Shakespeare: From Page to Stage with Jane Smiley

Moderator James McNamara speaks with writer Ben Power about his adaptation of Shakespeare’s Richard III for the BBC series, The Hollow Crown. Power discusses various elements of the series, commenting on the casting choices, which included actors of color and the political context of the series, which was developed during a visible rise of authoritarian figures in the United Kingdom. He also speaks on the challenges of adapting from Shakespeare and offers his perspective on what allowed the series to be engaging for audiences while still remaining true to Shakespeare’s vision. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 37610]

Orson Welles direction and his performance as Shakespeare’s legendary Falstaff are at the center of this conversation about Chimes at Midnight, Welles’ 1965 film masterpiece that was unavailable to the public for decades. Professors Jim Kearney (UC Santa Barbara) and Joseph McBride (San Francisco State University) discuss Welles’ lifelong admiration of the Bard and the film’s complicated production and distribution history. The two professors also explore Welles’ ambitious adaptation of story material from five different Shakespeare plays into this single film. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 33498]

Karen McCullah and Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith are one of the most prolific and successful female writing teams in Hollywood. Among their many credits is She’s the Man (2006) that resets William Shakespeare’s cross-dressing comedy Twelfth Night in a contemporary boarding school. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 33504]

Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet (1948) was adapted and directed by its star. Mark Rose (English, UCSB) and Jim Kearney (English, UCSB) discuss this cinematic treatment of Hamlet and examples of Shakespeare on film. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 33503]

Revenge, justice, and betrayal in Shakespeare’s play and in the history of the politically-disputed Kashmir region arise as core topics in this discussion about the Hindi film Haider between Priya Jaikumar (USC) and Bhaskar Sarkar (UC-Santa Barbara.) The two professors interrogate and celebrate the film and play’s ability to combine local cultural specificity and popular accessibility. Arguing Haider offers new understandings of the character of Hamlet, the pair also question the concepts of “the original” and “the derivative.” Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 33500]

Screenwriters Todd Louiso and Jacob Koskoff join moderator Jim Kearney (UCSB, English) for a conversation about their 2015 adaptation of Macbeth starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard. Louiso and Koskoff discuss how the film was originally intended to star the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, the challenges of making the supernatural elements of the play scarier, and unraveling the metaphor of Shakespeare’s soliloquies through foregrounding grief, trauma, and reinterpreting key scenes. Series: "Carsey-Wolf Center" [Humanities] [Show ID: 33499]

Seth Lerer discusses his moving memoir, “Prospero’s Son: Life, Books, Love and Theater,” a record of the tempestuous relationship between Lerer and his father which is later echoed in Lerer’s relationship with his own son. The narrative is framed by elements of literature and performance, with particular reference to Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and its evocation of father as magician. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Humanities] [Show ID: 25531]

Composed by Anthony Davis with a libretto by playwright Allan Havis, “Lear on the 2nd Floor” is a contemporary take on Shakespeare’s “King Lear.” It tells the story of Nora Lear, a neuroscience researcher suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s. As Nora loses her bearings and autonomy, she is increasingly at the mercy of her three quarreling daughters. In this version, Nora’s dead husband Mortimer is Shakespeare’s fool and her constant companion, as she wanders through a world where past and present blend and reality bends. Davis’s music incorporates diverse styles and influences, ranging from classical opera to jazz to reggae. Series: "Shakespeare" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 25484]

SDSU’s lively 1960's adaptation of the classic comedy is designed to give high school students (and those new to Shakespeare) an introduction to the Bard in a way that is both fun and easier to understand than traditional productions. Featuring original music composed by Thomas Hodges. Series: "Shakespeare" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 20052]

Join UCSD-TV for a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the making of San Diego Opera’s Romeo and Juliet, a vibrant production of Gounod’s Shakespeare-inspired masterpiece. Series: "San Diego Opera Spotlight" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 16772]