Free Shakespeare Newberry Library.
The Shakespeare Project of Chicago theatrical reading series presents free Shakespeare.
Where: Newberry Library, 60 West Walton Street, (312) 943-9090. Location and hours 2020-2021 Virtual presentations
When: See below
Details
January 2021 – Middleton & Dekker’s Plague Pamphlets of 1603
Shakespeare scholar Regina Buccola will present on the works of playwrights Thomas Middleton & Thomas Dekker, who collaborated on a series of pamphlets when the plague closed the London theaters in 1603. Their work focused not so much on the disease itself but on the behavior of the ruling classes in response to it. Actors from The Shakespeare Project will read from the playwrights’ works.
Streaming:
Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, 7:00PM – Niles-Maine District Library via Zoom
Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, 7:00PM – Des Plaines Public Library via Zoom
Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, 7:00PM – Elmhurst Public Library and Lemont Public Library via Zoom
Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, 2:00PM – Wilmette Public Library via Zoom
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February 2021 – Macbeth and the Gunpowder Plot of 1605
An in-depth look at why modern performances of Macbeth seem lost on 21st century theatergoers. With the help of Garry Wills’ book Witches and Jesuits, and James Shapiro’s book 1606: The Year of Lear, Erin Sloan explores how the real life events of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 wove their way into Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragedy.
Streaming:
Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, 7:00PM – Niles-Maine District Library via Zoom
Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, 7:00PM – Des Plaines Public Library via Zoom
Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, 4:00PM – Newberry Library via Zoom
Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, 7:00PM – Elmhurst Public Library and Lemont Public Library via Zoom
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, 2:00PM – Wilmette Public Library via Zoom
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April 2021 – By Help of Devils
Artistic director Peter Garino presents his new film, By Help of Devils, which looks at a collection of Shakespeare’s villains and their motivations for doing terrible things. Includes performances from Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Richard III, The Rape of Lucrece, and more.
Streaming:
Friday, April 9, 2021, 7:00PM – Niles-Maine District Library via Zoom
Wednesday, April 14, 2021, 7:00PM – Des Plaines Public Library via Zoom
Thursday, April 15, 2021, 7:00PM – Elmhurst Public Library and Lemont Public Library via Zoom
Saturday, April 17, 2021, 2:00PM – Wilmette Public Library via Zoom
Wednesday, April 28, 2021, 4:00PM – Newberry Library via Zoom
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April – May 2021 – Reimagining Shakespeare
Michelle Shupe and Corliss Preston explore the topic of Shakespeare’s relevance for today’s audiences. How do we open up his works to see and hear them through a fresher lens allowing the resilience of these works to resonate in our rapidly changing world?
Streaming:
Friday, April 30, 2021, 7:00PM – Niles-Maine District Library via Zoom
Sunday, May 2, 2021, 2:00PM – Highland Park Public Library via Zoom
Thursday, May 6, 2021, 7:00PM – Elmhurst Public Library and Lemont Public Library via Zoom
Saturday, May 8, 2021, 2:00PM – Wilmette Public Library via Zoom
Additional Special Performances:
Inside The First Folio. Artistic director Peter Garino takes an in-depth look at the First Folio assembled by Shakespeare’s fellow actors Heminges and Condell.
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, 2:00PM – Highland Park Public Library via Zoom
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, 2:00PM – DeKalb Public Library via Zoom
Sunday, Oct. 27, 2020, 6:30PM – Deerfield Public Library via Zoom
Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 – 7:00PM – Glencoe Public Library via Zoom
Sonnet Wheel of Fortune. Four actors spin the wheel from 1-154 and have one minute to prepare the sonnet randomly selected. Actors then share their techniques for unlocking meaning and emotion in the sonnet.
Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, 2:00PM – Highland Park Public Library via Zoom
This Above All: Why Hamlet is Shakespeare’s Greatest Play. Artistic director Peter Garino makes the case why “Hamlet” deserves to be called Shakespeare’s greatest play.
Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, 2:00PM – Highland Park Public Library via Zoom
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