Collection of Ghost Stories. Abridged and read by Austin Tichenor. Featuring: ghostly visitations; poor relations; spectral elitism; Norwegian sneering; drafty accommodations; phantom arthritis; and something called…a rumpus room. (Length 24:34) The post Holiday Ghost Story appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Matthew Socey has a lively one-hour chat with Austin Tichenor, artistic director and co-author of the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Also, grab a pencil...

Matthew Socey has a lively one-hour chat with Austin Tichenor, artistic director and co-author of the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Also, grab a pencil...

Finding Joy is Gary Andrews’ book about how he dealt with the sudden and unexpected death of his wife a few years ago. Gary talks about how the book evolved from his regular #DoodleADay ritual; how the grieving process navigates a Shakespearean combination of tones. the fun he's having producing his web series called Drawing on Shakespeare (co-hosted by Austin Tichenor); the joy of Joy's funny walks; how we're all experiencing different forms of grief (loss of life, loss of lifestyle, loss of careers); receiving humbling and moving testimonials; a heat-induced inability to remember one’s own CV; and ultimately how you honor the deceased by learning to laugh again. (Length 20:07) The post Gary’s ‘Finding Joy’ appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

In our second Interview-focused episode, we are joined once again by Austin Tichenor, host of the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast, to finish out our conversation. Austin discusses the utility of versality in the theatre, as well as the importance of not feeding your actors just before showtime. Who knew actors were so much like Gremlins? Thanks again to Austin Tichenor for sitting down to chat. You can learn more about Austin and the entire Reduced crew at www.reducedshakespeare.com. Thanks as always to Cullen Vance for the amazing music. You can find more of his work over at www.cullenvancecreative.com Thanks to Daniel "Blue" Rodriguez for the thumbnail artwork Thank you Missoula Children's Theatre for allowing me to use this audio, and for putting up with me for somewhere around 14 years. If you enjoyed the show, please head over to Apple Podcasts or iTunes and leave us a rating and review, and then share the episode with a friend. Maybe this will be the episode that gets them to enjoy live theatre again. Or maybe they'll just enjoy the show for what it is. That's fine too. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In our first Interview-centric episode, Austin Tichenor from the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast takes some time away from asking other people questions to answer a few of ours. A big thank you to Austin for taking time to chat with Host Steven. If you want to know more about Austin or the RSC, head on over to reducedshakespeare.com. This audio was originally intended for a different podcast, so thank you to Missoula Children's Theatre for giving us permission to present the material in a different setting. Thanks as always to Cullen Vance for the fantastic music (cullenvancecreative.com) and thanks to Daniel "Blue" Rodriguez for the new thumbnail art (@bluewolfd on instagram). If you enjoy the episode, please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Or review us anywhere you can, really. Review us on yelp, that'll be fun. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In 2019, the "other RSC" -- in this case, the Royal Shakespeare Company -- offered a gender-flipped production of Taming of the Shrew that underscored the play's issues of hierarchy and power. Austin Tichenor and Dee Ryan saw the production as an NT Live broadcast and are joined by GoodTickleBrain's Mya Gosling and dramaturg Kate Pitt (who saw the production live onstage in Stratford) and they discuss how the production landed in the two formats. This fascinating book club conversation touches on the play's wonderful mutability; the comedy of straight male vanity; whether there’s a need to "fix" it; agreeing on the game of the scene; similarities to Henry and Kate in Henry V and other troublesome couples; woman-spreading and occupying space; surprising lack of sparks; transforming modern examples of masculine anger; and how (or whether) the play changes based on how (or whether) Petruchio changes. (Length 31:35) The post Gender-Flipping The Shrew appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

It's our 700th episode!! And because it happily coincides with the publication of Christopher Moore's Shakespeare For Squirrels, the New York Times best-selling author turns the tables and interviews RSC co-artistic director Austin Tichenor in an epic un-reduced unabridged almost one-hour conversation. The two Fauxspeareans celebrate the release of Chris’s book by getting lost in the weeds of craft and discussing the importance of inoculating people against Shakespeareaphobia; the value of learning to keep 5-7 year olds entertained; the difficulties of working with living playwrights; understanding who got Shakespeare’s jokes and who didn’t; writing a Hitchcock adaptation for Disney animation; the dangers of unskilled labor; learning comic timing from stand-ups and Gilbert & Sullivan; using a five-act structure; the value of memorizing Shakespeare; the art of capturing Shakespeare’s exquisite mixture of tones; the perfectly understandable struggle to explain Shakespeare’s greatness; plausible explanations for why Shakespeare left his wife his second-best bed; snappy answers to listener questions; and being members in the small club of authors rewriting Shakespeare. (Length 58:17)  The post Chris Interviews Austin appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

To celebrate Twelfth Night, we compare different productions of Shakespeare's great comedy with Dee Ryan, adjunct professor at Northwestern University and president of the North Shore Shakespeare Society, and actress Elizabeth Dennehy, who recently directed Twelfth Night at the Los Angeles County School for the Arts. Featuring shout-outs to productions at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; the Stratford Festival (with music by Michael Roth & Des MacAnuff), the South Australian State Theatre with Geoffrey Rush, Chicago’s Writer’s Theatre, and the Amanda Bynes film She’s The Man; how Twelfth Night got its title (and subtitle); how and when to make sure scene transitions flow as well as the play itself; the virtue of outright theft; how the play is NOT the tragedy of Malvolio; inspiration from the musical Once; Lear-like Orsinos; cleansing rains; shout-outs to Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Oklahoma! and San Diego Repertory Theatre's The Humans; valentine reviews; pairing Antonio and Aguecheek; the benefits of isolating your Olivia; shout-outs to Caitlin McWethy and Abby Lee (pictured above); the food chain of status-climbing; and, as ever, the promise of getting it better…next time. (Length 27:50) (Pictured: Abby Lee as Olivia, Caitlin McWethy as Viola, and cast of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company production of Twelfth Night, directed by Austin Tichenor. Photos by Mikki Schaffner Photography.) The post Comparing Twelfth Nights appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Your new holiday tradition! The complete (unabridged) recording of The Reduced Shakespeare Company Christmas, produced by Connie Blaszczyk for Public Radio International in 1995, which has been unavailable for years and features Adam Long, Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor, and Matthew Croke in a special "live" recording from RSC HQ. Not to be confused with our stage production The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged), the RSC Christmas features transmissions from Yule-Sat, Reed's Happy Wholesome Holiday Poem, Carolers from Hell, just A Little Dickens, the incredibly helpful Carol Complaint Line, almost-25-year-old references, a very minor holiday apocalypse, 12 Tips of Christmas, our epic production of "The Complete Christmas Carol (abridged)", an exclusive interview with Charles Dickens himself, and ultimately, inevitably, the True Meaning of Christmas. (Length 46:33) The post The Reduced Shakespeare Company Christmas appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

The RSC's 11th stage show, Hamlet's Big Adventure! (a prequel), is really all about Hamlet's best friend Ophelia, at least according to Jessica Romero, who originated the role in the workshop production, and Austin Tichenor, who co-wrote the script and will be playing Ophelia this fall in California and Israel. Hear them chat about reconciling the many interpretations of Ophelia, and discuss professional memorization methods, weaponizing feelings, how one person's comedy can be another's tragedy, shared inspiration from Taming of the Shrew (both pirate- and commedia-themed), playing bucket-list roles, favorite Shakespeare characters, and the reality of the curse of saying the title of the Scottish Play. (Length 23:09) (Pictured: Jessica Romero as the King (with Peter Downey as Hamlet) and Ophelia (with Chad Yarish as Yorick) in the Shakespeare Napa Valley workshop of Hamlet's Big Adventure (a prequel). Photos by Julie McClelland.) The post All About Ophelia appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Authors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor talk about how they've created the definitive backstory to Shakespeare's great tragedy in Hamlet's Big Adventure (a prequel). Featuring homage to Tom Stoppard, excerpts from the new show's promo video, the difficulty of hitting moving targets, how the script has evolved from its workshop with Shakespeare Napa Valley, previewing performances at Spreckels Performing Arts Center and the London in Tel Aviv Festival in Israel, fascinating by-products, eliminating framing devices, answering all the unanswered questions you’ve ever asked about the greatest play ever written, milking tragedy for laughs, seeing Shakespeare's tragedy in a brand new way, and the value of asking important marketing questions early. (Length 23:44) The post Creating Hamlet’s Adventure appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Demons and witches and ghosts, oh my! As we reach our 666th podcast, it seems like the perfect time to talk about how the Devil has influenced (or hasn't) the work of the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor discuss Faustian bargains; Satan being cut from The Complete History of America (abridged); rewriting The Music Man; Adam Long’s tribute to two legends in his one-man show Satan Sings Mostly Sondheim; the fear of mockery; our Kerfuffles in Northern Ireland; making friends in Louisiana; stories for another time; how times have changed; celebrating the Devil's opposite in The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged); making up for missed opportunities with episode 420; and hopefully soon-to-be requited love for our book How The Bible Changed Our Lives (Mostly For The Better). (Length 21:55) The post The Devil’s Work appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

We continue the conversation with Professor Katy Reedy and her class at Lake Forest College, taking student questions about Austin Tichenor's approach to directing Twelfth Night for the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in the fall of 2018. Austin talks about the trick to balancing the comedic and dramatic elements in his production, Shakespeare's anachronistic examples, illustrating sisters in loss, staging the subtext, taking actor suggestions, creating a world in which both comedy and drama can co-exist and where certain kinds of storytelling can happen, underlying tensions, potentially anti-climactic reunion scenes, going on a journey with your characters, the importance of working with really great people, and discovering that not everything is actually in the text. (Length 17:29) (William Oliver Watkins as Orsino, Caitlin McWethy as Viola, and Abby Lee as Olivia in Twelfth Night at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, 2018. Directed by Austin Tichenor.) The post Balancing Twelfth Night appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Professor Katy Reedy invited our own Austin Tichenor to speak to her class at Lake Forest College about his production of Twelfth Night that he directed for the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in the fall of 2018. Austin discusses all the things he wanted his production NOT to be; how this great comedy is fueled by great loss; how Olivia threw herself into the physical comedy; the treatment of the treatment of Malvolio; speculation as to why Orsino is such a poorly written character; how to lean into both the comedy and the pain; and the possibly blasphemous notion that maybe Feste isn't as interesting as many people think he is. (Length 19:50) (Pictured: William Oliver Watkins and Caitlin McWethy as Orsino and Viola, plus the entire cast of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company production of Twelfth Night, directed by Austin Tichenor.) The post Discussing Twelfth Night appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

With Hamlet's Big Adventure (a prequel) now being workshopped by Napa Valley College as part of its Emergence Festival, authors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor consider other famous prequels in different media, and hope for more of a Godfather II than a Star Wars Episodes 1-3 vibe. Featuring being part of a specific cultural moment (we see you, Gary: A Sequel To Titus Andronicus); a form that Shakespeare probably invented; why sequels are more popular than prequels; wanting to know how we got here and discovering more about beloved characters; shout-outs to prequel authors Christopher Moore (Lamb; Fool), Nicole Galland (I, Iago), and Louis Bayard (Mr. Timothy; Courting Mr. Lincoln); creating a more challenging puzzle than “just” continuing the story; the desire to know how it all began; alternate titles (“Elsewhere in Elsinore”, anybody?); insight from Dr. Ronan Hatfull; absolutely no spoilers about Avengers Endgame; and finally a shout-out to Patton Oswalt's great routine about eliminating certain disappointing prequels forever. (Length 20:21) (Jessica Romero as King Hamlet and Peter Downey as Hamlet, the prince of Denmark in the Napa Valley College workshop production of Hamlet's Big Adventure (a prequel). Photo by Shelly Hanan. Title graphic by Chad Yarish.) The post Other Famous Prequels appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

It's the comedy of the prince of Denmark! Hamlet's Big Adventure (a prequel) will be the eleventh stage show performed by the Reduced Shakespeare Company and the tenth RSC script by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, who discuss the origins of the script; where it's being workshopped as part of Napa Valley College's Emergence Festival; how the transitive property applies to ranking plays; the incredible insight given to us by our dramaturg Kate Pitt; echoes of Hamlet as well as Henry IV Part 1; the feeling of being both Queen Elizabeth demanding a new play about Sir John Falstaff and the Shakespeare who gets to write it; the hesitation of getting rid of our usual framing device; the challenge of creating a comedy that's funny to people who don't know the original; the balancing act of finding the right ratio of highbrow to lowbrow; and the fun of answering questions inspired by Shakespeare's original tragedy. Poster art by the incomparable Lar DeSouza. (Length 20:45) The post Hamlet's Big Adventure! appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

I've been a fan of the Reduced Shakespeare Company (and their podcast) for a long time. In fact, I jokingly refer to Austin Tichenor, the one who does the weekly podcast, as the 'honorary godfather' of G33K Out, as that podcast was one of the many influences on G33K Out, and its predecessor Stage Savvy. If you're unfamiliar with their work, the RSC has been around since 1981, and started with a variation of what's now know as The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) at various Renaissance fairs. They've been touring their latest production, William Shakespeare's Long Lost First Play (Abridged), including a stop in Los Angeles. I sat down with Austin Tichenor and Reed Martin of the RSC. We talked about being an actor and playwright, how things have changed when they first started, and the various details of working together and doing comedy. For complete show notes, go to my website.

There's a difference between rehearsing and performing and this week actors Dan Saski and Austin Tichenor, plus stage manager Elaine Randolph, talk about the specific challenges of touring a show with multiple combinations of actors to different venues around the country. Featuring unabashed fondness for The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged), many comings and goings, the trick of doing a show you can only perform 4-5 weeks a year, unconventional processes, how much preparation can you actually do without the other actors, what's language-driven and what's movement-or-music-driven, incorporating new technicians in every city, speedy backstage changes captured on video, keeping theatre a living thing, how sometimes the lack of preparation brings magic, and ultimately the joy of seeing what different actors bring to the same roles. (Length 21:48) The post Episode 632. Preparing And Doing appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Caitlin McWethy and Abby Lee play Viola and Olivia in the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company production of Twelfth Night directed by the RSC's own Austin Tichenor, and prior to the show's opening this week, sat down to talk about their characters and how this production differs from other productions they've seen and been in. Featuring the wonder of two women sharing scenes onstage (and the weirdly specific thing that makes it possible), Viola's narrative burden, definitive roles we're dying to play (lookin' at you, Valentine), the question of why Olivia is not a more generally-desired role in the Shakespearean canon, Olivia's similarity to Kate from Taming of the Shrew, the magic alchemy of shared grief, roles that allow for greater interpretive freedom, wonderful surprises, hitting that sweet spot between fun n' games and tragedy, and the joy of laughing and crying in rehearsal. (Length 21:08)

Austin Tichenor is directing Twelfth Night at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company this fall, and it turns out he's almost the only one at Cincy Shakes or the RSC who's never worked on it before! Fortunately, RSC members Teddy Spencer, Jerry Kernion, and Dominic Conti, plus Chicago actress and professor of acting at Northwestern University Cindy Gold, are able to give him tips and insights into the play and its characters because they've all done Twelfth Night multiple times. Featuring discussions of the text, Shakespeare's authorial intent, the driving force that is Maria, the difficulty of Malvolio, spectacular insight into Sir Toby Belch, the value of dumb shows and fencing, the way to dress Sir Andrew, excellent high-kicking, and the wonder of having a well-oiled Orsino. (Length 23:47) 

Kevin Kenerly is a 22-year veteran of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and is currently playing Richard Burbage in Lauren Gunderson's The Book of Will (after having played Burbage in Shakespeare in Love in 2017). Kevin talks with Austin Tichenor (who played Burbage in the Northlight Theatre production in 2017 and blogged about it for the Folger Shakespeare Library) about his approach to playing Shakespeare's leading man, how he first came to Shakespeare, how the role of Burbage resembles Cyrano de Bergerac, inspirational teacher shoutouts, impressive instruments, the magic of different interpretations, a love for language, the pleasure of needing no clue, Michael Caine aphorisms, how theatre sleeps when we do, and ultimately how Shakespeare and microbrew prove to be an unbeatable combination. Featuring a special appearance from Lauren Gunderson herself! (Pictured: David Kelly as Henry Condell, Kevin Kenerly as Richard Burbage, and Jeffrey King as John Heminges. From the Oregon Shakespeare Festival production of Lauren Gunderson's The Book of Will, directed by Christopher Liam Moore.) (Length 22:56)

Five RSC actors -- Reed Martin, Dan Saski, Teddy Spencer, Austin Tichenor, and Chad Yarish -- performed at Pittsburgh Public Theatre this opening preview weekend. Over beer, wings, and fried pickles, Dan, Teddy, Chad, and Austin discuss what's involved with creating smooth transitions during performances; jokes that also come and go; the important similarities between Shakespeare and martial arts; adjusting blocking for a thrust configuration; the vast quantity of variety of theatre in the north Bay Area; working with John Douglas Thompson in Hamlet at American Conservatory Theatre; aspiring to Bob Cratchit; amazing musical scores; possible dueling Pucks; the difficulties of matching your own type; and the tricky nature of jokes that also come and go. (Length 20:17)

We're honored to be performing William Shakespeare's Long Lost First Play (abridged) here at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre as the final production of outgoing artistic director Ted Pappas' 17-year tenure. Actors and playwrights/directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor reminisce about their many previous trips here while actor Teddy Spencer talks about what he's looking forward to seeing and doing here in Steel City. Featuring memories of previous runs, tons of festivals, successful potty-training, crappy couches, snowy opening days, and fantastic audiences here in our home away from home.

The We Got This! Podcast, created and hosted by Hal Lublin and Mark Gagliardi, settles such important and earth-shattering cultural debates as what is the Best Donut, the Best Toilet Paper, and Best Muppet. But recently, with the help of the RSC's own Austin Tichenor, they settled something truly important: What is, actually, Shakespeare's greatest play. This week we present to you the abridged version of Episode 113 of the We Got This! Podcast, featuring truly lively banter, questionable priorities, varying definitions of ‘expert,' Shakespearean references to both Scooby-Doo and Freddy Krueger, living with mistakes, the legacy of Henry V's St. Crispin's Day speech, adherence to the Aristotelian unities, the challenge of appreciating Shakespeare's greatness without acknowledging his flaws, suggested new opening lines for Twelfth Night, and ultimately a shocking (or maybe not-so-shocking) result. (Leave your comments below.) (Length 30:10)

We resurrected The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) for its first American performance in almost four years and this cast's first performance in more than eight. After the raucous standing ovation, Dominic Conti (center), Reed Martin, and Austin Tichenor talk about what it's like returning to a show after such a long absence, and what it means, personally, to perform this particular show. Featuring testaments old and new, civilized rehearsing, born-again favorites, missing trunks, Catholic raves, recreating a fourth dummy, consoling the ignorant, remembering kerfuffles, begging Michael Faulkner (right), and happiest of all, celebrating the Bible through joy and laughter. (Length 17:47) (Also pictured: Tiger Reel. Photo by Eric Vizents)

Jim Ortlieb and Gregory Linington, who played John Hemings and Henry Condell in the midwest premiere of Lauren Gunderson's The Book of Will last fall of 2017, return to the RSC Podcast to discuss the challenges and rewards of a "reduced" rehearsal period. Over pizza and beer at Chicago's Candelite restaurant, Jim and Gregory chat about being prepared but also staying open, similar-but-different approaches to the work, the liberating importance of “pre-hearsal”, the artistic value of pub time, the time-honored dilemma of religion vs entertainment, the subleties of defining character, the beauty of playing against the text, the gift of intimacy, and the values that constitute true “Chicago theatre.” (Pictured (left to right): Austin Tichenor, Jim Ortlieb, and Gregory Linington recording this podcast live at the Candlelite in Chicago, while Dana Black hovers.) (Length 27:32) 

[vc_row full_width="stretch_row" content_placement="top" equal_height="yes" parallax="content-moving-fade" slider_images="12004" slider_animation="fadeZoom" overlay_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.2)" css=".vc_custom_1512315432253{background-position: center;background-repeat: no-repeat;background-size: contain !important;}" anchor_link="top"][vc_column width="2/3" offset="vc_col-lg-offset-2"][rowshape type="rowshape_4" position="bottom" height="30" color="#2b272c"][rowshape type="rowshape_4" position="bottom" height="50" color="rgba(166,115,81,0.6)"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width="stretch_row" anchor_link="intro" css=".vc_custom_1451644722488{padding-top: 60px !important;padding-bottom: 100px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_empty_space height="15px"][vc_column_text]Playwright Lauren Gunderson is the most produced playwright in America, and has been near the top of that list for several years now. Her play Silent Sky was recently produced at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, she's a resident playwright at Marin Theatre Company, she's written a Shakespeare Cycle consisting of three plays (Exit, Pursued by a Bear; Toil and Trouble; and The Taming), and her play The Book of Will, a comedy about the creation of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, is having at least three productions this season (the first and midwest premiere of which at the Northlight Theatre in Chicago our own Austin Tichenor is in). In this fun conversation, Lauren clarifies who the real most produced playwright in America while discussing battling brothers, untimely deaths, capers and hijinks, the wonder of humanizing Shakespeare, and the fundamental value of gathering communally and telling stories. HEAR PART TWO OF OUR CONVERSATION HERE! (Length 22:33)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row full_width="stretch_row" content_placement="top" equal_height="yes" parallax="content-moving-fade" slider_images="12004" slider_animation="fadeZoom" overlay_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.2)" css=".vc_custom_1512315432253{background-position: center;background-repeat: no-repeat;background-size: contain !important;}" anchor_link="top"][vc_column width="2/3" offset="vc_col-lg-offset-2"][rowshape type="rowshape_4" position="bottom" height="30" color="#2b272c"][rowshape type="rowshape_4" position="bottom" height="50" color="rgba(166,115,81,0.6)"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width="stretch_row" anchor_link="intro" css=".vc_custom_1451644722488{padding-top: 60px !important;padding-bottom: 100px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_empty_space height="15px"][vc_column_text]Artist Jennie Maizels and co-author Austin Tichenor appeared at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon to celebrate the publication of their new book Pop-Up Shakespeare. This edited version of the very fun event features magnificent performances, impertinent Shakespearean comparisons, momentous first dates, unexpected tears (though it was during a tragedy so maybe they shouldn't have been unexpected), and an exhortation to see a Shakespeare play live on stage (after buying many books, obviously)! (Length 23:22) (Photo taken by Julia Cunningham in the garden of Shakespeare's birthplace, Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon. Courtesy of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row full_width="stretch_row" content_placement="top" equal_height="yes" parallax="content-moving-fade" slider_images="12004" slider_animation="fadeZoom" overlay_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.2)" css=".vc_custom_1512315432253{background-position: center;background-repeat: no-repeat;background-size: contain !important;}" anchor_link="top"][vc_column width="2/3" offset="vc_col-lg-offset-2"][rowshape type="rowshape_4" position="bottom" height="30" color="#2b272c"][rowshape type="rowshape_4" position="bottom" height="50" color="rgba(166,115,81,0.6)"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width="stretch_row" anchor_link="intro" css=".vc_custom_1451644722488{padding-top: 60px !important;padding-bottom: 100px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_empty_space height="15px"][vc_column_text]Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor preview all our upcoming fall dates: four shows in three countries, ten states, and thirteen cities, performed by a dozen or so actors! Featuring news about The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised], All the Great Books (abridged), The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged), and William Shakespeare's Long Lost First Play (abridged). Featuring impressive statistics, cast member assignments, reasons why certain actors can't do certain performances, new venues, old lines, the perils of hotel ballrooms, some reluctant oversharing, previews of the upcoming comedy The Book of Will at the Northlight Theatre and It's a Wonderful Life: The Live Radio Play at Napa Valley College, and a simple beautiful phrase that can encapsulate all your holiday blessings. (Length 18:16)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

This past Sunday was the Bard's 453rd birthday, and to celebrate Mark and Hal have teamed up with the Reduced Shakespeare Company's Austin Tichenor to choose The Bard's greatest work. Hark! What play through yonder podcast breaks? Only one way to find out... Check out RSC's new Pop-up Shakespeare book, available for pre-order now!

Discovered in a treasure-filled parking lot in Leicester, England, an ancient manuscript proves to be the long-lost first play by none other than the young William Shakespeare from Stratford. That’s the premise of the latest work from the Reduced Shakespeare Company, “William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (Abridged),” which premieres at Folger Theatre in April 2016. The comedy troupe’s current directors are also its longest-serving performers, Austin Tichenor and Reed Martin. Barbara Bogaev interviews them about this new play and how it’s radically different from every other show they’ve written up to now. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series. © April 5, 2016. Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This podcast episode was produced by Richard Paul. Garland Scott is the associate producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster and Esther Ferington. We had help from Wendy Nicholson at public radio station KRCB in Rohnert Park, California and Jeff Peters at the studios of Marketplace in Los Angeles.

"I was born to speak all mirth and no matter." (Much Ado About Nothing, 2.1.323) Let's face it: Modern audiences sometimes go from roaring with laughter to scratching their heads when it comes to enjoying Shakespeare's jokes four hundred years later. How (and why) has "what's funny" changed over the years—and what's still a guaranteed belly laugh? Theater artists and scholars, along with narrator Rebecca Sheir, host of our Shakespeare Unlimited series, take an amusing, sometimes surprising, look at things that were funny in Shakespeare's time, but not so much now—as well as gems of Shakespearean comedy that still sparkle today. Among those featured in this podcast: - Michael Green is the author of The Art of Coarse Acting. - Robert Hornback is associate professor of English, comparative literatures, and theatre and chair of the Department of English and Comparative Literatures at Oglethorpe University. - Austin Tichenor is a writer, performer, and managing partner of the Reduced Shakespeare Company. He also produces and hosts the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. - Adam Zucker is an associate professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and author of the book "The Places of Wit in Early Modern English Comedy." -------------- From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. Written and produced for the Folger Shakespeare Library by Richard Paul, an author and documentary producer who is also a long-time member of Washington's own Capitol Steps singing comedy troupe. Garland Scott is associate producer. Edited by Gail Kern Paster and Esther Ferington. We had help gathering material for this podcast from Esther French. We also had help from Candice Ludlow, Jane Degenhardt, Ian Briggs, and Andrea Bath. Original music composed and arranged by Lenny Williams.

Austin Tichenor. Austin tours with the Reduced Shakespeare Company and for seven seasons he served as Associate Producing Director of the American Stage Festival in Milford, NH. He also produces and hosts the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast, "All Things Reduced."

Bob Wilcox and Gerry Kowarsky review (1) THE FOREIGNER, by Larry Shue, at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, (2) TALLEY'S FOLLY, by Lanford Wilson, at the New Jewish Theatre, (3) SEASON'S GREETINGS, by Alan Ayckbourn, at St. Louis Actors' Studio, (4) THE DIVINE SISTER, by Charles Busch, at HotCity Theatre, (5) YOURS, ANNE, by Enid Futterman & Michael Cohen, at the Webster Univ. Conservatory, (6) FULLY COMMITTED, by Becky Mode, at Stray Dog Theatre, (7) THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, by Barbara Robinson, at KTK Productions, and (8) THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS SHOW (ABRIDGED), by Reed Martin & Austin Tichenor, at Edison Theatre Ovations.