Best Ariana Karp Podcasts (2024)

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Love's Labour's Lost: Play Discussion

3+ y ago

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Ariana has a chat with director Bronwyn Barnwell about her Radio Shakespeare Lab production of Love’s Labour’s Lost with her dream cast! We are joined by some of the actors from her production to discuss the play and process including Charlie Morton, Preston Perrin, Ly Poe, Alexander Mushore, with Ian Gould.Among many things, we talk about the rema…

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Taming of the Shrew: Act V Discussion

3+ y ago

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Anddd we are on to our Act 5 ofTaming of the Shrew discussion…ok here we go.Among many things we talk Kate and Petruchio turning into spectators and watching other public disorders, flashbacks to the induction where character upon character reinforces the lie, Bianca’s personality change, hierarchy and freedom, the weird of dynamics of the end, and…

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Taming of the Shrew: Act IV Discussion Part II

3+ y ago

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On to part 2 of our discussion of Act IV of Taming of the Shrew! (This episode covers scenes 3-5.)We talked imitating behaviors, entitlement and reality checks, changing social perceptions, appearance vs value, provoking reactions and contradictions, ethical dilemmas, and the act of taking responsibility .Our Ensemble for this production includes: …

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Taming of the Shrew: Act IV Discussion Part I

3+ y ago

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We move on to part 1 of our discussion of Act IV of Taming of the Shrew! (This episode covers scenes 1 & 2.)Among many things we discussed Grumio’s garbled thoughts, status relationships within Petruchio’s household staff, servants noting behavioral changes, Kate beginning to prevent violence, Shakespeare implicating the entire audience, entitlemen…

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Taming of the Shrew: Act III Discussion

3+ y ago

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And off we go to Act 3 of Taming of the Shrew! We discuss how all of Bianca’s suitors are under false pretenses, how the suitors are more interested in competing with each other than actually getting to know Bianca, the connection to the Lord’s game of messing with Christopher Sly, the lack of danger or class barriers in Lucentio’s and Hortensio’s …

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Taming of the Shrew: Act II Discussion

3+ y ago

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It’s time for Act II of Taming of the Shrew when Kate and Petruchio finally meet! Among many things we discussed entering the private realm of the household, sibling rivalry and family dynamics, fighting over the same object, the bidding war over Bianca versus the war of words for Katherine, and challenging received interpretations of the play and …

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Taming of the Shrew: Act I Discussion

3+ y ago

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Join us as we dive into the play within the play, Act I of Taming of the Shrew!Among many things we talk about bro energy, the play’s emphasis on education for both young men and young women, Katherine as truth-teller, the complicated relationships between status and violence, performances of submission, and how the entire plays is based on disguis…

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Taming of the Shrew: Induction Discussion

3+ y ago

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Oh goodness, it’s time for Taming of the Shrew. Welcome to a brand new difficult and complicated play and enjoy our discussion of the unique and puzzling “Induction” at the start of the play.We talk about what exactly the induction is and its significance, actors as vagrants, the Lord as a wanna-be immersive theatre director, the thematic set up of…

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Two Gentlemen of Verona: Act V Discussion

3+ y ago

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Oh boy…here we are. We have gotten to Act 5 of Two Gentlemen of Verona…We discuss Silvia constantly being under surveillance, male friendship erasing romantic love, is it all a parody, celebrations of male mediocrity, property and possession being the ending themes of the play and desperately wondering where the clowns are, we really miss them. Our…

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Two Gentlemen of Verona: Act IV Discussion

3+ y ago

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Finally, we get to spend a bit of time with Silvia & Julia in Act 4 of Two Gentlemen of Verona!Among many things we discuss the outlaws as threatening/non-threatening, the strength of Silvia’s character, how Proteus language is transforming again into desperation and veering on violence, Lance’s devotion to Crab as the purest love in the play and a…

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Two Gentlemen of Verona: Act III Discussion

3+ y ago

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What time is it? Betrayal time! Off we go with Act 3 of Two Gentlemen of Verona.In this pivotal act, we discuss the difference between male vs female ‘honor,’ the awkward circling between the Duke and Valentine, Silvia as a sacred being, Proteus discovering his skill as a manipulator and getting drunk off of the power and the necessary collective e…

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Two Gentlemen of Verona: Act II Discussion

3+ y ago

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We move on to Act II of Two Gentlemen of Verona.We discuss servants freely sassing their employers, Valentine’s metamorphosis, how the women drive the romantic plots forward, courtly versus romantic love, how the character Lance is always undercutting or parodying the previous scene, Proteus’s transformation and his character conflict centered arou…

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Two Gentlemen of Verona: Act I Discussion

3+ y ago

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We’re doing our first comedy! Welcome to our discussion of Act I of Shakespeare’s early and troubling comedy, Two Gentlemen of Verona.Among many things, we discuss starting plays mid-conversation, the importance of establishing both the friendship and the status imbalance between Valentine and Proteus, parallels to the toxicity of incel culture, ge…

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Henry V: Act V Discussion

3+ y ago

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And thus we conclude Henry V with our discussion of Act V!Among many topics, we discussed how the act’s Chorus speech departs from hype man to interim narrator, the danger in Shakespeare’s contemporary references, the purpose of the final scene with Fluellen, Gower, and Pistol, Burgundy and smarmy metaphors, family becoming transactional in royal f…

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Henry V: Act IV Discussion Part II

3+ y ago

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We work our way through the the second half of Act IV of Henry V - this episode covers scenes 4-8.Among many things, we talk about how the boy grounds us with his moments alone with the audience, the difficulty of conveying how quickly the battle turns against the French, the startling moments where the language of violence is mingled with the lang…

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Henry V: Act IV Discussion Part I

3+ y ago

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We work our way through the beginning of Act IV of Henry V - this episode covers the Chorus speech through scene 3 (all of the pre-battle scenes).Among many things, we discussed the complicated metaphorical transformation of Henry into the sun across three plays, how he is affected by the responsibility he feels for the army, how the ghosts of his …

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Henry V: Act III Discussion - Part II

3+ y ago

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We work our way through the end of Act III of Henry V - this episode covers scenes 4-7.We puzzle over the singular scene almost entirely in French, how it amplifies the conflict of communication, and as a continuation of the consequences of war, we question if Shakespeare brings the Frenchmen onstage so they can make fun of themselves, or perhaps p…

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Henry V: Act III Discussion - Part I

3+ y ago

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We work our way through the beginning of Act III of Henry V - this episode covers the Chorus and scenes 1-3.Among many things, we discuss the cinematic imagery of the Chorus, the hammering momentum of Henry’s “Once more unto the breach” speech, how it is immediately undercut comedically, puzzling through the significance of regional accents being w…

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Henry V: Act II Discussion

3+ y ago

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Moving on to our discussion of Act II of Henry V! We talk about the expositional nature of the Chorus in Act II, our feeling that Falstaff is missing from the play and the changing cast of comedic figures in the tavern gang trying to make up for his absence, the huge challenge of the prose scenes, the unabashedly pro-English lens of the play, Shake…

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Henry V: Act I Discussion

3+ y ago

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We’re heading to the finish line of the this history tetralogy…and we’re excited to share Henry V over the next 3 weeks with you, our dear audience! Here is our discussion of Act I. Among many things, we discuss how the chorus activates the audience at the top of the play, the public and private personas of the clergy, we contrast how Henry V is ta…

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Henry IV, Part II: Act V Discussion

3+ y ago

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And thus, we conclude our journey of Henry IV, Part II with our discussion of Act V!We celebrate the return to the country justices and one last drinking scene, we talk Falstaff’s long con and how he loses his heart to Hal in the process, we discuss the demands of of public leadership, status negotiations within the royal family, the incarceration …

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Henry IV, Part II: Act IV Discussion

3+ y ago

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We tackle the massive Act IV of Henry IV, Part II.Among many thing we talk about the opacity of specific grievances from the rebellion, the super degraded and violent imagery that the Archbishop employs, how important beverages are and the virtues of drinking, how the King seems to be constantly pulled between his two opposing interpretations of Ha…

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Henry IV, Part I: Act III Discussion

3+ y ago

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On to Act III of Henry IV, Part II…We talk about how Shakespeare teaches us that Kings are incapable of sleeping, how both sides in the civil war characterize the opposing side as a disease upon the realm, the introduction of Justice Shallow mixing dialogue about the cost of livestock, reliving youth, profound enumerations of friends gone, and Fals…

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Henry IV, Part II: Act II Discussion

3+ y ago

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Moving on to Act II of Henry IV, Part II! Among many things, we talk the Hostess and Falstaff’s money and romantic entanglements, the discordant realities between Falstaff and the Lord Chief Justice, the furthering of Hal and Poin’s friendship, the introduction of the glorious Doll Tearsheet and the ferocious and fantastical Pistol, and the poignan…

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Henry IV, Part II: Act I Discussion

3+ y ago

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Time to start a new play! Join us as we commence our journey through Henry IV, Part II with our Act I discussion with a brand new ensemble! We discuss the striking appearance of the character of Rumor at the start of the play, the insecurity of information and fake news, Northumberland’s emotional disassociation, the clash of Falstaff and the Lord …

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Henry IV, Part I: Act V Discussion

3+ y ago

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We conclude our exploration of Henry IV, Part I with our Act V Discussion!Join us as we talk diplomacy and tactics, family and political pragmatism, Hal’s plan and how it’s working, Hotspur’s end and the failure of words, and the puzzle of Falstaff’s innocence and cynicism.Also for more detailed information about Prince Hal’s actual injury check ou…

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Henry IV, Part I: Act IV Discussion

3+ y ago

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It’s rebel time…we take on Act IV of Henry IV, Part I.Among many things, we chart the rebellion’s political spins, the royal family coming together as the Percy Family falls apart, military tactics, and class segregation in the army.Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part I includes Brittany Chandler, Andrew Codispoti, Deborah Davis, Sam Gilroy, Lynn Goodw…

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Henry IV, Part I: Act II, Scene 4 Discussion

3+ y ago

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We take the whole episode to look at the longest scene in the play, the epic tavern scene, Act II, Scene IV of Henry IV, Part I. Breaking it down into four mini scenes, we discuss Falstaff’s skill at wriggling out of tight spots, the complicated psychology of Hal and Falstaff “playing the king,” and “banishing the world,” and tracking the private m…

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Henry IV, Part I: Act II, Scenes 1-3 Discussion

3+ y ago

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Moving on, we delve into the first half of Act II of Henry IV, Part I.Join us as we examine the details and textures of the world of the play, transitioning from the throne room to a truck stop, everyday dangers, and a deep dive into the complexities of the relationships between Falstaff and Prince Hal and between Hotspur and Lady Percy.Our ensembl…

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Henry IV, Part I: Act I Discussion

3+ y ago

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And so begins a brand new play! We continue the history tetralogy with Act I of Henry IV, Part I.We delve into the violent imagery of the body the opens the play, the through line of thievery from the tavern to the throne room, highly complex father-son dynamics and twisted clock metaphors.Our ensemble for Henry IV, Part I includes Brittany Chandle…

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Hamlet: Act V Discussion

3+ y ago

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Director Emma Rosa Went takes us to finish line with our Act V discussion of Hamlet!Among many things, we discuss how the play moves from a philosophical interrogation of death to a visceral confrontation in the gravediggers scene, how class distinctions and politics crop up in Act V, the significance of the skull Hamlet encounters being a court je…

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Hamlet: Act IV Discussion

3+ y ago

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Director Emma Rosa Went leads us through Act IV of Hamlet!Join us as we discuss the palpable tension between Claudius and Hamlet, the strange absence of nature imagery and plethora of imagery about the human body in the play thus far, the high impact of Ophelia as a character and that focusing on what she is trying to communicate illuminates the pl…

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Hamlet: Act III Discussion

3+ y ago

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Pushing forward with director Emma Rosa Went thru the behemoth that is Act III of Hamlet!We examine truth and performance, the changing and deepening of character relationships, and the emotional violence committed against the two very isolated women in the play.Our company for Hamlet includes: Olivia Rose Barresi, William Cary, Harrison Densmore, …

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Hamlet: Act II Discussion

3+ y ago

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Director Emma Rosa Went forges on, leading our company of theatre makers through Act II of Hamlet.Among many things, we discuss how suddenly things are weird in the castle, the nature of spying and truth, Hamlet’s need to see his story reflected back to him through the medium of theatre, and the significance of the Priam-Pyrrhus-Hecuba speech! Our …

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Hamlet: Act I Discussion

3+ y ago

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Tabling & ISC Santa Fe are delighted and honored to have director-extraordinaire Emma Rosa Went lead a company of theatre makers through the mammoth undertaking of working through Hamlet! Join us for a lively discussion of Act I where we discuss the jumpiness of the start of the play, ghosts being afraid of Latin, the subjectivity and distortion of…

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Richard II: Act V Discussion

4y ago

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And so ends our most lyrical history of Richard II. Among many things, our group talked about the emotional importance of the relationship between Queen Isabel and Richard, fierce Shakespearean mothers, the family impact of civil strife, and Richard devastating and beautiful prison speech in Act V.Our cast of Nazlah Black, Zoe Burke, Mairi Chanel, …

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Richard II: Act IV Discussion

4y ago

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And now we arrive at the firestorm that is Act IV of Richard II! Among many things, our cast discussed the political potency of the abdication/deposition scene, the comedy gold of ‘the gloves’, ascending and descending imagery, and Richard playing on the edge of a knife with his powerful language and status-taking actions.Our cast of Nazlah Black, …

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Richard II: Act III Discussion

4y ago

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We move on to the pivotal Act III, steeping ourselves in class tensions, water and fire imagery, and marveling at how Richard gains linguistic power as he loses his political power. Our cast of Stephen Wagener Bennett, Nazlah Black, Zoe Burke, Mairi Chanel, Caryl Farkas, Zoë Goslin, Mike Marcou, Amy Meilander, & William Potter, facilitated by Arian…

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Richard II: Act II Discussion

4y ago

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Join us as we continue our exploration of Richard with our Act II discussion. We note the foreshadowing of Richard’s end as both the symbol of the setting sun and the association with the music of the spheres. We look at John of Gaunt’s descriptive metaphors of England and how he makes the land ‘holy.’ We also talk about the mirroring of the differ…

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Richard II: Act I Discussion

4y ago

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And we begin our second play, the lyrical Richard II! Join us with a brand new group of actors as we work through Act I of Richard II. (A warning that there is a graphic description of the punishment for treason during Elizabethan times near the beginning of the podcast.) We familiarize ourselves with the complex circumstances that happen before th…

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King John: Act V Discussion

4y ago

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And so ends our first play! This week we looked at the curious Act V of King John and discussed the ‘student becoming the master’ phenomena with both the Bastard and Lewis, the surreal and feverish imagery of John in the last scene and Shakespeare’s fondness for shipwrecks as plot devices (this play has 4 ship wrecks!).The episode features Bronwyn …

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King John: Act IV Discussion

4y ago

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For this episode, we delved into the climactic Act IV, or the Arthur Act, of King John. Among many things, we discussed the strange and brutal Oedipal resonances of Arthur’s planned execution, & how the violence of this act marks a drastic shift in the style and tone of the play.Olivia Rose Barresi, Sam Gibbs, Meg Hachmann, Julia Larsen, Liam Mitch…

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King John: Act III Discussion

4y ago

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Bronwyn Barnwell, Olivia Rose Barresi, Sam Gibbs, Meg Hachmann, Julia Larsen, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Rafe Terrizzi, & Jesse Van Buren facilitated by Ariana Karp continue our exploration of King John with a discussion of Act III. Unfortunately Patrick Harvey was unable to join us for this episode, so Ariana read in for King John, but don’t…

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King John: Act II Discussion

4y ago

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Our cast of Bronwyn Barnwell, Olivia Rose Barresi, Sam Gibbs, Meg Hachmann, Patrick Harvey, Julia Larsen, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Rafe Terrizzi, & Jesse Van Buren facilitated by Ariana Karp continue our exploration of King John with a discussion of Act II. We note the mingling of the different meanings of blood; blood as a symbol of violen…

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King John: Act I Discussion

4y ago

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We begin our journey through Shakespeare’s canon with the weird and wonderful King John. Get to know our cast in this first episode as we work through King John’s first act. Our cast includes: Bronwyn Barnwell, Olivia Rose Barresi, Sam Gibbs, Meg Hachmann, Patrick Harvey, Julia Larsen, Liam Mitchell, Danielle Reddick, Rafe Terrizzi, & Jesse Van Bur…

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BONUS: James Shapiro Interview, Santa Fe, 2018

4y ago

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Our first episode of the Radio Shakespeare Lab airs on January 4th, but as a special treat, enjoy this interview that Ariana conducted from back in 2018 with James Shapiro about King Lear !By Ariana Karp & ISC Santa Fe