Episode 50--Dickens was a D***ens

These are two spooky vignettes that were popular or occurred during Shakespeare's time. First, Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess of Hungary seems far removed from Shakespeare's time, when in reality they were born just 4 years apart. Her thirst for the immortality of youth has become the basis for many vampire legends. Then we turn to a ghost story told in Shakespeare's time--the tale of the ghostly lovers of the River Wye--whose forbidden love during the English Civil War led to tragedy and spectral phenomena that persists to this day.Enjoy, if you dare!Guest actor: James Lucas as Charles CliffordSources:Bledsaw, Rachael Leigh, "No Blood in the Water: the Legal and Gender Conspiracies against Countess Elizabeth Bathory in Historical Context" (2014). Theses and Dissertations. 135.The Writrix, "Countess Elizabeth Bathory: Real-Life Vampire or Scapegoat of History?" Medium, (May 5, 2025)Icy Sedgewick, "Elizabeth Bathory: Blood Countess or Framed Aristocrat?", Icysedgewick.com, (2022)Aleksandra Bartosiewicz, Elisabeth Báthory -a true story, Academia.Goodrich Castle - A Haunted Love Story, Haunted BritainSpooky Tales from England's Haunted CastlesChristine Miller, 5 Saddest Tales of Spooky Romance. Spooky Isles Website, (2021)

Special Guests:Shawn AndreiJanine BurgenerJames LucasToday we take a dive into the first published French version of Hamlet, written by Jean Francois Ducis. We hear a scene in the original French, we translate it and see how it compares to Shakespeare's scene.

Special Guests:Sara Kannen Dean--Artistic Director of the Pear Theater, and director of The Importance of Being Earnest.Alycia Adame--plays Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest.Annalisa Tkacheff--plays Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being EarnestDrew Benjamin Jones--plays Algernon Montcrieff in The Importance of Being EarnestKyle Dayrit--Plays Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest

This episode is an interview with Kunal Prasad, director of this summer's South Asian inspired Much Ado About Nothing!!

This week we interview Tom Gough, the director of SVS' free Shakespeare in the Park play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, done in a totally awesome 1980's time warp! Find out more about Tom, Two Gents, the 80s and find out the answer to the most important question of all---Joan Jett or Pat Benetar?

Guest performers:James LucasVideo Performers:Christian Pizziarani--NarratorAmanda Le Nguyen--AmandaDan C.--Dan

Guest performers:James LucasTonya MaraPaul Pinza

Guest cast:Hero--Angie HigginsClaudio--Bryan FreemanLeonato/Benedick--James LucasDon Pedro--Tom ShamrellDon John,/Friar Francis/Beatrice/Queen Elizabeth--Doll Piccotto

Let's take a look at SVS' upcoming season--Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Much Ado About Nothing through the lens of Reddit's AITA!Special Guest actor: James Lucas

Was Dickens a real life Ebenezer Scrooge? Well, listen in and find out. It's always a little disappointing when we discover that our literary heroes weren't as heroic as we hoped. So how do we process that with the King of Christmas himself?Actors:Charles Dickens--James Lucas"An Arbor Day Carol" cast:Voice 1: Doll PiccottoVoice 2: James LucasScrooge: James LucasBob Cratchit: Doll PiccottoTree Boy: Doll Piccotto