Whether you plan to use summer break to rethink and revamp your Shakespeare unit, or you’re preparing for next year by getting as much R&R as possible, we have the guide for you! Here are four Shakespeare resources that are sure to inform and inspire, as well as four suggestions for Shakespeare-inspired entertainment that you can enjoy poolside while you take a much-needed brain break.
For the Classroom Brain
1. Shakespeare Was a Woman and Other Heresies – Elizabeth Winkler (2023)
Ah, the authorship question—a debate that provokes passionate discourse and occasional bouts of rage. If, however, you are not overly zealous about your take on the issue, and the question has come up in the classroom once or twice, this might be the book for you.
Elizabeth Winkler approaches the question with historical curiosity and offers her take on how tradition and bias have affected our culture’s perspective of classic literature. Winkler’s analysis is sure to get your wheels turning about how to model argumentation and make space for hot takes in the classroom. Check out this author interview to hear what inspired her work.
2. This Is Shakespeare – Emma Smith (2019)
What was Shakespeare really trying to say?--and does that even matter? In this book, Oxford Shakespeare professor Emma Smith dives into the ambiguity of Shakespeare's themes and their enduring relevance, emphasizing that nuance and open-ended questions about big ideas are at the heart of reading and enjoying the plays. Use this resource to refresh and refocus how you think about your Shakespeare unit.
3. Shakespeare in a Divided America – James Shapiro (2020)
Perfect for the ELA teacher who is also a history buff–as well as those who strive to connect the plays to current events and pressing social issues–this book discusses Shakespeare in the context of U.S. history. At a time when our country is experiencing extreme divisiveness, Shapiro points out how Shakespeare has been weaponized throughout American history while existing as a rare common ground for Americans of all backgrounds and political persuasions. Use this resource to inspire multidisciplinary classroom activities and discussions.
4. Shakespeare Uncovered – PBS (2013–2015)
It’s been a decade since this PBS series wrapped its final production, but it continues to offer rich and insightful deep dives into the plays through interviews with famous Shakespearean actors who are passionate about the stories they tell. Use this resource in class to generate discussion or binge the series over the summer to deepen your own understanding of Shakespeare’s work. Check out this short preview of Helen Hunt’s exploration of Much Ado About Nothing for a taste of what the series has to offer.
For Summer You
1. The Tragedy of Macbeth – (2021)
Directed by Joel Coen, this adaptation takes Shakespeare’s spookiest play to haunting new levels. Macbeth is masterfully portrayed by 
Denzel Washington in this black-and-white film that manages to be both visually striking and exceptionally watchable, all while maintaining the play’s original language. This movie is simply a must-watch for Macbeth teachers, Shakespeare lovers, and Denzel Washington fans alike! Check out this trailer to get a feel for the tone of the film before you grab the popcorn!
2. Shakespeare High - (2011)
This documentary is a bit of chicken soup for the Shakespeare teacher’s soul! Following a diverse group of California teens as they participate in a 100-year-old Shakespeare competition, Shakespeare High is a poignant and heartwarming look at what it means for adolescents to build community and find agency through Shakespeare performance. Featuring interviews with famous alumni of the program, the film speaks to the profound and often unexpected impacts of youth literature and theater programs. You’ll find yourself rooting for these teens as if they were your own students and looking forward to creating similar moments of connection in your classroom next year!
3. Something Rotten Broadway Cast Album– (2015)
Advertised as “a hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway”, the Broadway musical Something Rotten asks what it would look like if the genre of musical theater took off in the 1590s. Naturally, the accompanying album is chock full of hilarious show tunes and poprock ballads like “God, I Hate Shakespeare” and “Hard to Be the Bard”. Play the soundtrack while you check off your summer to-do list for some mood-boosting laughs and an imaginative take on Will Shakespeare, the rockstar.
4. The Show Must Go Online- (2020)
Born of desperation and necessity, this 2020 YouTube series can be used both in the classroom and as a feel-good summer watch. At the height of the pandemic, actors from around the world came together over Zoom to perform no-budget Shakespeare plays in their original form. The result is minimalistic but effective, proving that the Bard’s words can stand alone to create powerful storylines that continue to resonate with a modern audience. Use these clips in the classroom to discuss the persistence of art in times of pandemic (a challenge Shakespeare faced himself!), or play them while you fold the laundry to remind yourself why we still teach Shakespeare.
