Shakespeare’s place at the apex of the Euro-centric classical canon has allowed the plays to sometimes be presented in ways which demeaned, erased or appropriated other cultures and excluded people. Elm Shakespeare Company believes in the transformative power of these plays and is committed to creating theatre that uplifts everyone in our community. We invite you to an exploration at the intersections of inclusion, equity, and Shakespeare. Join us as we seek to amplify a diversity of artists, and celebrate their experiences, while we ask the question of how Shakespeare can serve our community today.

The Series has concluded for now.
Thank you to everyone who participated throughout May 2021
Look Below for the Videos of the events you missed and check out Building a Brave New Theatre 2020 and 2022

Video of Cry Havoc Performance

Conversation about Cry Havoc! and De-Cruit.

MAY 6 at 7pm
PERFORMANCE: CRY HAVOC!

In his award winning off-Broadway play, actor/veteran Stephan Wolfert uses Shakespeare’s timeless words, and a few of his own, to lead us on a journey, meeting Shakepeare’s veterans and examining both the cost of war and the cost of failing to reintegrate veterans back into their communities. Wolfert seamlessly weaves his story, along with the stories of other military veterans, with Shakespeare’s text, so that the suffering of veterans becomes ancient and Shakespeare becomes modern. It is a personal tale of his revival of humanity, followed by a discussion about his work with veterans using acting, Shakespeare, and science-based approaches to address trauma.

Click here to find out more here more about Cry Havoc & De-Cruit here

Missed it? Click on the pictures to see the performance or the discussion.

Content Warning:The performance is 75 minutes long and contains depictions of war, violence, and strong language. It also contains humor, vulnerability, Shakespeare, and hope.

MAY 13th at 7PM
Dándole Voz: An Exploration of Shakespeare in Spanish/Una Exploración de Shakespeare en Español

Inspired by a cohort of Spanish-speaking students, Yale School of Drama’s Cynthia Santos-DeCure and Daniela Varon created a new class for these actors: Shakespeare in Spanish/Shakespeare en Español.

Centering imagination and identity, they asked the nine international and U.S-born actors, “What may happen at the encounter of your imagination, your lived experience, your body, and Shakespeare – in Spanish?”

Join Cynthia, Daniela, and their students as they discuss what they discovered and share scenework from Macbeth. The conversation, moderated by Yale School of Drama Associate Dean, Chantal Rodriguez, will be primarily in English, the scenes in Spanish, and the Q&A in either or both languages.

Click here to find out more about the event here…

Unfortunately due to technical difficulties, no video of this event was possible.

MAY 20th at 7pm
BIPOC DIRECTORS FORUM - TAKE 2!

Back by popular demand… the conversation continues!

Join this cohort of nationally acclaimed, inspired directors of color for another online panel discussion exploring the challenges, joys, and possibilities of directing Shakespeare in America and how to best serve the diverse audiences of today’s and tomorrow’s theater.

Moderated by Elm Shakespeare’s own, Raphael Massie, now Associate Artist at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and including directors: Dawn Monique Williams, Carl Cofield, L. Peter Callender, Antonio Ocampo Guzman, and Madeline Sayet

Click here to find out more about the directors here

Missed it? Click on the photo to the right to watch the video!

MAY 27th at 7pm
IN THE SHADOW OF TRAGEDY: Artistic Responses to the Past Year

Join theatre-makers Rebecca S’manga Frank, Dawn Stern, Joshua David Robinson, Kendell Pinkney with other guest artists as they share and discuss work they have created throughout the past year, inspired by and in response to multiple national tragedies such as the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the many lives lost to Covid-19, along with the closure of theatres, the newly energized fight for equity, and the adjustments we all have made to survive a pandemic.

Asking questions about the need for arts and change, the shared trauma of the past year, and the relevancy of Shakespeare, discussion promises to explore the responsibilities and opportunities that arts and artists hold in times of crisis. Looking for the possiblity of finding and forging new forms and new voices, these visionary artists discuss their creative process, the social justice movement, and what comes next.