John Poulsen

University of Lethbridge professor, John Poulsen, and Five Rivers have reached an agreement to publish Shakespeare for Readers’ Theatre.

Shakespeare for Readers’ Theatre is a Readers’ Theatre collection of three of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays in abridged form. Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, as well as Midsummer Night’s Dream have been trimmed while keeping Shakespeare’s beautiful language.

Hamlet can run more than four hours but this Hamlet will run less than 45 minutes while keeping most of the great lines. Not short enough? The book contains an even shorter version of Hamlet that should run less than 20 minutes. That is, each of the Shakespeare plays have two Readers’ Theatre versions, the long version intended to run 45 minutes and the short version intended to run about 20 minutes.

Shakespeare for Readers’ Theatre also includes an introduction to the each of the plays including probable original sources, first production dates, and important historical information. Further, each of the Readers’ Theatre long versions have attached suggested director’s notes. These notes include interpretations of the text, definitions, blocking suggestions, and character recommendations.

The book is intended as an important practical resource for theatre practitioners, directors, and teachers.

John Poulsen comes well-equipped to create this excellent resource. He is an academic, performer, director and writer. As a specialist in Drama Education his research examines diverse fields such as affective attunement, teacher as performer, theatre direction, history of Drama Education, and Shakespeare.

John is a founding member of two performing companies, masQuirx and Loose Moose Theatre Company (from which came Theatre Sports). He has directed over 50 productions with a focus on classics including Shakespeare and Theatre for Young Audiences collective creation.

Shakespeare for Readers’ Theatre will be available for the fall semester (targeting for August 1, 2012) as three separate eBooks (one for each of the plays: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Midsummer Night’s Dream), and as a print omnibus that includes all three plays.