Mini: Staging Violence in Shakespeare with Dr. Danielle Rosvally and Sydney Schwindt
Release Date: 03/13/2024
Mini: Shakespeare for Autistic Individuals: The Flute Theatre with Kelly Hunter, MBE
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we are joined in discussion with Kelly Hunter, MBE, to discuss her work producting Shakespeare for autistic audiences. We will discuss Kelly's professional journey that led her from working with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and on the West End to founding The Flute Theatre and developing the Hunter Heartbeat Method in collaboration with autistic individuals. Kelly Hunter, MBE began working in theatre aged 17 playing The Mistress in Evita in the West End in 1980. Since then she has been creatively engaged in theatres, performing and adapting and...
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Feuds, Vendettas, and Duels
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we are exploring the historical context for the family feud and violence between the Capulets and Montagues in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. We'll briefly revisit the history of medieval bloodfeuds that we examined in our episodes on Macbeth, then we will dive into the pratices of vendettas and dueling in the Italian renaissance and how this form of violence was imported into England, Scotland, and Wales in the late 1500s and early 1600s. We will examine the rise in popularity of dueling among young men of the English nobility and gentry, how the public...
info_outline
Mini: Ben Jonson, Shakespeare's Colleague and Competitor
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we are exploring the life and works of one of Shakespeare's contemporaries: Ben Jonson. Often called "Shakespeare's rival," Ben Jonson was an early modern actor turned playwright who came from humble beginnings to achieve success on the London stages. We'll dive into the parallels between Shakespeare and Jonson's lives, and we'll discuss how Jonson may be the person who we should thank for Shakespeare's First Folio. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on...
info_outline
Romeo & Juliet: Teenagerdom in Shakespeare's Time
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we will be discussing what is was like to be a teenager in Shakespeare's time, and how we can see early modern teenagerdom represented in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. We will build on our previous explorations of the early modern understanding of age and youth from our episodes on girlhood and manhood, then dive into the lived experiences of early modern teens and young adults. Finally, we will discuss the early modern public health crisis of suicide among children and adolescents. Content Warning: Suicide If you or someone you know is struggling or in...
info_outline
Mini: Staging Violence in Shakespeare with Dr. Danielle Rosvally and Sydney Schwindt
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we are joined by Dr. Danielle Rosvally and Sydney Schwindt to discuss how fight choreographers approach staging moments of violence in theatre, specifically in Shakespeare's plays. We will discuss how they collaborate with directors and actors to safely depict violence on stage, the state of the fight direction community, and how anyone can learn more about safe, consent-based practices for staging violence onstage. Our guests: Danielle Rosvally, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of theatre at the University at Buffalo where she serves as resident violence...
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Courtship and Marriage in Shakespeare's Time
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we will be diving into the culture of courtship and marriage in early modern England. We will take a look at how the cultural norms and concerns surrounding marriage were shifting and changing in Shakespeare's time and how we can see this represented in Romeo and Juliet. We will also discuss how, at least in some parts of England and for certain classes, young people were able to resist some of the societal structures around courtship and marriage. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending...
info_outline
Mini: Shakespeare and Petrarch
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we will be continuing our series on Shakespeare's Language Framework and our Shakespeare's Sources by taking a closer look at Petrarch. First, we will dive into the biography of Francesco Petrarca, more commonly known as Petrarch in English, the 14th century poet who had a huge influence on European humanism, the Renaissance, and poetry. Then, we will explore Petrarch's influence and how it spread across Europe before covering how we can see his influence in the works of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse...
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Patriarchy, Masculinity, and Honor
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we're diving deep into the world of early modern masculinity, patriarchy, and honor as we dissect Shakespeare's iconic play, Romeo and Juliet. Our discussion begins with the examination of the expectations placed upon men during the early modern period and how those pressures are reflected in Shakespeare's play – the embodiment of honor, the nuances of patriarchy, and the various faces of masculinity depicted in Shakespeare's characters. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander....
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Stuff to Chew On
Shakespeare Anyone?
To kick off our series on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, we are (as always) starting with an overview of basic facts about the play and an introduction to the major themes and motifs of the play. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at for updates or visit our website at You can support the podcast by becoming a patron at or by shopping our bookshelves at Works referenced: Shakespeare, William, and René Weis. Romeo and Juliet: Revised Edition. Bloomsbury...
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Synopsis
Shakespeare Anyone?
It's time for a new play, which means a new synopsis! We are diving into Romeo and Juliet today, and we will be breaking down this play scene by scene. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Special thanks to Nat Yonce for guest-editing this episode. Episode written by Elyse Sharp and Kourtney Smith. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at for updates or visit our website at You can support the podcast at or by shopping our bookshelves at Works referenced: Shakespeare, William, and René Weis. Romeo...
info_outlineIn today's episode, we are joined by Dr. Danielle Rosvally and Sydney Schwindt to discuss how fight choreographers approach staging moments of violence in theatre, specifically in Shakespeare's plays. We will discuss how they collaborate with directors and actors to safely depict violence on stage, the state of the fight direction community, and how anyone can learn more about safe, consent-based practices for staging violence onstage.
Our guests:
Danielle Rosvally, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of theatre at the University at Buffalo where she serves as resident violence coordinator. She is a fight director, actor, dramaturge, and director. Danielle has been crafting and performing staged violence for over twenty years, and has written about fight direction for venues such as Theatre Topics, Fight Master Magazine, and various edited collections. As a researcher, Danielle specializes in Shakespeare; her book on on Shakespeare as an economic value comes out with the State University of New York press in July.
Sydney Schwindt wears many hats in the theatre world; she is an actor, director, fight director, and educator. She is a resident artist with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and works frequently with SPARC Theatre. She is an advanced actor combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and is on the advisory board for the Same Boat Theatre Collective. She has taught movement and stage combat at Indiana University and the American Conservatory Theatre’s Graduate program.
Sydney directed “As You Like It” with San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s Shakespeare on Tour. It is running from now until mid May 2024 all across California. Check the websites for a public performance near you! www.sfshakes.org
She will be directing “Twelfth Night” with the Starling Shakespeare Company this summer. The show runs in rep with “Henry IV, Part 1” from June until September, 2024.
Learn more about Fight Direction:
Society of American Fight Directors
The British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat
British Academy of Dramatic Combat
Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp.
Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander.
Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com
You can support the podcast by becoming a patron at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone or by shopping our bookshelves at bookshop.org/shop/shakespeareanyonepod