The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again]

In an unused tent teeming with props and set pieces from Bard productions of yore, three unsuspecting performers must prove their chops—by acting out all of 37(ish) Shakespeare’s plays.

On William Shakespeare
Not as familiar with Shakespeare? No worries—we’ve got a quick run-down to catch you up.

While records from the period are neither clear nor comprehensive, there are a few facts that scholars generally agree on.

William Shakespeare lived and worked in England about 400 years ago, and while he was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he divided his time between Stratford and London. In London, he joined a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, a name that was later changed to the King’s Men when James I became the King of England and chose to be the company’s patron. 

From about 1590 to 1610, Shakespeare wrote about three dozen plays, most of which were performed by his company. He would later retire in Stratford, where he died in 1616. In 1623, two of Shakespeare’s colleagues in the King’s Men, John Hemmings and Henry Condell, published 36 of his plays in a collection now referred to as the First Folio. As Shakespeare’s original manuscripts have been lost to history, the publication of the First Folio was hugely important in preserving his plays and allowing us to talk about his work all these years later—perhaps to the chagrin of the poor players in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again].