Blog Updates
Black Lives Matter June 3, 2020 - View “Anti-Racism Next Steps” Shakespeare is not a voice we naturally turn to for racial justice. There are elements of his work that are problematic for Black artists and audience members. But at his best what Shakespeare tries to do in his plays is to see every person as a full and complete human being. […]
A Reflection: Del Shakes Antiracism Community Discussion April 9, 2021 - By Christian Wills, Arts Journalist in Residence On March 21, Del Shakes held a Community Discussion via Zoom on its recently developed Antiracism Policy and Action Plan. Christian Wills shares his perspective on the event. As time moves on, the conversation around race starts to grow more vividly, showing no sign of letting up. Those […]
Shakespeare in Song April 6, 2021 - CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS May 20, May 21, May 22, and May 23 at 8pm Where: Parking lot of the OperaDelaware Studios (4 S. Poplar Street, Wilmington, DE)Tickets: $30 Per PersonSeating: This is a bring-your-own chair event We’re excited to be back with a live, outdoor performance – joined by our friends at OperaDelaware. Shakespeare has inspired hundreds […]
De-Colonizing Shakespeare March 25, 2021 - The works of Shakespeare arrived in many lands through the colonizing force of an English-speaking foreign power. In this globe-spanning discussion, we talk with theatre artists from some of these lands who are reclaiming Shakespeare for themselves – and for their countries or nations. PANELISTS Nicolette Bethel, President – Shakespeare in Paradise (Bahamas) Tara Moses […]
Write Outside Your Window March 23, 2021 - Write Outside Your Window: A Public Poetry Project to Uplift All VoicesSunday, April 25 from 1pm-4pmat 7th and West Streets Park in Wilmington, DE “Write Outside Your Window” started with a question: In these quarantine times, what can we city residents offer each other in the fleeting terms of poetry, words, and thoughts… Connection in […]
Play On! A Virtual Theatrical Game Show March 19, 2021 - Four teams of Del-ebrities – coached by Del Shakes artists, a la The Voice – perform scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, competing to raise the most donations for Delaware Shakespeare and earn the coveted title of Play On! Champion The Competitors:Hugh Atkins & Michele SchiavoniArreon Harley-Emerson & Thomas EmersonCleo & Todd TownsendJin & Josh Twilley TICKETS MVP – $150All-Star – $90 […]
Summer 2021 Update March 12, 2021 - With all the unknowns still present during the COVID-19 public health crisis, the Board and staff of Del Shakes have made the decision to postpone our production of The Tempest originally planned for last summer, until Summer 2022. You can hear more about the decision in a video message from Producing Artistic Director David Stradley: […]
The Spirit of the Holidays – with wine and cheese February 19, 2021 - by Christian Wills, Arts Journalist-in-Residence What makes cheese and wine so special when paired together? Why do we often combine the two with the performing arts? How do we apply these to the holidays? For as long as we can remember, dining and entertainment have always gone hand and hand. Spending time with friends and […]
Make sure to register for our Shakespeare Book Club: HAG-SEED on Saturday, April 24. Libraries are re-opening, and New Castle County Libraries has copies of the book!![]()
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In Margaret Atwood’s HAG-SEED, the students in a men’s prison Shakespeare class on THE TEMPEST are drawn to some characters – like Caliban (“We get him. Everyone kicks him around but he don’t let it break him.”). But nobody volunteers to play Ariel, perhaps because they see him as a fairy spirit.![]()
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In our acting classes at Delaware juvenile justice facilities, we frequently have challenges getting male students to volunteer to read Juliet. One way around this is to have female teaching artists read the part of Juliet – which the boys do like! Though there is some resistance at first, normally we can get into exploring the love stories. A student at Stevenson House recently rewrote part of Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting – including changing the line “Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer” to “I use these lips for singing in the choir.”![]()
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We’ll be drawing other parallels from Del Shakes’ work in correctional facilities during our HAG-SEED Book Club. Join us!!! More info at![]()
bit.ly/delshakesbookclub
Read about Black Theatre Alliance of Philadelphia - BTAP new mentoring program
Young Black artists get help navigating Philadelphia’s theater scene
whyy.org
“Growing up ... I would often be one of very few chocolate chips in the theater cookie,” said actor Angelica Jackson. “I was drawn to it because I just love telling stories.”
"We can't de-colonize Shakespeare. We can only un-colonize Shakespeare." Tara Moses![]()
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Register for De-Colonizing Shakespeare on April 15 and find out what panelist Tara Moses means by that statement.![]()
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Tara (she/her) is a citizen of Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Mvskoke, director, multi award-winning playwright, co-Artistic Director in Residence at Red Eagle Soaring, Producing Artistic Director of Telatúlsa, co-Founder and Senior Producer of Hashtagbinge, and co-Founder of Groundwater Arts (a consulting firm).![]()
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As a director, her work has been seen in New York, NY; Tulsa, OK; Washington, D.C.; Bethesda, MD; Oklahoma City, OK; Palmetto, GA; Edmond, OK; and Hartford, CT. As a playwright, her completed works include Sections, He’eo’o, Quantum, Bound, the adaptation of Hamlet: El Príncipe de Denmark, Don Juan, Arbeka, and Patchwork, a 10-minute play. She is currently commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival and GeVa Theatre, among others.![]()
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Tara is currently based on the Muscogee Creek Reservation or what is colonially known as Tulsa, OK.
In these quarantine times, Write Outside Your Window is asking Wilmingtonians what we can offer each other in the fleeting terms of poetry, words, and thoughts…![]()
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In a poem of 30 words or less: If you could say anything to your neighbor, your zipcode, your garden, what would it be?![]()
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Share your poems online or at the in-person gathering site on 4/25. ![]()
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Ruth Muskrat Bronson’s “If You Knew” is a call to a stranger for friendship. How would you respond in 30 words or less?![]()
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Brevity Bookspace Wilmington Alliance
In these quarantine times, Write Outside Your Window is asking Wilmingtonians what we can offer each other in the fleeting terms of poetry, words, and thoughts…![]()
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In a poem of 30 words or less: If you could say anything to your neighbor, your zipcode, your garden, what would it be?![]()
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Share your poems online or at the in-person gathering site on 4/25. ![]()
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Your poem could be inspired by Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29 – one of the best poetic expressions of how much our friends mean to us.