Are you a Shakespeare fan?

Do you wish you were part of a group that brought his plays to life?

Join us Tuesday evenings in person at AAI, starting February 8th, from 7:00 - 8:15 PM EST as we discuss some of Shakespeare’s outsiders:

  1. The Tempest

  2. The Merchant of Venice

  3. Othello

We start with The Tempest, with David Nee, Harvard Ph.D. Student introducing Othello & The Merchant of Venice, as we spend three weeks on each play and conclude with a final dinner! There is no cost to attend, and no prior Shakespeare expertise necessary!

There will be a total of ten sessions, concluding on April 19th. You will each receive new Folger copies of The Tempest, Othello, and The Merchant of Venice, and we will provide to-go dinner at the conclusion of sessions, as mask regulations allow.

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

“As you from crimes would pardoned be,
Let your indulgence set me free.”

Estimated reading time of an hour and a half.

Exiled years earlier and left for dead, the wizard Prospero creates a storm to shipwreck his enemies and wreak his revenge. Meanwhile, his daughter Miranda falls in love with one of the shipwrecked men, interrupting Prospero’s vengeance.

Othello by William Shakespeare

“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy:
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on.”

Estimated reading time of an hour and a half.

Iago, passed over for promotion by Othello, convinces Othello that his wife Desdemona has been unfaithful. Enveloped in a fit of jealosy, Othello does the unthinkable and faces tragic consequences.

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

“If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”

Estimated reading time of an hour and a half.

Bassanio, in love with Portia but cash-poor, enlists the help of his equally cash-poor merchant friend Antonio. Antonio takes a loan from Shylock, a pound of his own flesh as collateral. When Antonio cannot pay the loan, Shylock demands the flesh as payment, refusing all counter-offers.