Along with the adult acting troupes, such as the Queen's Men, there was another genre of acting troupes that influenced Shakespeare and his writing. Children's, or boy acting troupes and their rise in popularity caught Shakespeare's attention and caused him to elevate his writing.

On February 2nd in 1585, Shakespeare signs a baptismal certificate for his twin children Judith and Hamnet. This is the last record we have of what he is doing for the next seven years and beginning what scholars call his “lost years” There are many, many theories of what he was doing during this time. In this episode, we explore the story of William Knell and the Queen’s Men, and how it may shed some light on the unexpected journey the young man from Stratford would ultimately embark on.

This season, we're taking a deeper look at the evolving theatre scene of the 1500-1600s and how the way plays were produced influenced what ended up in the final texts we have of William Shakespeare. In our first episode, we explore one of the earliest influences on the young Bard: traveling and touring theater companies. Listen in to learn more about the types of productions being produced in the late 1500s and the way those touring productions shaped the written texts we know today.

Season 3 of Will: What is He Good For? is coming soon! Join us for another fun-filled series of Shakespeare history and an exploration of his plays. This season we're taking deeper look at the landscape of Elizabethan theatre, who was performing what and how.

Listen to our teaser episode to learn more about what to expect from this season.

From the traveling acting troupes that he would eventually join, to the children’s acting troupes that rivaled his own Lord’s Chamberlain's Men in popularity, to the spaces he worked and wrote for.

We’ll look to the text to find examples of how Shakespeare incorporated his life on the Elizabethan stage, into his work and also consider the broader historical context.

Join us for Season 3 of Will: What is He Good For? From the Stage to the Page.

In this bonus episode of "Will: What is He Good For?", hosts Victoria Gomez Wood and William Downes sit down with Rachel Purcell Fountain, the director of Classics on the Rocks' upcoming summer 2024 production of "The Merry Wives of Windsor." The trio delves into the unique challenges and exciting elements of bringing this beloved Shakespearean comedy to life. Rachel shares her vision for the production and the ways in which modern audiences can connect with the humor and themes of the play. Listen in to learn more and save the date - July 18, 19, and 20th in NYC - to see The Merry Wives of Windsor!

Over the past several episodes, we've explored some of the common themes presented in Shakespeare's married couples that hint at how he felt about marriage.

1. In Julius Caesar, Calpurnia and Portia are clear examples of what happens when you don't listen to your wife.
2. From Portia and Bassanio to Jessica and Lorenzo in Merchant of Venice - marriage doesn't guarantee a happily ever after - but in finding common ground and a shared vision for life with your partner - happiness is within reach.
3. As demonstrated by Kate and Petruchio, marriage is a partnership and requires teamwork as you play the game of life.

There is one more concept that appears in Shakespeare's plays frequently from his most famous couples to those lesser known. Trust.

Trust and respect is pivotal in nearly all relationships in Shakespeare, and he offers some pretty drastic consequences for letting a marriage break.

Today, we’ll look at two plays that sum up what we feel his perspective on marriage may have been... Macbeth and The Winter's Tale.

Most of this season we have attempted to give new perspective to the traditional narrative that Shakespeare viewed marriage negatively having been forced into marriage in his personal life. We have even come dangerously close to calling him a feminist. In this episode, we double down and talk about what most would call his least progressive and most misogynistic play, Taming of the Shrew.

In the last episode, we felt pretty confident saying that Shakespeare believed that a good marriage was one of true partnership filled with respect, trust, communication, and most importantly love. However, in Elizabethan England, the act of getting married was still predominantly a business transaction. While courtship mattered to a degree, you married for three reasons: increased social status, monetary gain, or occasionally love.

But could a transactional marriage lead to a true happily ever after? Or was happiness only found by those madly in love?

In this episode, we take a look at two of the marriages in The Merchant of Venice and explore how running away for love doesn't always guarantee a happy ending - and how marrying by business transaction sometimes can (even if it means coercing fate to get the right mate).