Podcast appearances and mentions of William Shakespeare

***This show is brought to you by Quince. Go to http://quince.com/playonpod for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.*** Richard hires the murderer Tyrell to finish off the Princes in the Tower. Richmond demands his Earldom but flees when Richard brushes him off. Ratcliffe brings news that the Bishop of Ely has joined Richmond. When Elizabeth and the Duchess confront him, Richard uses the opportunity to convince Elizabeth to give him her daughter in marriage in order to preserve her line. He celebrates his triumph until Stanley informs him that Richmond is on his way to England, sending him into a rage. The PLAY ON PODCAST SERIES, “RICHARD THE THIRD”, was written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and translated into modern English verse by MIGDALIA CRUZ. All episodes were directed by LISA ROTHE. Radio play by CATHERINE EATON.   This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA AGREEMENT.   The cast is as follows:   MATT FRASER                  as    RICHARD THE THIRD MIA KATIGBAK                 as    QUEEN MARGARET, CITIZEN and BLUNT HIRAM DELGADO             as    CLARENCE, DORSET, ELY and MESSENGER NANCY RODRIGUEZ        as    LADY ANNE, OXFORD, RIVERS and A MURDERER RACHEL CROWL              as    QUEEN ELIZABETH, NORFOLK, and MESSENGER SANJIT DE SILVA             as    NESS AQUINO, BUCKINGHAM, and A CITIZEN CHARLES DUMAS            as    EDWARD, HENRY the SIXTH, STANLEY & CARDINAL ANDY LUCIEN       as    HASTINGS, SCRIVENER, a MESSENGER and A MURDERER GABRIELA SAKER           as    CATESBY, DUKE OF YORK and A MESSENGER DANAYA ESPERANZA as BRAKENBURY, RATCLIFFE, LORD MAYOR, TYRREL, and  RICHMOND ALMA CUERVO              as    DUCHESS OF YORK, SHERIFF & A MESSENGER ELIJAH GOODFRIEND  as    PRINCE EDWARD, A PAGE, and A BOY   Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA.   Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH   Original music composition, Mix and Sound Design by LINDSAY JONES. Composer, Producer, Guitars, Bass, Lead Vocals, Recording and Mix Engineer, DAVID MOLINA. EDWIN AYALA on Drums. Backup Vocals by MANUEL TRUJILLO. Sound engineering and mixing by SADAHARU YAGI. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND.   The Play On Podcast Series “RICHARD THE THIRD” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NEXTCHAPTERPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.   Subscribe to Play On Premium for ad-free episodes and join our Patreon for exclusive merchandise and early commercial-free releases. Go to nextchapterpodcasts.com for our Bonus Content, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “We are not safe” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What is one thing you can appreciate about your current life today, and how might cultivating gratitude for it lead to a deeper sense of fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 41 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

A new week means new questions! Hope you have fun with these!Which Great Lake shares its name with a Canadian Province?In the legend of King Arthur, which of Arthur's knights accepts a challenge from the "Green Knight"?What is unique physically about Manx cats?Which state has the shortest coastline?What is the longest passenger railway train in the world?Uketsu, the mysterious Japanese author and Youtube Star, has had two popular books released that start with the word "Strange", name both of them, 5 points each.What Canadian band composed "The History of Everything" also known as "The theme song for The Big Bang Theory"?Daniel Peter, was able to use condensed milk, which was recently created by his friend Henri Nestle, along with a few other ingredients to produce the first solidified version of what?Which musical, that involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, had a production in 2000 that set the record for most tony nominations for a musical revival?Who was the first baseball player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season and was unanimously named the 2024 National League MVP?This disco queen Works Hard for the Money to get this airy combination of egg whites and sugar that forms the outer layer of a Baked Alaska.Which model and hostess has become well known for her over the top halloween costumes, including being a giant worm, Fiona from Shrek, and Jessica Rabbit?James Lipton, the host of Inside the Actors Studio, was married to Kedakai Turner Lipton, who was the model for which character on the cover of the boardgame Clue?What is the only sea without any coasts, meaning it has no land boundaries?MusicHot Swing, Fast Talkin, Bass Walker, Dances and Dames, Ambush by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Don't forget to follow us on social media:Patreon – patreon.com/quizbang – Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Check out our fun extras for patrons and help us keep this podcast going. We appreciate any level of support!Website – quizbangpod.com Check out our website, it will have all the links for social media that you need and while you're there, why not go to the contact us page and submit a question!Facebook – @quizbangpodcast – we post episode links and silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Instagram – Quiz Quiz Bang Bang (quizquizbangbang), we post silly lego pictures to go with our trivia questions. Enjoy the silly picture and give your best guess, we will respond to your answer the next day to give everyone a chance to guess.Twitter – @quizbangpod We want to start a fun community for our fellow trivia lovers. If you hear/think of a fun or challenging trivia question, post it to our twitter feed and we will repost it so everyone can take a stab it. Come for the trivia – stay for the trivia.Ko-Fi – ko-fi.com/quizbangpod – Keep that sweet caffeine running through our body with a Ko-Fi, power us through a late night of fact checking and editing!

Despite its optimistic title, Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well has often been considered a "problem play." Ostensibly a comedy, the play also has fairy tale elements, as it focuses on Helena, a virtuous orphan, who loves Bertram, the haughty son of her protectress, the Countess of Rousillon. When Bertram, desperate for adventure, leaves Rousillon to serve in the King's army, Helena pursues him.This is a dramatic reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Despite its optimistic title, Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well has often been considered a "problem play." Ostensibly a comedy, the play also has fairy tale elements, as it focuses on Helena, a virtuous orphan, who loves Bertram, the haughty son of her protectress, the Countess of Rousillon. When Bertram, desperate for adventure, leaves Rousillon to serve in the King's army, Helena pursues him.This is a dramatic reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Despite its optimistic title, Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well has often been considered a "problem play." Ostensibly a comedy, the play also has fairy tale elements, as it focuses on Helena, a virtuous orphan, who loves Bertram, the haughty son of her protectress, the Countess of Rousillon. When Bertram, desperate for adventure, leaves Rousillon to serve in the King's army, Helena pursues him.This is a dramatic reading.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Chocolate Yoddah reads Sonnet Sonnet XXXVII.Follow Me On TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@chocolate.yoddahGet Uncensored Content On Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/ThePersistentRumorFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/ThePersistentRumorInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/ThePersistentRumorTwitterhttps://twitter.com/PersistentRumorOriginal theme music written, produced, and performed by Chocolate Yoddah

Our Doubts Are Traitors #RTTBROS #Nightlight"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." — 2 Timothy 1:7You know, William Shakespeare wrote something that has stuck with me for years. One of his characters says, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." Shakespeare wasn't a theologian, but he understood something profound about human nature.Doubt is a traitor. It whispers in our ear just when we're about to step out in faith. And here's the thing, that voice of doubt isn't just our own insecurity talking. The enemy knows that if he can keep us doubting, he can keep us from attempting the very things God has called us to do.I think about Peter walking on the water. He's actually doing it, defying gravity, moving toward Jesus. But then Matthew 14:30 tells us, "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." The doubt crept in, and suddenly what had been possible became impossible in his mind.Satan doesn't have to defeat us if he can just get us to defeat ourselves. All he needs to do is plant a seed of doubt, and watch us talk ourselves out of the very thing God is calling us to do.Think about all the "almosts" in your life. The ministry you almost started. The person you almost witnessed to. How many of those were stopped not by actual obstacles, but by the traitor of doubt?Here's what God says: He hasn't given us a spirit of fear. He's given us power, love, and a sound mind. That means when doubt shows up and starts whispering its poisonous lies, we have the authority to reject it.What would you attempt for God if you knew you couldn't fail? Even if we stumble like Peter, Jesus is right there to catch us. Don't let doubt rob you of the good you might win. Step out in faith and watch what God can do when you refuse to let fear have the final word.Let's pray: Father, forgive us for letting doubt talk us out of what You've called us to do. Give us courage to step out in faith and trust Your power more than we fear our weakness. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #OvercomingDoubt #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

The last Tuesday of the month means it's time for our previews of coming attractions, and to greet the first month with actual for-real blockbusters in a long time, Brennan is joined by Andrew Milne and Gavin McDowell. And while Wicked: For Good and Zootopia 2 are destined to be two of 2025's biggest box office successes, what the team really wants to do is go long on Hamnet, and the nature of making films about William Shakespeare's life and art. Those and other November releases are all covered in the episode, but before that happens, the trio shares their catastrophic picks for a movie roundtable: Gavin with the racist, sexist, and homophobic 1968 crime picture The Detective, Andrew with both parts of Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon in their extra-length director's cut form, and Brennan with the brand-new comic disappointment Good Fortune.

***This show is brought to you by Quince. Go to http://quince.com/playonpod for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.*** In the parking garage outside The Tower, Richard coaches Buckingham on how to act distraught. The Mayor arrives with Catesby and recoils in horror when Ratcliffe delivers Hastings' head. In order to keep her own, she promises to tell the citizens that Hastings was a traitor who deserved to die. Once she leaves, Richard tells Buckingham to spread the word that King Edward was father to countless illegitimate children, including the two Princes. Later, Richard is planted as a guest on the Maximum Rock-n-Roll Radio Show to pose as a devout Christian and give the impression that he does not want to be King unless the people demand it. Buckingham stages a call into the show to plead with Richard to take the throne, saying that if he doesn't, there will be rebellion. Richard pretends to be reluctant but eventually gives in. Later, outside The Tower parking garage, the Duchess, Elizabeth, Anne and Dorset assemble to visit the Princes, but Brackenbury refuses to let them in. Dorset flees to France to join forces with Richmond. Anne agrees to be crowned in order to save the Princes. Elizabeth goes to Sanctuary to save herself and the Duchess goes to her death. Later, King Richard sits on the throne at The Temple Beautiful with Buckingham at his side, celebrating their rise to power. The PLAY ON PODCAST SERIES, “RICHARD THE THIRD”, was written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and translated into modern English verse by MIGDALIA CRUZ. All episodes were directed by LISA ROTHE. Radio play by CATHERINE EATON.   This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA AGREEMENT.   The cast is as follows:   MATT FRASER                  as    RICHARD THE THIRD MIA KATIGBAK                 as    QUEEN MARGARET, CITIZEN and BLUNT HIRAM DELGADO             as    CLARENCE, DORSET, ELY and MESSENGER NANCY RODRIGUEZ        as    LADY ANNE, OXFORD, RIVERS and A MURDERER RACHEL CROWL              as    QUEEN ELIZABETH, NORFOLK, and MESSENGER SANJIT DE SILVA             as    NESS AQUINO, BUCKINGHAM, and A CITIZEN CHARLES DUMAS            as    EDWARD, HENRY the SIXTH, STANLEY & CARDINAL ANDY LUCIEN       as    HASTINGS, SCRIVENER, a MESSENGER and A MURDERER GABRIELA SAKER           as    CATESBY, DUKE OF YORK and A MESSENGER DANAYA ESPERANZA as BRAKENBURY, RATCLIFFE, LORD MAYOR, TYRREL, and  RICHMOND ALMA CUERVO              as    DUCHESS OF YORK, SHERIFF & A MESSENGER ELIJAH GOODFRIEND  as    PRINCE EDWARD, A PAGE, and A BOY   Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA.   Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH   Original music composition, Mix and Sound Design by LINDSAY JONES. Composer, Producer, Guitars, Bass, Lead Vocals, Recording and Mix Engineer, DAVID MOLINA. EDWIN AYALA on Drums. Backup Vocals by MANUEL TRUJILLO. Sound engineering and mixing by SADAHARU YAGI. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND.   The Play On Podcast Series “RICHARD THE THIRD” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NEXTCHAPTERPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.   Subscribe to Play On Premium for ad-free episodes and join our Patreon for exclusive merchandise and early commercial-free releases. Go to nextchapterpodcasts.com for our Bonus Content, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “We are not safe”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

C'est l'homme aux multiples visages : William Shakespeare, le citoyen discret de Stratford-upon-Avon, laisse derrière lui une œuvre magistrale... mais une identité floue. Était-il un comédien de province ou bien un érudit caché ? Qui se dissimule vraiment derrière le masque de Shakespeare ? Une chose est sûre : ce personnage a su écrire sa propre légende. Percez l'énigme de celui qui, sur la scène du théâtre élisabéthain, a tenu son plus beau rôle. Crédits : Lorànt Deutsch, Ayrton Morice Kerneven. Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

The Oscar season is around the corner, and William Shakespeare is once again frequenting the red carpet, so why not look back and talk about a film that won 7 (!) Academy Awards, and is literally one of the best films of all time when it comes to the bard. I'm talking of course, about Shakespeare in Love (1998).Joining me today is Darren Freebury-Jones, another fan of this oeuvre.Darren has written many books about Shakespeare and his contemporaries. You may remember him from our Borrowed Feathers episode a few months ago.Welcome back, Darren!Words, words, words, indeed....Find Darren:https://darrenfj.wordpress.com/https://www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com/guests/darren-feebury-jones/https://stagetalkmagazine.com/p/34306https://www.instagram.com/freeburian/Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers:https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526177322/ (UK)https://www.amazon.com/Shakespeares-borrowed-feathers-playwrights-greatest/dp/1526177323 (USA)Shakespeare's Tutor Thomas Kyd:https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526182616/ (UK)https://www.amazon.com/Shakespeares-tutor-influence-Thomas-Kyd/dp/1526182610/ (USA)Find more Shakespeare on Natalie's walking tours with Reign of London:https://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-the-royal-british-kings-and-queens-walking-tour-t426011https://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-unsavory-history-guided-walking-tour-t428452Find Baroque:https://www.ifitaintbaroquepodcast.art/https://www.reignoflondon.com/https://substack.com/@ifitaintbaroquepodcastSupport Baroque:https://www.patreon.com/c/Ifitaintbaroquepodcast/https://buymeacoffee.com/ifitaintbaroqueFor more history fodder please visit https://www.ifitaintbaroquepodcast.art/ and https://www.reignoflondon.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

C'est l'homme aux multiples visages : William Shakespeare, le citoyen discret de Stratford-upon-Avon, laisse derrière lui une œuvre magistrale... mais une identité floue. Était-il un comédien de province ou bien un érudit caché ? Qui se dissimule vraiment derrière le masque de Shakespeare ? Une chose est sûre : ce personnage a su écrire sa propre légende. Percez l'énigme de celui qui, sur la scène du théâtre élisabéthain, a tenu son plus beau rôle. Crédits : Lorànt Deutsch, Ayrton Morice Kerneven. Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

In this episode of Chronicles, Luca continues his discussion of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. He examines the play's many classic characters and the choices that lead them to tragedy.

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4 women got busted in Japan for smuggling $670,000 worth of gold powder in their underwear...and a man accidentally crashed his car into a historic house that once belonged to the family of William Shakespeare!

Episode 104: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Will Tosh Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. William Shakespeare's romantic comedy, Twelfth Night, or What You Will is one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, renowned for its clever cross-dressing plot and festive hi-jinks, but also for its elusive tone, fluctuating between the comic and a darker cruelty. The play is also infused with desire, both declared and suppressed, even subversive, as the characters search for love, status and identity. As we record this episode a new production of the play is playing at Shakespeare's Globe theatre in London, and I'm delighted to welcome to the podcast the Globe's Director of Education, Dr Will Tosh.

William Shakespeare is one of history's most famous names – but how much do we really know about the man himself? And how did his family, education and marriage shape his works and influence his worldview? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Paul Edmondson charts Shakespeare's story, from humble beginnings to global cultural afterlife. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The young Prince Edward arrives at The Temple Beautiful and complains to Richard about his uncles imprisonment. Richard tells him his uncles Rivers and Dorset were dangerous. Edward protests but is interrupted by the arrival of the Mayor of London who greets him with flattery. Edward asks about the whereabouts of his mother and brother, the Duke of York. Hastings arrives and tells Edward his mother and brother are in sanctuary. Buckingham orders Hastings to bring York to them by force. The Cardinal protests but Buckingham convinces him there's no need for sanctuary under these circumstances. Alone with his uncle Richard, Edward asks where he and his brother will be staying before their coronation. Richard tells him they're to stay in the Tower. Edward protests but is interrupted by the arrival of his younger brother. Little York teases Richard until he learns they're going to the Tower. He starts to argue but Edward tells him not to fear. They're taken away. Richard and Buckingham call in Catesby to test Hastings' loyalty. Once alone, Richard promises Buckingham the Earldom of Hereford. Later that night, a messenger from Stanley arrives at Barrington Hall to warn Hastings that Richard is going to kill him. Hastings reassures him that Richard won't harm him. Catesby arrives and hears from Hastings that he won't support Richard taking the throne, even though he had his enemies (Rivers and Dorset) killed. Stanley rolls up and warns Hastings not to trust Richard. Buckingham saunters out to meet them and takes them to the Tower for the coronation. Elsewhere, in a warehouse basement in Pomfret, Rivers begs for his life as Ratcliffe drowns him. The PLAY ON PODCAST SERIES, “RICHARD THE THIRD”, was written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and translated into modern English verse by MIGDALIA CRUZ. All episodes were directed by LISA ROTHE. Radio play by CATHERINE EATON.   This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA AGREEMENT.   The cast is as follows:   MATT FRASER                  as    RICHARD THE THIRD MIA KATIGBAK                 as    QUEEN MARGARET, CITIZEN and BLUNT HIRAM DELGADO             as    CLARENCE, DORSET, ELY and MESSENGER NANCY RODRIGUEZ        as    LADY ANNE, OXFORD, RIVERS and A MURDERER RACHEL CROWL              as    QUEEN ELIZABETH, NORFOLK, and MESSENGER SANJIT DE SILVA             as    NESS AQUINO, BUCKINGHAM, and A CITIZEN CHARLES DUMAS            as    EDWARD, HENRY the SIXTH, STANLEY & CARDINAL ANDY LUCIEN       as    HASTINGS, SCRIVENER, a MESSENGER and A MURDERER GABRIELA SAKER           as    CATESBY, DUKE OF YORK and A MESSENGER DANAYA ESPERANZA as BRAKENBURY, RATCLIFFE, LORD MAYOR, TYRREL, and  RICHMOND ALMA CUERVO              as    DUCHESS OF YORK, SHERIFF & A MESSENGER ELIJAH GOODFRIEND  as    PRINCE EDWARD, A PAGE, and A BOY   Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA.   Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH   Original music composition, Mix and Sound Design by LINDSAY JONES. Composer, Producer, Guitars, Bass, Lead Vocals, Recording and Mix Engineer, DAVID MOLINA. EDWIN AYALA on Drums. Backup Vocals by MANUEL TRUJILLO. Sound engineering and mixing by SADAHARU YAGI. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND.   The Play On Podcast Series “RICHARD THE THIRD” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NEXTCHAPTERPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.   Subscribe to Play On Premium for ad-free episodes and join our Patreon for exclusive merchandise and early commercial-free releases. Go to nextchapterpodcasts.com for our Bonus Content, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “We are not safe”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode, Sebastian Michael summarises the second part of The Sonnets by William Shakespeare in the 1609 collection and examines the questions they present in parallel to those posed by the Fair Youth Sonnets: - Is there a Dark Lady at all?- If so, who is it?- And what, if anything, do these sonnets tell us about the poet himself, irrespective of who she is?

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 9 The Sinister Science Club In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             Anyone can be who they want to be; the challenge is being who you need to be Raven Thorpe was awarded the 'honor' of working with me, a designation she groaned over, and other girls glared at her with jealousy. After class she attempted to shoulder past me but I tapped her arm. "Can we talk for a second?" I inquired. "Don't you have to scurry off and take care of your schedule?" she replied blandly. "Can you stop being a bitch for fifteen seconds so we can figure out which author we can work on?" I snapped angrily. She pulled up short as if she expects to be pimp-slapped next. "Okay, who do you have in mind?" she requested. "And if you say William Shakespeare, I am going to smack you with my book bag." "I was thinking the political works of Edmund Burke," I suggested. Raven blinked. "Seriously, I didn't think you even knew who Edmund Burke was, much less that he was the father of modern conservatism," Raven congratulated me. It was almost like she wanted to pat me on the head and give me a doggy bone. "I was thinking of concentrating more on his works during the American Revolution, but if that's what you are more comfortable with, we could cover his later period works instead," I offered. "Good point, Zane. Let's talk it over during lunch," Raven suggested. "Zane," summoned a female voice from outside the classroom. "Go on," Raven smirked, "enjoy your disproportionate level of abuse." "You act like I have any choice in the matter," I shrugged. It was of little consolation that Raven made it ten more feet from the door when she got snatched up too. This time out, my mistress got to point to a feature on her body and I had to give it a flattering description, I know, my life is utter hell. I had no idea where the Science Club met; I even began to get the sinking feeling they carefully controlled any information about themselves, sort of like a secret society, or the CIA. "Hello, I'm Paige," spoke this girl, who apparently materialized out of the ether. I'm not paranoid; I've spent the past two years in a region where you have to be alert because Tigers are common and I say this girl freaking ghosted me, Man. "I'm with the Science Club. You will come with me right now," she smiled like said predator cat trying to disguise herself as a white rabbit. "You are albino," I noted. She had long white hair, alabaster skin, and a red shadow to her eyes. She was also the only girl to date I'd seen with the dark blue jacket that was part of our winter uniform. She also had a jaunty blue hat and white stockings instead of socks. "You have eyes," she rolled hers, "now come along." I started to follow her. "So what is this meeting about?" I asked. "It isn't a meeting; we require you for something," she replied. "What is it?" I became more cautious. "It is a surprise," she mocked me. "Stop wasting my time and come along." "Cool, I'm out of here." I grinned, turned, and left. Paige staggered and seemed unable to grasp my departure. "Where are you going?" she snapped tartly. "To Archery Club," I replied, while still walking away. "But, but you said you would come," she stuttered. "Am I a person? Are you?" "Yes and yes," she replied with irritation. "Are you an idiot or a child? Because those are the only reasons to forgive your spoiled behavior," I turned and said. Paige glared. "So you assume you are smarter than me and can be rude to someone who is doing you a favor." "We are the ones doing you a favor," Paige snapped back. "Now we want you to repay us." "Did you discuss payment when you did me the favor of rewiring my room? No? Good, because if you had, I would clearly be suffering a form of amnesia," I gave back. "If you want something, you can ask as a friend or you can offer me something that makes it worth my while. Now go back to Cordelia and tell her you have returned alone because you were so much smarter than me. If you could only 'speak friend', I continued walking away. "Wait," Paige called out nervously. "I, I, and I could almost hear the wheels turning. "Speak friend and enter." I stopped in midstride. "So you read through my school records and know my top ten influences," I turned and responded. We stared at each other for almost a minute until she finally gave up and put on her sunglasses. I retraced my steps back to her. "Favorite member of the Fellowship?" I tested her. "Legolas," she responded. I scoffed and she had the human decency to look embarrassed. "Ha," I scoffed again. "Horny girls go for the elf; the marrying kind goes for Aragorn." "Who is yours, then, wise guy?" she volleyed. "Boromir," I declared my allegiance. "Ah, of course; the veteran warrior in a doomed struggle; he forsakes his honor only to redeem it in a hopeless fight, perishing in the arms of his brothers," Paige retorted. "I thought you would have gone for Aragorn, the Uncrowned King." "Hmm," I winced, "my second choice was actually Frodo but that would have sounded gay." "You can't be gay; you are not clever enough to conceal that," she stated. "See, now you are sounding like Saruman the White," I teased. "Let me guess: because I'm an albino," she grumbled. "You are an albino? I was talking about your facial hair and that arrogant, know-it-all vibe you've got going on," I joked. Paige stared at me, suddenly speechless, finally taping her chin. "At least you didn't call me Gollum," she admitted. "Nah; too much hair and not enough skin slime," I explained as I ran the back of one finger over her cheek. She flinched slightly. "Are you going to, please, come with me now?" she asked much more politely. "Are you going to have sex with me?" I grinned. "What?" she squawked. "Just joshing you," I smiled. "You are far too pretty to be interested in me. Let's go." I'd clearly unsettled her because she didn't say another word to me until we were going downstairs in the Clegger Science Building. "Do you really think I'm pretty?" she asked as we finished the last set of stairs. "I must confess I find most women attractive, but you are far prettier than most," I replied. "Do you still want to have sex with me?" she said in a casual voice. I took her hand and placed it on my heart. "Hah," she snorted, "I get it; your heart is beating so yes, you want to have sex with me." "I was going to say that a steady heartbeat indicated I was telling the truth, but someone keeps insisting they are smarter than me," I teased her. Am I really asking for another sex partner? What's wrong with me? Her reaction wasn't what I expected it to be and then I realized that she still had something over on me, the reason for me being here. Bitch. She opened a door into a dark room and ushered me in. There appeared to be about ten ladies in the room, playing with a variety of electronics. "Delivered as promised," Paige called out. "What did he hit you with?" a short caramel-skinned girl inquired. "Fellowship of the Ring," Paige grinned. Mother-fuckers! "Did he offer to have sex with you?" Cordelia asked playfully. "Yes. And not only gave me a 'pretty' but also a 'far prettier'." Paige gave me a smug look. "Ha, ha, ha," I muttered. Idiot me forgot that psychology is also a science, and the reason we don't have a chess club at FFU was also evident; the Science Club devoured them. "Come on, Zane," Cordelia batted her full lashes at me. "We need a little favor and it won't take fifteen minutes." "Couldn't you simply coerce me into doing this?" I stated. "I'm sure this whole rigmarole of making me think I'm doing you a favor has to be making things more difficult." "We are all friends here," Cordelia smiled. "No, if we were all friends here, Iona would be at my side," I scolded her. "I admit you did a great scam getting me in this room, but you aren't nearly as good at lying to my face as you think you are." "Iona, Paige started to say. "Don't!" Cordelia snapped, then took a deep breath. "If you threaten Iona he will hit you, no," she corrected, "He'll hit me," Cordelia reasoned out. "There are eleven of us," another girl, Pandora Jaspers, stated, somewhat angry and confident. "I've seen him fight, Pandora. I saw him drop Mercy Chaplain. I've seen him fight Cappadocia Davis and Coach Gorman too," Cordelia said coolly as we stared at one another. "Unless we curl up in a ball on the ground, he'll beat us down. We'll hurt him, but Zane can take more pain than we can because he cares about her." "On that note, I'm gone again. Good going Paige; I'm sure you can think of something to make your sisters understand," I shrugged and moved for the door. "Zane, I need you to strip down and let us attach a series of video and biometric sensors so we can create a 'Virtual Zane' for a little project we are working on," Cordelia blurted out. I had to think hard about this; not because I didn't want to do it but because I had to figure if this was an honest play or another convoluted turn of the screws. I turned and looked at Cordelia. "There was no way in hell you ever thought I was a professor and you miraculously materialized outside my first class with the knowledge I was actually a freshman, damn, Cordelia, can't you just ask for stuff?" I berated her. "If you ask, you depend on another to get what you want; if you deceive, you win or lose on your own abilities," she shrugged. "Besides, I did ask you to kiss me; remember?" "Good enough; where do you want me to stand?" I responded. "Wait," Paige gawked. "Now he is doing it." "Alright ladies," one girl grinned. "Everyone pay up. I told you we should simply ask him." With that, I stepped over to a table and began stripping. Slowly the girls around me stopped what they were doing and openly ogled me. I guess the real me was better than the video. "Aren't you curious about what we are going to do?" Pandora inquired. "You are probably going to tell me that I'm posing naked because it is easier to dress an 'uncluttered' form, or something to that effect, but really, I like Cordelia and Iona is one of my two best friends," I mulled it over. "Besides, in case you missed it, I've seen all your faces." Once they took that bit of news in, things went along smoothly, though they had some debate amongst themselves on whether my cock needed its own 'reference point', a sensor attached. The amusing thing was, when the girl running the computer imaging asked me to keep my cock still, I had to reply that certain reactions weren't under my control, which caused a rather awkward moment. When I was finally finished there was another quiet interlude as I got dressed. "So," Cordelia wondered, rocking back and forth on her feet, "if we need more, data, could we get you to come back?" "Sure," I smiled back, "you know where I live, and you certainly know what my digits are. Cordelia, I want you to consider that if something happens in my room that ends up on the web that betrays the trust people have put in me, I'm not going to come after all of you looking for excuses. Are we clear?" "Is that a threat, Zane?" Cordelia beamed playfully. "Cordelia, I'm always one step away from being tossed out of here on my ass, so those who chose to trust me and take up my cause are doing it because they are decent folk. I'm not like most people; I can't afford to toss friends away like most of the rest of the people in this room seem to be comfortable with." "Or what," Paige smirked, "you'll beat us up?" "No, Paige. I value trust, so if you take that away from me, I'll find out what you value and take that away from you," I stared at her intently. "I know what you are going to say, Paige," Cordelia jumped in, "and Zane being expelled will only mean that he has no other distractions from dealing with us and he'll still have people inside the school all too willing to help him." "Zane, how about if something is done, we give you an off switch for various sections?" Cordelia offered. "Sounds great; let me know how the project works out, but now I have to go to Archery," I replied, before slipping out the door. "How did he know we were going to wire his room?" I overheard Paige whisper to Cordelia. "You don't seriously think he came here solely because we tricked him, do you?" Cordelia answered. "He knew we would try something and he wanted us to know that he knew." Yes, I had bumbled into the message I'd wanted to get across despite myself. Does Anyone Want Me Here? I had escaped school with a double date for Thursday Night (Chastity and Hope), then stopped by the house to plead with Aunt Jill to let Rio stay for the weekend. I gave a rational case, a compassionate reason, and then fell down on my knees and told her I really, really, really wanted her to stay. Something in that last argument made Jill relent and I phoned the good news to Rio. All that groveling resulted in me making the Festivities Committee Meeting by only two minutes. I swept into the room abruptly and as the story of my life goes, everyone stopped talking and looked at me. A quick scan of the room told me that two of the eight women knew to expect me, or at least some guy, while the others clearly assumed I'd lost my way. "Can we help you, young man?" an older woman with hair mostly turned to gray. "Welcome, Glenn," Mrs. Wellington said. "Ladies, Pastor William has asked us to introduce Mr. Braxton to the good works of our Church." There was a pause. "Thank you, Mrs. Wellington, but no one alive calls me Glenn anymore, and I'm not old or accomplished enough to be Mr. Braxton, like my Father or Uncle Tim. My teachers call me Zane." "Oh, you are at the University?" a third woman asked politely. She was asking if I went to the University of Virginia. "No, I don't go to UV; I go to FFU, it is a long story," I replied with trepidation. "I have a daughter at Freedom Fellowship," one of the women responded with concern. "What is her name?" I tried to be polite, what were the odds? "Pandora Jaspers," Mrs. Jaspers answered. "Seriously? I've done Handmaiden duty for her, and today I saw her at the Science Club," I sighed with relief. "What did she have you do?" yet another woman inquired intently. "I helped her create an umbrella walkway when it was raining so that all the students could get to class without getting soaked," I informed them. "Have you been to 'camp'?" a sixth woman hinted at something. "Camp, no, I can't say I've ever been to a camp," I evaded, because I had no idea what they meant. "That's enough, ladies," Mrs. Wellington said. "We have business to take care of. We can worry about Mr. Braxton's confusion at a later time." Oh, they think I'm gay. Camp = Gay camp where fundamentalists are sure I could be cured of being homosexual. I try not to laugh. "Mr. Braxton, I want you to sit at the chair there," Mrs. Wellington pointed to a chair away from the table, against the wall. "I want you to take personal notes for the members, things that don't go into the official record. Doreen Saxon," she indicated the gray haired woman "is our secretary. She takes the official notes of the meeting, so pay attention." The Meeting for the first of September was called to order, the record of attendance including the difficulty of my name, they kept trying to call me Glenn Braxton while I politely asked for Zane. They went with Glenn. The rest of the group worked out like this: Rochelle Wellington was Chairwoman, Kendra Bainbridge was our Treasurer, and Doreen Saxon was the grey-haired Secretary. The rest of the group consisted of Claire Baker, Theresa Geiger, Columbia Jaspers, Heidi Moulin, and Sahara Penny, the Pastor's wife. As the meeting progressed there was little I could do but watch the group dynamics at work. For starters, Bainbridge was at Wellington's throat; they clearly didn't like one another. The other was an oddity; no one interacted with Sahara Penny. I wasn't sure if it was her non-white heritage (Middle Eastern of some sort), her meek nature, or some past sin, but I decided to take advantage of it. I got up quietly and began walking around the table. "Glenn," Mrs. Saxon asked, but I ignored her because, damn it, how many times do I have to tell them my name is Zane? I walked over and knelt by Sahara. "Zane," Mrs. Wellington addressed me, "are you looking for the bathroom?" Bingo! "No, Mrs. Wellington. I was hoping to get some background information on the current discussions as well as contact information for the group. Since the rest of you are treating Mrs. Penny like she has the plague, I figured she would be the perfect candidate to tell me what is really going on here," I grinned at her. "It is always the quiet ones who know the most." And everyone stopped talking. Sahara not only looked shocked and frightened to see me, she looked like she wanted to sink under the table when I told the rest of them my reason for being here. "I assure you, Mr. Braxton, we are fully including Sahara in the process," Mrs. Bainbridge snorted indignantly. "I will gladly accept your reprimand if you can please tell me the last five words you said to her since I arrived," I requested, with as much innocence as I could beg, borrow, or steal. "I asked her about the children's clothing for the Nativity this year," Kendra said after a long pause. "That was Claire, not Sahara," I corrected her. "It is in my notes, but I'm sure Doreen can corroborate my recall of events." "Well," she said testily, "I'm sure I said something to her." Silence. "I apologize for disrupting the meeting. I'll crouch here quietly and conference with Sahara while the rest of you complete the business of the day," I told them, then turned back to Sahara. "Now, what the heck is up with the live turkey at the Thanksgiving celebration?" In the end, I gathered my information, the meeting concluded its business, and the room emptied until it was me, Sahara, Kendra, and Rochelle. "A Christian gentleman would apologize," Kendra informed me. "Well, I guess that makes us both poor Christians, because a good Christian woman wouldn't have lied to me," I calmly replied. Kendra gaped like a fish out of water. "Rochelle!" Kendra snapped to the Committee head. "Zane, you apologize to Kendra right now," she commanded me, without much passion. "Kendra Bainbridge, I apologize for my rude and uncalled for behavior," I said with a bow. Neither woman had expected me to fold up like that, so all Kendra could do was huff and storm out of the room. "Thank you," Sahara whispered, as she touched my hand. "I don't always know the right side to fight on but it is usually by the side of the person being bullied," I grinned. "It is the Christian thing to do," I added with a wink. That left me with Rochelle Wellington: MILF, Lance the asshole's Mom, and wife of the Mayor. She looked like she wanted to stand up but couldn't. Me, I had a Sorority meeting to get to, I missed dinner so I had to grab something first, and why in the hell was I even thinking what I was thinking? I sat down beside her. "What's wrong?" I began. She looked at me, tired and somehow forlorn. "You wouldn't understand, Mr. Braxton, Zane," she sighed. "Try me; the worst that could happen is, I give the expression that every teenager gives an adult when something important is being said but we are too caught up in our own lives to understand." "Oh, good point, young man," she sighed, "but I'm afraid I don't have anything even remotely interesting to talk about." I waited patiently. "I'm feeling sorry for myself. My baby is leaving the nest and it has been so long since I've been alone in the house, I don't know what to do with myself." "Lance is an only child?" I wondered. "Oh, no, he is the youngest of five," she responded with sadness. My jaw dropped and she stared at me. "What, did you start having kids when you were ten?" I gawked. "What?" she sounded confused. "I have a hard time believing you are forty, much less the mother of five grown children," I stammered. At first Rochelle was embarrassed and a bit uncomfortable, but slowly the compliment seeped its way into her psyche. "I, I have a home gym," she suggested as an answer. "Well, whatever you've been doing has worked. Your husband is one lucky guy, and I hope he appreciates you and all you do to look, act, and feel so young," I wowed her. "I'm not feeling all that young right now," she slipped back into her depression. "Where does it hurt?" I changed my focus. "I don't know what you mean?" she asked. "People keep their stress in different places; the back of the neck, the mid-back, shoulders, or temples," I informed her. "I'm not comfortable talking with you about that," Mrs. Wellington replied warily. "Sure," I said popping out of my seat. "I apologize if I crossed any lines," and I made for the door. "Wait, Zane, I apologize. I'm tired and a bit cranky. I know you didn't mean anything and besides, I'm sure you already have a girlfriend," Rochelle admitted. "Please don't spread this around, but I have several girlfriends at the moment. They know about each other, I'm not going to lie about my sex life, but they are usually interested in different things," I told her. "You have, multiple girlfriends, different things? Like what kind of different things?" Rochelle spilled out her confused thoughts. "Some women like sexual contact," I related, "while others like romantic time together, and still others want companionship." There was another long pause. "But you are at Freedom Fellowship University, she trembled. "I've never taken a student's virginity, if that's what you are asking," I answered. "Oh, I understand. I've taught all my children that they should be virgins on their wedding day," Rochelle said with some pride. "I have to disagree with that," I shocked her, "but that is one of the reasons that women are better than girls." "And how would you know this?" She now turned in her chair to face me, trying to sound affronted but coming across as deeply curious. "Umm, I've had sex with girls in their teens and women in their forties, and women know more, pace themselves better, and generally have better bodies," I explained. "Teen girls need a few more years to fill out." Rochelle was utterly speechless, and part of that had to do with the fact that I was being frank and honest, yet not openly coming on to her. "You must not think much of me, then," she mused, "teaching my children my views on virginity." "Where did you get that from? If anything, you are proving yourself to be an intelligent, warm, caring, and compassionate woman and mother, who happens to look like she's less than forty years old," I added. "You did what you thought was right. I can't argue with that." "Well, good," she replied. "Now for my part, I was taught that a real man gives his lover multiple orgasms and he should never reach fulfillment before his partner does. Any man who does so is being selfish," I stated. "How did you come by this, thinking?" she inquired with a small voice. "Umm, I've had sex around five hundred times with thirty different partners," I told her, "so I've not only learned from very good teachers, I've field tested their ideas." "How can you possibly consider yourself a good Christian, Zane?" she accused me. "Compassion, respect for all living things, and forgiveness, that's what I believe in and what Christianity stands for in my eyes," I explained. "The Bible is clear on sex and the sanctity of the marriage bed," Rochelle insisted. "Mrs. Wellington, everything after the death of Jesus is conjecture. We both accept that Jesus was the Son of God, but after he dies, who is to say who was being touched by the Divine, who was building on JC's teachings, and who was simply making stuff up," I held up my hand to stop Rochelle's protest. "The Catholics have a thousand Saints, most of whom we don't hold to be divinely inspired. You chose to believe that virginity is a girl's sacred duty, but I don't recall Christ saying anything on the subject. You can certainly quote later Gospels or the Old Testament, but that makes it your choice, not the Word of God," I finished up. Another long pause followed. "I keep my stress in the top of my shoulders," she suddenly said. I stood up and moved behind her, deciding to not question her changing opinion of me. "It helps if you take off your jacket," I suggested, then helped her shimmy out of it. She tensed up as my hands weighed down lightly on her shoulders so I kept my touch gentle. Two minutes into the massage, I began squeezing harder and harder, moving my palms back and forth over her bra straps from upper arm to neck. "Rochelle," I whispered into her ear, "I am going to rotate your shoulders." I rolled over each shoulder one at a time but when I finished, I pushed her slowly forward until she was resting her elbows on the table and held her head on her upturned hands. When I went back to the massage, I worked her over harder and extended my reach from her mid-back to neck. This was clearly a case of begging forgiveness instead of asking permission. I took my time, relaxing her to a completely detached state. When I brought her back to reality, I was kneeling beside her and tapping her on the arm. "Rochelle? Are you okay," I asked in a gentle, caring voice. Dreamily, she turned her head from its resting place on her arms to look at my eyes straight-on and mere inches away. "What, huh?" she muttered. "How do the shoulders feel? Has your stress gone away?" I inquired. "Yes, yes," she popped up, alert once more. "It feels really good, in fact. I haven't felt this way in years," she added with a smile. "I think it is time for us to go," I suggested. "Can I help you with your jacket?" "Of course," she nodded. "Thank you for helping an old lady out." I held it while she put in one arm after the other but when I settled it on her shoulders, I stepped in and held her there for a moment while I pressed myself against her so she could feel how I felt about 'old ladies'. Rochelle froze when she felt my cock, rigid in my slacks, pressed against her ass. I was unsure if I'd gone too far when she pushed ever so slightly against me. "I've got to be going. I will see you on Sunday but I'm home all weekend with one of my girlfriends in case you need me," I informed her. I slipped out before she could respond because not only did I have a Sorority function to attend, I also needed to figure out where I could score some Viagra because I clearly had no common sense where sex was concerned. Besides, Sahara was obviously in need of attention because Pastor Bill wasn't giving it to her, and Bainbridge was lashing out due to years of sexual frustration, I repeat: I have no common sense. Every One Like a Fingerprint to Me When I was racing to get to the Kappa Sigma House, I hardly expected to be met by one of their pledges and absolutely no one else. After I sat down in the den and the pledge, Tina, got me a soda from the kitchen, we found ourselves staring at one another. "So, I'm here on the correct night; right?" I asked. "Yes, you are, Zane," she bubbled with anticipation. "Where is everybody?" I prodded her. "They are taking care of Sorority business but they will come get us when they are ready," she grinned. I knew I was missing something but I didn't know what it was. "Is it hot in here?" I wondered. "Yes," Tina said after a bit of concentration. "Tina, can I have some Advil? I'm getting a headache," I yawned. "Okay," Tina responded, still happy, and still sitting down. "Ah, fuck, you drugged me, didn't you?" I groaned. I doubted I could still stand and then proved my doubts as I slid off the chair. "Damn," I slurred. Tina walked over to me, took my drink away, and gently maneuvered my body to the floor. "If it is any consolation, I was selected as the pledge most likely to seduce you," she stated with real sympathy. I might have smiled at her, I wasn't sure, but I definitely passed out. Cough! Someone plunged cleaning detergent underneath my nose and fired me back to consciousness. Holy Mother of God, I'm cold, my wrists and ankles hurt, I'm outdoors in the woods illuminated by torches and surrounded in a semi-circle of bare-footed figures in ankle long brown robes and black hoods. I was cold because I was naked and my limbs hurt because I was suspended on a cross, not a 'T' cross but an 'X' cross. I certainly know some kinky, fucked-up people. "Zane," a modulated voice addressed me, "you are on trial before Kappa Sigma for your treatment of one of our sisters. You have abused the trust of one sister by seeking romantic relations with another. What do you have to say for yourself?" "If the question is that I had relations with Leigh, then had a similar encounter with Paris, then I confess. In my defense, I never sought to deceive either one and will make amends if permitted," I promised. "Sisters, we have heard his defense. Will any of you vote in his behalf?" she intoned. No one stepped forward. "Zane, we will give you one chance to save yourself. If you fail, you will be shaved bald and painted in a permanent purple dye." I assume that means seven days on human skin. "If you can pick out the woman you have wronged, beg her forgiveness, and are forgiven, you will go free." I was getting pretty nervous since they were all totally covered except for their toes when the 'leader' nodded and the girls all opened their robes to reveal string bikinis in a variety of colors. Their faces were still covered, though that wasn't really a problem for me anymore. "Choose Leigh and Paris, beg their forgiveness, and you may be pardoned," the 'leader' commanded. "That's not fair," I answered right back, "because they are not before me now." "Think carefully," the girl with the modulated voice cautioned me. "No, seriously; I'm looking at Josephine, Maria, Cynthia, Sarah, Ferrara, Petra, Yvette, Tawny, Jersey, and Monique," I named them left to right. "What?" Sarah gasped to her assembled sisters. "Do we have name tags on?" Behind me, I heard snickers turn into giggles, Leigh and Paris. Tawny stepped forward. "How did you know?" she inquired, clearly not the girl with the modulated voice. "Ah, Josephine has a birthmark on her ankle, Maria has the darkest skin tone, and Cynthia's breasts don't angle down the middle or to the side but somewhere in the middle." "Sarah has slender thighs and her calves curve just so below the knee; Ferrara always paints her nails in these crazy patterns; Petra scrapped her knee backpacking two weekends ago; Yvette, has that tattoo over her right nipple; Tawny, you have a slender neck, a, 38C chest, and a strong swell from your waist to your hips; Jersey is the tallest and has that scar she got in a boating accident in high school; and finally, Monique has the perkiest nipples and the most slender calves," I recited. Man, even the crickets went quiet after that. "Zane, did anyone help you with this test?" Tawny finally asked. "Nope." "How could they?" Leigh came to my defense. "You didn't make the line-up until thirty minutes ago." "Jersey, go check his phone log," Tawny directed her sister. "I'm getting really cold," I whispered to Leigh. She looked from my eyes to my waist with sympathy. Jersey walked out of the light but quickly returned with my phone. "His last call was at 2:10 p.m. but he did have a data download at 6:45, it seems to be a bunch of women's names and phone numbers," Jersey relayed the information to them. "It is my church group, I swear. Honestly, they are all married women in the Festivities Committee that bastard of a pastor assigned me to," I pleaded. "No phone calls?" Tawny persisted. "No phone calls," Jersey confirmed. "Okay, Zane, how did you know who we were with our faces concealed?" Tawny wondered. "Is that a serious question?" The deafening pause was its own answer. "You are women; I pay attention to women and to me, each female form is as exacting as a fingerprint. Until now I thought all of this was a joke," I related. "I mean, if you wanted to scare me, you would have given me something difficult to figure out." "And you picked all this up at one party?" Tawny sounded bewildered. "Have I mentioned how much I like women?" I reminded her. "But you brought twenty women with you; you always had a woman by your side. How?" Tawny still struggled to understand. "I repeat: have I mentioned how much I like women? I see nothing wrong with being with one woman and looking at others, but I believe it is wrong to be with one woman and thinking about someone else," I explained. "You should always appreciate the one you are with." "Umm, does any sister believe Zane has earned a reprieve?" For two seconds no one reacted, then Jersey stepped forward. "He knew about my scar," was her excuse. Five more stepped forward right after that and all had done so by the tenth second. "Very well Zane, you are forgiven," Tawny announced. Yay, me! "But I have one other issue to address. Zane, I can't have you cutting a swath through my girls so I'm going to demand that you stick to one and only one Kappa Sigma per semester." I stared at her until she finally had to question me. "What?" "I wish you would stop treating me like a child," I chuckled. "What makes you think I'm not being serious?" Tawny growled. "We've kissed. You can tell a lot about a person in the way they kiss, and you are very caring and thoughtful," I told her. "Why would I be out here in the woods naked if I didn't trust you?" "You kissed him!" yelped Leigh. Tawny smirked as she looked at her. "You left me alone with a naked Zane in your room; he looked cold and lonely," she told Leigh. I was cold and lonely because Tawny tossed Leigh out of her own room and then wouldn't let me get dressed, but only Tawny, Christina, and I knew that. "Besides, Zane, you are naked in these woods because we tricked you into our house and spiked your drink," Tawny pointed out. "Ah, but would I have been dumb enough to take that drink if I hadn't first trusted you enough to show up, wait, that didn't come out right," I mumbled. "Are you agreeing to my terms?" Tawny teased. "Nope. I prefer to hold to the illusion I'm living in the Free World," I declared. "You can certainly tell your sisters what to do because they volunteered for this but I only hang out here because all of you have been so nice to me. If I've been a poor guest, I'll just leave, because I'm not going to pretend I like one sister less than another." "Zane, you are deep in the woods, tied to a cross, and the only people who know you are here are all bound by Sacred Oaths of Sisterhood, Blood, and Secrecy," Tawny stated sweetly, as she came up and stroked my cheek. "You aren't in the best place to be dumping us." "Good point," I agreed defiantly. "Maybe I should wait to get on my high horse when I can actually get on a high horse, but I'm still not going to take it back." "We could always keep him in our secret basement," Monique suggested. When everyone looked at her she added, "Hey, he liked my nipples. Finding a guy who is good with nipples isn't as easy as you would think." Huh, what? I had a definite feeling I was losing control of events. "You have a secret basement?" I gulped. "I didn't know you had a secret basement." "Well, duh," Paris snickered. "It wouldn't be much of a secret if you knew about it." "We are not keeping Zane chained up for our amusement," Tawny warned the girls. "We specifically changed the Charter back in '02 so that we can no longer keep men on the premises for more than forty-eight hours." Yay? "We also can't leave him here," Tawny continued. "I'm sure Christina will have search parties out looking for you before sunrise." "I'll stay out here and stand guard over him," Leigh volunteered. "No," Tawny scolded Leigh. "We can't let him get fucked to death either." Leigh looked truly heartbroken. "I think we have to let Zane get off this time," Tawny sighed. "I was trying to get him off," Leigh grumbled. "Give it a rest, Leigh," Tawny demanded. "Paris, give our guest something to drink so we can wrap this up." Paris disappeared behind me, then reappeared with a glass of water. "Drink up," she smiled beatifically. "Just promise me I'm not going to wake up in some landfill or tied to a lamppost somewhere public," I groaned. "Drink it down right now and you might wake up next to me," Tawny challenged. Needless to say, I drank and quickly, because I'm an idiot who keeps too much blood in the wrong head. When I woke up, I was back in the Sorority house with a different sweet pledge smiling at me and that smell of ammonia in my nostrils. She handed me a folded piece of paper. I said 'you MIGHT wake up next to me' the paper read. 'P.S. See you and the Ladies at our Halloween Bash.' "What's your name?" I asked the pledge. This time the home was filled with the noises of occupancy. "Larissa," she giggled. "So, are you Leigh's boyfriend?" "Ah, no; I'm community property; the other sisters hand me around like a box of chocolates," I joked. "Really! That is so great," she bubbled with excitement. "I can't wait until I get initiated. I want you to make me scream the way you had Leigh singing." Does no one get my jokes? "Larissa, I am sure you will pass your initiation, no sweat," I told her as I stood up, feeling a bit drunk. Larissa walked with me to the door and gave me a quick peck on the cheek as I turned to head for my car. I made it to campus with seconds to spare. The crawl up to the Solarium was done in relative quiet, though Barbie Lynn decided to sample my tonsils before letting me up. Not two steps inside the door my phone rang. "Hello, is this Zane Braxton?" this familiar voice greeted me. "That would be me. What can I do for you this night?" I responded. "This is Felicity Tolliver. I wanted you to know that I had dinner with Rochelle Wellington tonight and I think having you on her committee has really improved her mood," she informed me. I reached the top of the landing and nearly dropped the phone. Iona sat nervously on my bed, which she had made up because I never do it that well. She was wearing lingerie that definitely made her whole form much more feminine. "Felicity, Rochelle and I talked mostly, plus I showed her some techniques to help alleviate stress," I related, "but you can tell her it was a pleasure to work with such a vibrant and beautiful woman. You two are a lot alike." There was a pause, then, "I'll tell her that," Felicity said. "I will be at my home in case she needs something this weekend. I would like to see both of you, as would my Aunt," I offered. "That would be nice," she sounded upbeat. "We could also discuss getting some FFU girls coming over to your place and the workshops you could teach on campus in October and November," I suggested. "That sounds great too," Felicity agreed. "I would like to spend some time at FFU and having some girls know where Lance's house is would be nice. When do you want to meet?" "How about after dinner, say 8:00 o'clock?" I suggested. "You can bring Lance." "After dinner is fine but Lance has a church workshop on Saturday nights," Felicity sighed. Oh hell, does this woman even get taken to first base? "He's always so busy with his fraternity at school, the Young Christian Men's Republican caucus, and the Christian Men's League at church." Does this guy spend any time with women at all? "Consider it a date," I replied. "Now I have a very good reason to go to bed, so good night." "Good night," she parted in a friendly manner, which allowed me to hang up and start undressing as I approached the bed. I looked down at my bed buddy once I'd stripped down to nothing. "You look lovely, Iona," I greeted her. "What do you want to do?" "I'll do whatever you want," Iona said with a tremor in her voice, looking down at her lap. She looked stunning in her burgundy bra and panties, which were far more lace than substance. I felt the hand of, Christina (?) in all this. "Thank you, Iona. What I really want is to lie down, you beside me so that I can look into your eyes and gently trace lines along your body, and then I want to go to sleep with you in my arms. That's what I really want." "Really?" she perked up in surprise and relief. I crawled under the covers, holding them open so she could join me. "I like this a lot," she murmured, as she settled in at my side, snug in the covers. I shifted to my side and cupped her chin before exchanging several soft kisses with her. Afterwards, I did as I told her I would; my hand caressed her body, avoiding nipples and cunt but doing my best to get everywhere else. I elicited sensual moans and ticklish giggles. When I had forced her to push me off so she could catch her breath, I felt I had given Iona what she wanted, and more importantly, what she could live with. I sat back and stared at the Moon through my glass roof. Iona's smiling face slowly invaded my view. "I give up, Iona," I pleaded. "Right now I want some sleep." "That's okay. I will sit here and watch over you," she sighed. "That's, that's a little creepy, actually," I confessed. "I've watched all of the Twilight movies so I know what secretive romances are all about," Iona explained. Unfortunately, I knew little of the Twilight series of movies. I knew it involved vampires and werewolves and some chick named Bella but I'd never actually seen any of that. Had I known it involved a 100-year-old vampire breaking into some teenager's room and staring down at her while she slept, I would have been much more concerned, but for now I went to sleep. A lesson in why I shouldn t get out of bed in the morning. I woke up to every heterosexual teenage boy's second favorite dream (the first being a morning blowjob) of a perfume-scented head resting on each shoulder as you wake. There were the tiny complications of only having gone to bed with one woman and that, by their breathing, I could tell they were both awake. "Good morning," I said cautiously; technically morning since it was 5:00 a.m. "Good morning, Zane," Iona and Barbie Lynn greeted me. They both ran hands over my chest, though they gave a sudden jolt when their hands touched. I had one arm around Iona and I used that to give her a hug. My other arm was pinned by my side by Barbie Lynn's body. I gave Barbie's thigh a squeeze and she wiggled in response. "Okay, Barbie Lynn, this is Iona's night, so what are you doing here?" I scolded my blonde nymph. "I'm sorry," Barbie demurred then looked to Iona and repeated the "I'm sorry." "I understand," Iona replied, hesitating before saying after further introspection as she snuggled in, "I want to wake up this way every morning too. I like the way he smells and the way he makes me feel all warm inside, and now you owe me a night, to be shared," she stated hopefully. "One of these days I'm going to get a say in how I spend my free time," I griped. Iona looked hurt but Barbie Lynn merely sneered. "Don't you worry none, Iona. Zane, if you could wake up next to myself and Iona tomorrow morning, would you?" she drawled like sweet molasses. "Yes," I grumbled petulantly, "but I'd still like to talk about it." "Trust us, Suga, we know what's best for you and what you want. Just let us girls take care of you and you take care of all the Man Stuff." "We'll take good care of you," Iona dog-piled on, but in a nice way. "If it makes you feel better, you can punish us," Barbie Lynn offered. "We've been bad." "Huh?" Iona and I questioned. Barbie flipped over and wiggled her ass against me. "Good point. You two get to the foot of the bed, facing away from me, now!" I demanded. "Why me?" Iona honestly worried. "What did I do wrong?" "Do it, Iona. This is virtually a rite of passage," Barbie Lynn lied to her. "No, it is not, and if you don't want to do it, you don't have to," I told her. She didn't know what I was going to do and she clearly was scared, but when Barbie Lynn crawled out from under the covers and moved to the foot of the bed, resting on all fours, ass toward me, she followed suit. "If Barbie Lynn is going to do this," she muttered, "then so am I." I followed them, positioning myself between their calves and massaging their ass cheeks lightly. Barbie shifted back and forth in anticipation; Iona couldn't de-tense. Smack! "Oh, Yes!" Barbie Lynn yelped, then playfully wiggled her other, unmarked cheek within reach. "I've been really bad!" she chirped cheerfully. "No! Bad Girl," I shook my finger at her. "I'm starting to believe you aren't learning your lesson." We both knew that spanking Barbie was like throwing gasoline on a fire. Unfortunately, my purpose right now was to get them both back to their rooms, not work off my morning arousal. I moved behind Iona and forced her legs apart. She was clearly uncomfortable when I put a hand on each hip and slowly rocked her back and forth. Barbie Lynn sat back and watched with an enchanting glow highlighting her features; clever, intuitive, and lovely all at once. I settled my body onto Iona's back, my hard-on pressing into her ass cleft and one hand rubbing her stomach. "Zane?" Iona whispered in a scared little girl voice. "Yes," I answered, while kissing her along her shoulder ridge. "You, you didn't do this to Barbie Lynn," she choked out. "Do you want me to treat you as if you were another woman?" I continued, brushing her hair to one side so I could tease her neck with my lips. That got her to finally relax. "No," she gasped. "Iona, you explaining sex to Zane is like a bobcat telling a wolf how to hunt deer," Barbie Lynn teased Iona. "He gets to know you, what you like, and what you want, even if you don't know what that is." I spent another two minutes giving Iona a sensual massage, rubbing her upper arms, down along her sides, then tracing the lines of her panties before finishing with her inner thighs. Smack! "Oh," Iona gasped from the light impact. "Why didn't you spank me as hard as you spanked Barbie Lynn?" she wondered. "Did you want me to leave a handprint on your ass?" I asked. "No, I guess not," Iona admitted. "Can you answer me something?" "I'll try," I replied. "Why do you have those marks on your wrists and ankles?" She inquired. The room was dark so Barbie Lynn hadn't seen my little gift from the Kappa Sig's until Iona showed her what to look for. "Zane?" Barbie Lynn demanded to know, her persona going from sensual lover to protective Dorm Mother. "Let's not get into this right now," I sighed. They looked past me to one another but thankfully respected the peace I had requested. Had they not left together, huddled in quiet conversation, I would have been happier, but I had to be satisfied with fifteen more minutes of sleep instead. By the time I made it to the shower, everyone already knew not to ask, they were already seeking answers on their own. Getting to breakfast involved a play-debate where I had to be the 'Bad Guy,' aka the Liberal, Baby-killing, Godless Democrat, while my mistress of the moment was the heroic Republican. I graciously allowed her to trounce me, to the cheers of my fellow classmates, when I declared that all churches should be converted to homes for unwed mothers and that church-endorsed marriage should be banned for not accepting homosexuality. Did I know my audience or what? Never a Simple Morning I love women, even though they will surely be the death of me. Case in point: breakfast. I'm about to sit down with my normal companions (Rio and Iona) when a blur shoves Rio aside and takes a seat next to me. "Zane, I've been going over the books in the school library and some, Raven began. "Bitch, you did not just bump me and steal my seat," Rio seethed. Raven looked over her shoulder at Rio. "We are not in kindergarten anymore. Grown-ups chose their own seat," Raven lectured. "Wait!" I cried out to forestall Rio's pelting Raven with the contents of her food tray. Rio gave me barely enough time to twist my tray sideways, half-stand, and pull the Hellion onto my lap. I wouldn't displace Iona and that was the only place in this section of the table for her to sit. "Nice hood ornament," Raven smirked. "You and me are far from done," Rio snarled. "What, you don't know what 'ornament' means so you opt for something out of 'Goodfellas'?" Raven taunted. "Stop!" I barked. "Rio, Raven, Raven, Rio; Rio is my twin-soul and Raven is going to help me get through English this semester so for my sake, would you both please play nice?" Neither girl would budge so I took the initiative. "Raven, I think we can get access to the libraries at UV and George Mason; I'm sure they have tons more material for us to use," I offered. "How are you going to manage that?" Raven was skeptical. "Yeah, Brainiac," Rio parroted. "How are you going to do that?" "I'll have one of the Sorority sisters help me with UV and we'll have Iona hack Lance Wellington's password from his phone," I explained. "That will get us into Mason." "Only an idiot would store their password on a portable storage device," Raven stated with confidence. "Someone smart enough to get into George Mason wouldn't do that." "Ha, ha, ha," Rio laughed. "Raven, there are smarts, then there are real smarts. Any knucklehead can crack some books and get into a law school but it takes an adult to know when the rules do and don't apply." "That makes no sense," Raven stated with authority. "Raven, would you even consider trying to access UV or George Mason?" I asked. "No," she admitted, "because we don't go there." "Men build fortresses to be impregnable; God inspires men to storm them anyway," I replied. "Which translates as, 'if Zane says he's going to get something for you, he'll do it," Rio said. "Okay," Raven mulled it over, then, "So, Zane, how did you get those rope burns on your wrists?" "Yeah, Zane, how did you get those marks on your wrists and ankles?" Rio inquired devilishly. I stole an accusatory look at Iona for ratting me out about my ankles. "I went over to the Kappa Sigma

In this episode of Chronicles, Luca discusses William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. He examines the ancient grudge between the Montagues and Capulets and the celestial love shared by the titular couple.

"Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth." - Pablo Picasso said and then painted Guerica in response to the 1937 bombing of the Basque town of Guernica by Nazi and Fascist forces. “The artist's role is not to look away.” - Akira Kurosawa, Japanese filmmaker once said and then directed High and Low, a film about the moral dilemmas of a capitalist society and the consequences. “Art holds up the mirror to nature.” - William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 2) a sentiment similar to Aristotle, who once said "Art imitates life." The duty and role of an artist in society is not always to simply entertain. For more information about the No Kings protest, please visit https://www.nokings.orgAmong the Thorns will be here July 14th - Preorder available following this link herePreorder MAGIC REBORN hereSTRANGE FAMILIAR is liveJoin my Patreon and Discord for mentoringYou can always buy print copies of my books from my local indie, Beastly Books!Sign up for my newsletter! Support the show! Buy LoveLitCon tickets here using LOVE8368 for $10 OFF!Signed bookplates available hereThe posture correcting sports bra I love almost more than life itself can be found hereAs always, thank you for watching and let me know what you think ~ Jeffe KennedySupport the showSocials Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring Sign up for my newsletter! Support the show! Find me on Threads Visit my website Follow me on Amazon Follow me on BookBub Find me on Instagram and TikTok! @jeffekennedy2016 @jeffe_kennedy The posture correcting sports bra I love almost more than life itself can be found here Thank you for watching or listening! See you all soon.

"By the pricking of my thumbs, someghing wicked this way comes." - William Shakespeare. Today we are talking about Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. Calling all fellow Autumn people, this is the book for you and the perfect book to read during the spooky season. We got creepy carnivals, children who are really adults, and lots of tattoos. What more could you ask for?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/book-cult--5718878/support.

This week on Required Reading, we dust off our middle school readers and learn about high schoolers in love. We read Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the passionate and mature love of a 13 and 15 year old. It's basically Elizabethan Degrassi.  Co-Hosts: Dr. Nic Hoffmann, Mike Burns, Mike Carroll   "n Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare creates a violent world, in which two young people fall in love. It is not simply that their families disapprove; the Montagues and the Capulets are engaged in a blood feud. In this death-filled setting, the movement from love at first sight to the lovers' final union in death seems almost inevitable. And yet, this play set in an extraordinary world has become the quintessential story of young love. In part because of its exquisite language, it is easy to respond as if it were about all young lovers." From the Folger Edition back cover. 

Who was the man from Stratford-upon-Avon who changed the world with his words?In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo travels back to 16th-century England to meet William Shakespeare — the boy who became the world's most famous playwright.Discover how a small-town dreamer wrote about kings, ghosts, love, and courage and explore the spooky, mysterious world of his play Macbeth, filled with witches, prophecies, and lessons about the choices we make.Perfect for curious kids and families planning a visit to Stratford or anyone who loves a little history with their drama.Sources:The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-AvonBritish Library: Discovering Literature – Shakespeare and Renaissance WritersRoyal Shakespeare Company Archives – Macbeth Historical ContextGreenblatt, Stephen. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. W.W. Norton, 2004.Oxford University Press, Shakespeare's Life and TimesBBC History, “William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama”

Jason discusses various economic and cultural trends impacting real estate investment. The core argument revolves around the decline in household size due to factors like lower marriage and fertility rates, the rise of feminism, and government policies like welfare programs, which consequently increases demand for housing units. Jason connects these societal changes to the desire of consumer product companies and taxing authorities to encourage single-person households and divorce to boost sales and tax revenue, respectively. Finally, he strongly advocates for direct investment in real estate over investing in syndications or funds, warning of potential fraud, incompetence, and excessive fees associated with those investment vehicles, citing a recent criminal indictment as an example, and arguing that when correctly calculated, real estate offers superior leveraged returns compared to the stock market or gold. Reach out to our investment counselors at 1-800-Hartman ext. 2 NOW! Check out our properties at https://www.jasonhartman.com/properties/  Analyze properties NOW. Get a FREE account at https://propertytracker.com/ today. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/  #HousingDemand #DecliningHouseholdSize #FewerPeoplePerHouse #FertilityDisaster #MarriageRateDecline #SecondWaveFeminism #BirthControlGamechanger #MediaFrenzy #EncouragingDivorce #ConsumerProducts #SellingMoreToasters #BrainwashingInstitutions #PublicSchools #NonFamilyHouseholds #LivingAlone #FatherlessHomes #AidToFamiliesWithDependentChildren #GreatSociety #RealEstateOpportunity #DirectInvestor #MaintainControl #CommandmentNumberThree Key Takeaways: 1:29 Changes in household size 7:17 Percentage of households by type 8:39 LBJ and "The Great Society" 10:20 The rise of living alone and the steady decline in household size 12:23 Median sale price year over year 13:06 Commandment #3 18:02 Current "guru" indicted 21:12 Asset price inflation since 2015 27:04 William Shakespeare and investing in income property today   Follow Jason on TWITTER, INSTAGRAM & LINKEDIN Twitter.com/JasonHartmanROI Instagram.com/jasonhartman1/ Linkedin.com/in/jasonhartmaninvestor/ Call our Investment Counselors at: 1-800-HARTMAN (US) or visit: https://www.jasonhartman.com/ Free Class:  Easily get up to $250,000 in funding for real estate, business or anything else: http://JasonHartman.com/Fund CYA Protect Your Assets, Save Taxes & Estate Planning: http://JasonHartman.com/Protect Get wholesale real estate deals for investment or build a great business – Free Course: https://www.jasonhartman.com/deals Special Offer from Ron LeGrand: https://JasonHartman.com/Ron Free Mini-Book on Pandemic Investing: https://www.PandemicInvesting.com

Jacobean Era (1603-25) theater plays were performed by The King's Men, an acting company to which William Shakespeare (1564-1616) belonged for most of his career. Formerly known as the Lord Chamberlain's Men during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, they came to be the King's Men in 1603 when King James ascended the throne and became the company's patron, during a period that greatly influenced the early settlement and culture of North America. E166.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is kid-friendly, and recorded by kids! Wyatt, Samuel, and Isabell share two poems and a short spooky story to bring you some Halloween fun! In this episode:“The Witches' Song,” from Macbeth by William Shakespeare - read by Wyatt (6)“Jack-o'-Lantern Song,” from The Topaz Story Book: Stories and Legends of Autumn, Hallowe'en, and Thanksgiving - read by Samuel (6)“Golden-Rod and Purple Aster,” by Flora J. Cooke (adapted), read by Isabell (10)We're in the midst of our “Year of Faust”: Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page. Join us on GoodReads!Get on our Substack!Donate to our Patreon! MUSIC & SFX: "Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission. (Links to books & products are affiliate links.)Cover art by Sarah Lilienthal

Host Joe Moravchik speaks with Professor Emeritus D.E. Green from Augsburg University about one of the great writers and playwrights in all of history William Shakespeare, as well as some of Green’s own poetry and the inspiration for it, and much more. 

For this new series, John and Allen invite five guests over five weeks to complete the following statement: “I just don't understand how people can survive without...” Sam Eldredge kicks off the opening episode with a surprising response. Sam is a licensed therapist, the director of Noble Workshops, and John's oldest son. You'll be intrigued by his insights into the human condition and the one thing he believes we most need to make it through the day.Show Notes: To find out more about Noble Workshops and upcoming events, visit nobleworkshops.com. The movie John references is Sing Sing. Sam's media recommendations include Gustav Holst's The Planets, “Jupiter”; Jensen McRae's song “My Ego Dies at the End”; William Shakespeare's The Tempest; the movie Arrival; the book The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt; the quote from Simone Weil (“There are only two things that pierce the human heart. One is beauty. The other is affliction.“); and the poem “The Peace of Wild Things,” by Wendell Berry._______________________________________________There is more.Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at Questions@WildatHeart.orgSupport the mission or find more on our website: WildAtHeart.org  or on our app.Apple: Wild At Heart AppAndroid: Wild At Heart AppWatch on YouTubeThe stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available here.More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android.Apple: One Minute Pause AppAndroid: One Minute Pause App

Inside the Tower, Clarence begs for his life. Later, at the Gilman DIY Music Venue, King Edward secures a reluctant peace between his family's rival factions, but collapses in grief when Richard arrives with news of Clarence's death. In the ensuing chaos, Richard secures the alliance of Buckingham and Ratcliffe. That night, Elizabeth and the Duchess grieve the deaths of Edward and Clarence. Richard enters to offer his condolences and Buckingham suggests a quiet coronation for the young prince Edward in order to avoid civil unrest. Meanwhile, Dorset and Rivers rush to secure the safety of Prince Edward in Ludlow. At Rasputin Records, citizens fret over being ruled by a child King with Richard as his Protector. At home with her younger son, the Prince of York, Elizabeth gets a tattoo as she ruminates with the Duchess over their horrible state of affairs. A messenger arrives with the news that Dorset and Rivers have been imprisoned in Pomfret by Richard and Buckingham. Elizabeth grabs York and withdraws in despair to sanctuary, leaving the Duchess behind. The PLAY ON PODCAST SERIES, “RICHARD THE THIRD”, was written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and translated into modern English verse by MIGDALIA CRUZ. All episodes were directed by LISA ROTHE. Radio play by CATHERINE EATON.   This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA AGREEMENT.   The cast is as follows:   MATT FRASER                  as    RICHARD THE THIRD MIA KATIGBAK                 as    QUEEN MARGARET, CITIZEN and BLUNT HIRAM DELGADO             as    CLARENCE, DORSET, ELY and MESSENGER NANCY RODRIGUEZ        as    LADY ANNE, OXFORD, RIVERS and A MURDERER RACHEL CROWL              as    QUEEN ELIZABETH, NORFOLK, and MESSENGER SANJIT DE SILVA             as    NESS AQUINO, BUCKINGHAM, and A CITIZEN CHARLES DUMAS            as    EDWARD, HENRY the SIXTH, STANLEY & CARDINAL ANDY LUCIEN       as    HASTINGS, SCRIVENER, a MESSENGER and A MURDERER GABRIELA SAKER           as    CATESBY, DUKE OF YORK and A MESSENGER DANAYA ESPERANZA as BRAKENBURY, RATCLIFFE, LORD MAYOR, TYRREL, and  RICHMOND ALMA CUERVO              as    DUCHESS OF YORK, SHERIFF & A MESSENGER ELIJAH GOODFRIEND  as    PRINCE EDWARD, A PAGE, and A BOY   Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA.   Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH   Original music composition, Mix and Sound Design by LINDSAY JONES. Composer, Producer, Guitars, Bass, Lead Vocals, Recording and Mix Engineer, DAVID MOLINA. EDWIN AYALA on Drums. Backup Vocals by MANUEL TRUJILLO. Sound engineering and mixing by SADAHARU YAGI. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND.   The Play On Podcast Series “RICHARD THE THIRD” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NEXTCHAPTERPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.   Subscribe to Play On Premium for ad-free episodes and join our Patreon for exclusive merchandise and early commercial-free releases. Go to nextchapterpodcasts.com for our Bonus Content, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “We are not safe”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Roll on another month and another Three Ravens Live Show release - and of not just one but two performances recorded at Gloucester History Festival at the end of September 2025!As we explain in the episode, first comes our Forgotten Melodies Live show, performed on Sunday 21st September in the Great Hall at Gloucester's Blackfriars as part of Witch Night, followed by a retelling of Martin's Gloucester story first heard in Series 3 Episode 2 about Gloucestershire, "The Torbarrow Guardian" as recorded that afternoon in the Scriptorium Buttery.We really hope you enjoy both recordings, speak to you tomorrow for an all-new episode of Three Ravens Haunting Season, and if you would like details of the Forgotten Melodies Live set list then it's as follows:The Earth, The Air, The Fire, The Water (Trad)On Matthew Hopkins by Samuel Butler (c.1663)Ring Down Below (Trad)Hecate's Speech from Macbeth by William Shakespeare (c.1606)Old Pendle (Trad)Very Wicked People (spoken word)Witches Reel (Trad)Witch Burning by Sylvia Plath (1959)Sovay (Trad)The White Witch by James Weldon Johnson (1915)Hare Spell (Trad)Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcastProud members of the Dark Cast Network.Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The last poem in the collection to address William Shakespeare's mistress directly, Sonnet 152 conclusively answers some questions, while leaving many old and several new ones open for us to ponder into posterity. It asserts again that his Dark Lady is indeed 'dark', both in appearance and in character, and here makes a stronger than ever point of how he as the poet is perjuring himself by repeatedly, even continuously, saying things about her that are simply untrue; these things, notably, not being slanderous lies but favourable compliments. The sonnet thus epitomises the form that Shakespeare with his highly unusual series either deliberately or accidentally creates: that of the anti-love poem to someone he just can't resist, even though he knows that in this he presents as deep a character flaw in himself as the ones he perceives in the person or people he professes to love or desire.

Hockeyn har sin Wayne Gretzsky, basketen har sin Michael Jordan och världslitteraturen har sin William Shakespeare. Han är störst.Sonen till en handskmakare från en liten engelsk skitstad blev på något vänster hela världens bard. Hur är det möjligt? Är det ens möjligt? Kan det verkligen stämma? I 200 år var det ingen som ställde den frågan. Men under det tidiga 1800-talet kom en ny generation Shakespeare-kännare som inte fick mannen och texten att gå ihop. De som anser att handelsmannen Will Shakespeare var en front för en eller flera egentliga upphovsmän kallas anti-stratfordianer. De har lanserat en uppsjö olika kandidater.Konspirationsteorierna om Shakespeare är en finkulturens Q-anon. Oförarglig, men lika benfast övertygad om att hemliga koder gömmer sig ibland stavelser och rim. Vi ger oss ut på en vild jakt som tar oss till drottning Elisabeths privata kammare, små hålor i Ohio samt till de svenska kultursidornas debatter anno 2006.Ett kul avsnitt, tycker vi.----Varför in prenumerera på podden? historiepodden.supertcast.com——Läslista:Bergsten, Staffan, ”Kärt besvär förgäves”, Uppsala Nya Tidning, 2006-10-20Bryson, Bill, På spaning efter William Shakespeare: en kortfattad historik, Forum, Stockholm, 2008Burman, Carina, ”Att vara eller att inte vara Shakespeare”, Svenska Dagbladet, 2006-10-22Ekerwald, Carl-Göran, Shakespeare: liv och tänkesätt, Norstedt, Stockholm, 1998Friberg, Gösta & Brodin, Helena, Täcknamn Shakespeare: Edward de Veres hemliga liv, Stockholm: Bonnier, 2006Hägglund, Kent, William Shakespeare: en man för alla tider, Ordfront, Stockholm, 2006Johansson, Ulf & Bomba, Andreas (red.), Vad hände egentligen?: nytt ljus över historiens mysterier!, Det bästa [Reader's Digest], Stockholm, 1992 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The phrase 'the whole world is a stage was coined by William Shakespeare.. but did he even exist...and what does it really mean?

Queen Elizabeth replays a tape of her husband King Edward's band as she obsesses over his failing health. Her brother, Lord Rivers, tries to comfort her, as do her two sons from a previous marriage, Gray and Dorset. She tells them that the sons she conceived with Edward are still too young to rule, and that if her husband dies, the throne will go to Richard until the oldest son comes of age, putting her safety in jeopardy. Buckingham and Derby arrive to report that King Edward's health is improving and that he wants to make peace between Richard and Elizabeth's clans. Richard barges in with Hastings at his side, railing that he's being disrespected and that people are telling lies about him. Elizabeth does her best to defend herself against his accusation that she put Clarence in jail and that she is vying for the throne. As they argue, the old Queen Margaret arrives unseen and listens to them from outside the house, commenting bitterly to herself about how quickly power is lost. She finally confronts the group and berates Richard for the murders of her family before cursing everyone in the room, one by one. After she departs, Catesby enters to say that King Edward wants to talk to his family. Richard, left alone, celebrates his mischief, then hires two murderers to kill his brother Clarence in the Tower. There, Clarence tells Brackenbury (the jailer) about a nightmare he had in which he drowned trying to rescue Richard and was dragged down to hell. The PLAY ON PODCAST SERIES, “RICHARD THE THIRD”, was written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and translated into modern English verse by MIGDALIA CRUZ. All episodes were directed by LISA ROTHE. Radio play by CATHERINE EATON.   This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA AGREEMENT.   The cast is as follows:   MATT FRASER                  as    RICHARD THE THIRD MIA KATIGBAK                 as    QUEEN MARGARET, CITIZEN and BLUNT HIRAM DELGADO             as    CLARENCE, DORSET, ELY and MESSENGER NANCY RODRIGUEZ        as    LADY ANNE, OXFORD, RIVERS and A MURDERER RACHEL CROWL              as    QUEEN ELIZABETH, NORFOLK, and MESSENGER SANJIT DE SILVA             as    NESS AQUINO, BUCKINGHAM, and A CITIZEN CHARLES DUMAS            as    EDWARD, HENRY the SIXTH, STANLEY & CARDINAL ANDY LUCIEN       as    HASTINGS, SCRIVENER, a MESSENGER and A MURDERER GABRIELA SAKER           as    CATESBY, DUKE OF YORK and A MESSENGER DANAYA ESPERANZA as BRAKENBURY, RATCLIFFE, LORD MAYOR, TYRREL, and  RICHMOND ALMA CUERVO              as    DUCHESS OF YORK, SHERIFF & A MESSENGER ELIJAH GOODFRIEND  as    PRINCE EDWARD, A PAGE, and A BOY   Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA.   Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH   Original music composition, Mix and Sound Design by LINDSAY JONES. Composer, Producer, Guitars, Bass, Lead Vocals, Recording and Mix Engineer, DAVID MOLINA. EDWIN AYALA on Drums. Backup Vocals by MANUEL TRUJILLO. Sound engineering and mixing by SADAHARU YAGI. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND.   The Play On Podcast Series “RICHARD THE THIRD” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NEXTCHAPTERPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.   Subscribe to Play On Premium for ad-free episodes and join our Patreon for exclusive merchandise and early commercial-free releases. Go to nextchapterpodcasts.com for our Bonus Content, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “We are not safe”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Linlithgow Palace, set between Edinburgh and Stirling, was one of the great royal residences of the Scottish crown. It was the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots and a favored court for the Stuart monarchs long before the Union of the Crowns in 1603. When her son, James VI of Scotland, ascended the English throne as James I—the very monarch under whom William Shakespeare's company became the King's Men—the cultural and political world of Linlithgow directly fed into the world Shakespeare inhabited and wrote for. While Shakespeare likely never visited Linlithgow himself, the palace remained symbolically important in his lifetime. In fact, when part of the palace collapsed in 1607, a formal report was sent to James—now James I of England—detailing the damage and requesting royal attention. That connection between a crumbling Scottish stronghold and an English king who patronized Shakespeare makes for a compelling link between the palace and the playwright. Admittedly, exploring Linlithgow as part of Shakespeare's world requires a slight chronological and geographical stretch—but it's a leap well worth taking. The palace was a cultural and ceremonial stage for the Scottish monarchy, and its chapel in particular would have resonated with sacred music and royal spectacle that shaped the theatricality of early modern power on both sides of the border. Today's guest, James Cook, is a scholar and musician who led a remarkable project to recreate the sound of choral music as it might have been heard at Linlithgow Palace in that very year—1512. Using a blend of historical research, vocal performance, and virtual reality technology, James and his team brought this long-lost acoustic experience back to life. In our conversation today, we'll explore Linlithgow Palace itself—its significance in the lives of Mary Queen of Scots, James VI, and Anne of Denmark—and how music played a role in shaping royal image, religious devotion, and political theater. We'll also talk with James about the recreation of the 1512 performance, how virtual reality is reshaping historical interpretation, and what it might have sounded like if you were a member of the royal household, listening to sacred music in that chapel over 500 years ago. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad is the long-awaited return to the world of the sickeningly sweet (and maniacally maddening) clique in Bunny. Mona joined us live at B&N Union Square to talk about revisiting the Bunnies, Frankenstein, writing delusional characters, hyperfemininity, the myth of the outsider, surrealism and more with host Miwa Messer.  This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad Bunny by Mona Awad Rouge by Mona Awad Frankenstein by Mary Shelley All's Well by Mona Awad 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys Lady Oracle by Margaret Atwood The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare  

Episode 103: Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Max Webster Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Titus Andronicus is Shakespeare's first tragedy, although in fact, scholars believe that Shakespeare did not write the whole play himself. Whatever its origins, the play is notorious for its graphic horror, which includes multiple killings, amputations, decapitations, rape and cannibalism. Horrors that have overwhelmed audiences and alienated critics for centuries. Although the play was hugely popular in Shakespeare's time, later critics dismissed it for its excessive violence and crude, fragmented structure. However, the play's bleak portrait of amoral leadership, sexual violence, racial conflict, and personal and political despair has struck a chord in more recent times, with several acclaimed productions and restored critical opinion. As we record this episode an exciting new production of the play is on stage at the Hampstead theatre in London, having transferred following its acclaimed run at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford. The production is directed by Max Webster, who joins me to explore Shakespeare's full-blooded tragedy.

RSC artistic directors Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor are directing college productions of their comedies William Shakespeare's Long Lost First Play (abridged) and The Comedy of Hamlet! (a prequel), and they discuss the differences they discover in their scripts when other actors are performing them. Reed and Austin share how different actors bring different energies; the difference between a vaudeville and a play; how directing these young actors is like looking in a mirror; and how certain things just aren't necessary when you cast more than three actors. (Length 19:37) The post Directing Our Scripts appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

We Review: One Battle After Another, Titanic, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Revolutionary Road, The Man in the Iron Mask, The Wolf of Wall Street, Romeo + JulietDirector Paul Thomas Anderson has teamed up with one of the biggest movie stars in the world. We review the highly anticipated new film One Battle After Another starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and then take a look at our favorite films starring Leo. Subscribe on YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/@moviesshapedpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠follow us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/moviesshapedpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chapters:00:00:00 Intro00:01:09 Leonardo DiCaprio Thoughts00:11:29 One Battle After Another00:55:36 Titanic01:13:28 William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet01:26:08 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood01:42:20 The Wolf of Wall Street01:57:08 Revolutionary Road02:06:38 The Man in the Iron Mask02:15:00 What Should He Do Next?02:18:25 Next Episode Preview & Outro

The Halloween Jack-o'-lantern, made from pumpkins in the US and originally turnips in the UK, began its existence as a wisp of glowing marsh gas or "spooklight." We begin our episode with a montage of modern American spooklights including that of Oklahoma's "Spooklight Road," North Carolina's Brown Mountain, and the flying saucers sighted in Michigan in 1966, famously identified by investigator Allen Hynek  as "swamp gas." "Jack-o'-lantern"  was just another name given to what's more widely known now as a Will-o'-the-wisp -- a wavering, bobbing light seen in marshy places, understood as mischievous spirit intent on leading travelers off course and into their doom in muck and mire.  Flaming methane produced by rotting vegetation in such environments, is said to the the cause of the phenomenon, though the mode of ignition is still largely a matter of debate. The Latin name for such lights, ignis fatuus  (ool's fire), was also applied to phenomena having nothing to do with swamps, as it's been used interchangeably with "St. Elmo's Fire" to describe electrical discharges seen on ships; masts and other rodlike protrusions when atmospheric conditions are right. We hear a dramatic first-person account from 1847, in which St. Elmo's Fire (identified by antiquarian Henry Duncan as ignis fatuus) appears on a coachman's whip during a storm. A mirage in a marsh. Coloured wood engraving by C Whymper. Gas. Contributors: Charles H Whymper (1853–1941). We then hear what scientists of the 16th and 17th century made of ignis fatuus, often relating it  unexpectedly to meteors or luminous insects, while mocking "the superstitions" who imagined it as wandering spirits alight with the flames of Purgatory. Along with marsh spirits exlusively dedicated to misleading travelers, ignis fatuus could also be a temporary  form  taken by shapeshifting fairy folk like Puck or Robin Goodfellow.  We hear an example of this from  the 1628 pamphlet, Robin Goodfellow, his Mad Pranks and Merry Jests. We also see the term appearing in literature of the 16th and 17th century as a metaphor for treachery or deception, in works by John Milton and William Shakespeare. We run through the variety of colorful regional names by which Will-o-the-Wisps were known: Bob-a-longs, Pinkets, Spunkies, Merry Dancers, Nimble men, Hinkypunks, and Flibberdigibbets, as well as some female variants including Peg-a-lantern and Kitty with the Candlestick. In Wales, these mysterious lights could be omens of death, also known as "corpse candles," or "death lights." Appearing around the home of the dying or at the deathbed, they were also called "fetch lights," as they would arrive when required to fetch the soul to the other side. In Cornwall, fool's fire is associated with the piskies, in particular Joan the Wad and her partner Jack-o'-the-Lantern, the former having acquired a mostly positive reputation in the 20th century as a luck-bringer. Mrs. Karswell also reads  some tales of ignis fatuus in the western counties, where the lights are called "hobby lanterns" (from hobgoblin) or  "lantern men." We then shift gears to discuss the pumpkin form of Jack-o'-lantern, beginning with a well-circulated Irish origin story. A quick summary: the light carried in a hollowed vegetable (a pumpkin in the New World or turnip in the Old) represents the spirit of a notorious sinner, "Jack," or "Stingy Jack," who upon death finds he is too wicked for Heaven and too troublesome for Hell. Consquently, he is condemned to wander the earth till Judgement Day, given the peculiar lantern to light his way. This, at least, is the most recent version of the tale, but when it first appeared in print, in a 1936 edition of the Dublin Penny Journal, there's no mention of any hollowed vegetable, much less of Halloween -- meaning this "ancient legend" actually evolved as Halloween folklore in the second half of the 20th century. We then do a bit more myth-busting on the other side of the Atlantic...

As his older brother, the newly crowned King Edward, weakens with illness, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, lays out his plans to take the throne. He frames his brother Clarence for conspiring to kill Edward, then convinces Lady Anne, the widow of the previous King Henry, to marry him, even though he killed her husband and their son. The PLAY ON PODCAST SERIES, “RICHARD THE THIRD”, was written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and translated into modern English verse by MIGDALIA CRUZ. All episodes were directed by LISA ROTHE. Radio play by CATHERINE EATON.   This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA AGREEMENT.   The cast is as follows:   MATT FRASER                  as    RICHARD THE THIRD MIA KATIGBAK                 as    QUEEN MARGARET, CITIZEN and BLUNT HIRAM DELGADO             as    CLARENCE, DORSET, ELY and MESSENGER NANCY RODRIGUEZ        as    LADY ANNE, OXFORD, RIVERS and A MURDERER RACHEL CROWL              as    QUEEN ELIZABETH, NORFOLK, and MESSENGER SANJIT DE SILVA             as    NESS AQUINO, BUCKINGHAM, and A CITIZEN CHARLES DUMAS            as    EDWARD, HENRY the SIXTH, STANLEY & CARDINAL ANDY LUCIEN       as    HASTINGS, SCRIVENER, a MESSENGER and A MURDERER GABRIELA SAKER           as    CATESBY, DUKE OF YORK and A MESSENGER DANAYA ESPERANZA as BRAKENBURY, RATCLIFFE, LORD MAYOR, TYRREL, and  RICHMOND ALMA CUERVO              as    DUCHESS OF YORK, SHERIFF & A MESSENGER ELIJAH GOODFRIEND  as    PRINCE EDWARD, A PAGE, and A BOY   Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA.   Voice and Text Coach: JULIE FOH   Original music composition, Mix and Sound Design by LINDSAY JONES. Composer, Producer, Guitars, Bass, Lead Vocals, Recording and Mix Engineer, DAVID MOLINA. EDWIN AYALA on Drums. Backup Vocals by MANUEL TRUJILLA. Sound engineering and mixing by SADAHARU YAGI. Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH. Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio. Coordinating Producer: TRANSCEND STREAMING (KYRA BOWIE and LEANNA KEYES). Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND.   The Play On Podcast Series “RICHARD THE THIRD” is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit NEXTCHAPTERPODCASTS.COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAYONSHAKESPEARE.ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare.   Subscribe to Play On Premium for ad-free episodes and join our Patreon for exclusive merchandise and early commercial-free releases. Go to nextchapterpodcasts.com for our Bonus Content, where you'll find interviews with the artists, producers and engineers who brought it all to life. And remember: “We are not safe”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can you tap into your hidden intelligence and transform your life? The Army might be able to show you how. If you've ever wondered where such visionary creatives and decision-makers such as Steve Jobs, Vincent van Gogh, Abraham Lincoln, Maya Angelou, Nikola Tesla, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Warren Buffett, and William Shakespeare get their extraordinary mental abilities, join us for an intriguing talk with Angus Fletcher, professor at The Ohio State University. Researchers at Ohio State's Project Narrative in 2021 said they have an answer: primal intelligence—something that cannot be found in computers but is in humans and can be strengthened. In response, U.S. Army Special Operations incorporated primal training for its most classified units; according to Fletcher, they saw the future faster, healed more quickly from trauma, and chose more wisely in life-and-death situations. The Army then authorized trials on civilians—entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, managers, coaches, teachers, investors, and NFL players. Their leadership and innovation reportedly improved significantly; they coped better with change and uncertainty, and they experienced less anger and anxiety. Then the Army provided primal training to college and K–12 classrooms, where it is said to have produced substantial effects in students as young as eight. Fletcher has brought this training to a wider audience in his new book Primal Intelligence: You Are Smarter Than You Know. Join us as he shares what he learned about this approach to using your brain—you just might end up thinking more like Jobs, Lincoln and Shakespeare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ellen Coyne and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin got their campaigns into full swing this week as they got out and about to meet voters and give their pitch ahead of voting day on October 25th. And while Connolly made headlines this week when she told a fireside chat with the UCD Politics Society that she believed Germany's rearmament was like the 1930s, it will be next Monday's televised debate that will give voters a better idea of each candidate. · While the presidential election takes all the attention, it can be easy to forget that Budget 2026 is less than two weeks away. Perhaps Paschal Donohoe and Jack Chambers are enjoying the lack of scrutiny?· And Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has not ruled out Ireland using deportation hubs outside EU borders, something that would have been very controversial in the not-too-distant pastPlus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:· The bizarre political karaoke of the Lib Dems party conference, the central importance of William Shakespeare's work to a proper education, and the influence of Kermit the Frog on Patrick Freyne's journalism career. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New portrait discoveries are always exciting, and when its a controversial figure from the reign of queen Elizabeth I and moreover one that may have been the gay lover of William Shakespeare, that's even more exciting! I am speaking of the recent discovery of a miniature by Nicholas Hilliard of Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton. Today I am thrilled to welcome back art historians Emma Rutherford and Elizabeth Golding onto the podcast to discuss this miniature with me, from its highly androgynous appearance to the fact that it was deliberately defaced! Carry on listening to find out how and why!

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb engages in a captivating conversation with award-winning dramatist Liz Duffy Adams about the new Royal Shakespeare production of her play Born With Teeth, which imagines a thrilling collaboration between William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. Suzannah and Liz delve into the fiery dynamics of the two men's relationship and the influence of politics on their works.Shakespeare and Marlowe existed under a time of oppressive royal censorship, when displeasing the crown would mean a trip to the Tower, or worse. How did they balance this struggle for truth and creativity amid the palpable danger?Extracts from Born With Teeth by Liz Duffy Adams, performed by Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel, courtesy of Royal Shakespeare CompanyMORE:Murder of Christopher MarloweShakespeare's Son Hamnet with Maggie O'FarrellPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle. Edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare were both born in 1564, rising from working-class origins finding success in the new world of the theater. But before Shakespeare transformed English drama, Marlowe had already done so—with Tamburlaine the Great and the introduction of blank verse to the stage. As Stephen Greenblatt argues in his new biography, Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival, virtually everything in the Elizabethan theater can be seen as “pre- and post-Tamburlaine.” Shakespeare learned from Marlowe, borrowed from him, and even tried to outdo him. Beyond his theatrical innovation, Marlowe was a poet, provocateur, and likely spy whose turbulent life was cut tragically short. In this episode, Greenblatt explores Marlowe's audacious works, his entanglements with power and secrecy, and his lasting influence on Shakespeare and the stage. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published September 23, 2025. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola García Acuña. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. Final mixing services are provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. Stephen Greenblatt is Cogan University Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University. He has written extensively on English Renaissance literature and acts as general editor of The Norton Anthology of English Literature and The Norton Shakespeare. He is the author of fourteen books, including The Swerve, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, and Will in the World, a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

The CMA nominations came out yesterday. Bobby gives his predictions on who he thinks will win based on data. Bobby shares the list of the Top 5 haunted crime scenes in the US and the origins behind them. Bobby shares why he thinks Hellen Keller’s story may have been exaggerated. Bobby asks his assistant why people think William Shakespeare wasn’t real. A listener called in to give us his own Tuesday Reviewsday and another listener tries to convince Bobby to come to the Ole Miss / Arkansas game this weekend. Carolina Roy calls in and needs to ask Bobby for a birthday favor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.