Is The Batman a Hamlet story? The Joker an Iago? I’m joined by Austin Tichenor (he/him), artistic director of the award winning Reduced Shakespeare Company as we talk about the Bard’s approach to villains, and storytelling in general, and how we see those same themes in the stories we love today.

Austin Tichenor (he/him) is an actor, playwright, and the artistic director of the award winning Reduced Shakespeare Company. An intellectual welterweight, Austin remains disappointingly average despite three expensive degrees (two from UC Berkeley and one from Boston University). An intellectual welterweight, Austin remains disappointingly average despite three expensive degrees (two from UC Berkeley and one from Boston University).

He blogs monthly for the Folger Shakespeare Library (where you can find his article on The Batman and Hamlet) and since 2006 has produced and hosted the world’s longest running weekly theater podcast, the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. Recent directorial credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Starling Shakespeare Company, Twelfth Night for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) for the Folger Shakespeare Theater, and Much Ado about Nothing for Pacific theater. As an actor, Austin has logged many hours on episodic television, playing recurring roles on 24, Allias, Felicity, Ally McBeal, and The Practice as well as guest starring as Guys in Ties on The West Wing, Gilmore Girls, The X-Files, E.R., NYPD Blue, and shoes like them. He also offers his services as a writing and acting coach at The Shakespeareance.

He collaborated with Reed Martin on Pop-Up Shakespeare (illustrated by Jennie Maizels) and the definitive compendium of Shakespearean scholarship Reduced Shakespeare: The Complete Guide for the Attention-Impaired (abridged).

Co-Artistic Director, Reduced Shakespeare Company https://www.reducedshakespeare.com/

Creator, The Shakespeareance https://www.theshakespeareance.com/

Producer/Host, Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast https://www.reducedshakespeare.com/podcasts/

Monthly Contributor, Folger Shakespeare Library https://shakespeareandbeyond.folger.edu/author/austin-tichenor/

Plays at Broadway Play Publishing - https://www.broadwayplaypub.com/?s=Tichenor&post_type=product&order=desc

Austin on Twitter https://twitter.com/austintichenor
Austin on Facebook Austin on Facebook

Support The Shakespeareance on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/austintichenor?fan_landing=true