The Bard's Birthday

Today is considered to be William Shakespeare's birthday. Ironically, it's also the same day he died.

Though the exact date of his birth is not known, scholars believe it is either today - "the date celebrated in England since 1222 as the feast day of dragon-slaying St George" - though there is also evidence that it might have been yesterday, April 22nd, since his grand-daughter, Elizabeth Hall, married on April 22nd, 1626 "in honour of her famous relation." And apparently, records show he was baptised April 26th. In any case, I feel the dear Bard should be celebrated every day!

Film.com pays a lovely tribute to films that have done the bard justice. I'm currently enjoying Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing. Truly, Shakespeare's words are best heard, best seen, in my humble opinion, to be fully experienced.

I'm in the midst of Shakespearean studies with former Juilliard professor, Deloss Brown, who also teaches at NYU, and I must say, it is such a joy! We're working on King Lear, which blows me away because I recently worked with Alvin Epstein on the staged reading of Sin with F. Murray Abraham, and here I come to find that both Mr. Abraham and Mr. Epstein played Lear! So fascinating! How the web of life entwines!

And so, today and everyday, I hope you find your inner bard, to work, to play, to explore life and love, to hear, to see, to learn, to grow. Enjoy it all!

"There was a star danced, and under that was I born."
- William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, 2.1