MS-Directing Shakespeare: Women Direct Shakespeare Book

In this engaging and lively book, Elizabeth Shafer captures a sense of the creative world of women directing Shakespeare. At the dawn of a new century, Shakespeare's plays are still the most prestigious productions in the theater of the English-speaking world. Yet women directors have often been marginalized in Shakespearean theater, working in provincial theaters rather than larger companies, facing the hostility of establishment critics, and striving to make a place for their interpretations of "the Bard."Despite these difficulties, there is an exciting history of women directing Shakespeare. Elizabeth Shafer explores the works of such prestigious directors as Joan Littlewood, actress and director Dame Judi Dench, Gale Edwards, and Jude Kelley, and she looks at a variety of productions directed by women. In interviews with the author, the directors discuss their craft, their critics, and the innovative approaches they have brought to performances of Shakespeare's plays. These thoughtful reflections on the art of directing and the challenges facing women directors will be illuminating reading for anyone interested in the world of the theater and Shakespeare.Read More