ELA

Three plots intertwine: the entangled love affairs of Demetrius, Helena, Lysander and Hermia; the comic performance of a "play within a play" by the tradesmen of Athens; and the antics in fairyland of King Oberon and Queen Titania.

Shakespeare at his funniest, posing serious questions in the most lighthearted tone. Is there a "natural difference" between a Duke's daughter and a commoner? Are men really stronger than women or is it just their roles in society? Some of these characters briefly discard the roles they've played in life, while others adopt new ones. In the end, they all learn something about themsleves.

The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare's most well-known comedies. Blending tragedy and comedy, Merchant of Venice presents contrasts and ambiguities, the complexities of which lie in the character Shylock, the play's captivating villain. Is he a villain, a buffoon or a tragic hero?

Considered the greatest love story of all time and a bona fide "hit" for over 400 years, Romeo & Juliet is full of passion and oration, Shakespeare's most popular tragedy, it expresses love and death better perhaps, than any work in the English language.

Jealousy in love is one of the most common human emotions. In Othello, Shakespeare combines this universal theme with perfectly structured scenes, a storyline that lingers in the memory and a prime example of a tragic hero, Othello himself. The result is perhaps his greatest triumph as a stage play.

This savage tragedy is one of Shakespeare's most enduringly popular. Told by a trio of witches that he is fated to become King of Scotland, the warrior Macbeth, aided by his wife, in his quest for power murders his king and assumes the throne. The two embark on a guilt-ridden reign of terror.

Breaking all conventional rules of drama, shakespeare creates neither a clear-cut hero nor a villain. Instead, this great tragedy presents complicated human beings in agonizing conflict with one another, and themselves.

This richly costumed production maintains all the tension of a murder mystery as it examines the fundamental issues of justice, guilt and death.

This program helps students gain an appreciation and understanding of Shakespeare. After exploring Shakespeare's life and the time of the English Renaissance, this program contains sections on understanding Shakespeare's poetry and the elements of Elizabethan drama.

Includes a dramatization of "A Tell-Tale Heart" (25 min.); Performances of his poetry including This program from the Master Poets Collection features "To My Mother," The Conqueror Worm," "Annabel Lee," "Eldorado," "Evening Star," "To Helen," "The Haunted Palace," "Israfel," "The City in the Sea" and "The Raven"(34 min.); Stories & Tales Audio Theater (approx.116 min.) includes "The Cask of