Today we are shining a spotlight on some rarely discussed and unusual connections between the world of William Shakespeare and theatrical pop culture at large. Given the wide breadth of material contained within the canon of the Bard, it is certainly no understatement to claim that the tethers are virtually endless between many modern tropes, terms, themes and ideas that derive in his classic plays - whether they be tragedies, comedies, histories or late plays - yet the intriguing aspects of many of the lesser-known theatrical connections between Shakespeare and modern theatre are illuminating and fascinating to unearth. Ranging from the influence of Shakespeare on some of our greatest musical theatre masters - Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and William Finn included - through to the inspiration behind both Broadway's most lucrative production in history (THE LION KING) and the longest-running show in NYC to date (THE FANTASTICKS), the impact of Shakespeare on Broadway is impossible to accurately calculate - and, now, with the lovable and hilarious Shakespeare paean SOMETHING ROTTEN! poised to open later this month, the Bard is about to get a fresh jolt of electricity, buzz and excitement from the theatre community at large. Fear no more, indeed - especially for fans of William Shakespeare.
1. THE LION KING. While the story of a boy, his deceased father and the nefarious individual who usurped the crown - no less than the king's own brother - is a common dramatic trope, no more famous example exists than perhaps Shakespeare's most famous and well-regarded tragedy, HAMLET, which acts as the backbone of the drama for the most successful musical in history, THE LION KING. Pride is more than a mortal sin and fatal character flaw, after all - it is the term for a lion pack, as well. 2. THE FANTASTICKS. Nearing the end of its record-breaking run of more than 50 years running in New York City, Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's small-scale musical centered on a pair of star-crossed lovers separated by fate and circumstance due to their dueling fathers is no doubt shaded by the similar story told in Shakespeare's ROMEO & JULIET. Yet, THE FANTASTICKS is rife with even more Shakespeare influence in the form of the entertaining and daffy clowns that crop up during the show - and their ensuing hijinks, which eventually reveal some painful truths at the core of the characters being portrayed. Surely, fools are often that in name only, as Shakespeare taught us so well.
Videos