THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
Written by
William Shakespeare
Edited by
Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine
Directed by
Holly Cooper
SUMMARY
Falstaff decides to fix his financial woe by seducing the wives of two wealthy merchants. The wives find he sent them identical letters and take revenge by playing tricks on Falstaff when he comes calling. With the help of their husbands and friends, the wives play one last trick in the woods to put Falstaff's mischief to an end.
HISTORY
The Merry Wives of Windsor was originally published in 1602, but may have been written in or around 1597. It is said that Queen Elizabeth I, after watching King Henry IV: Part 1, requested that Shakespeare write a play depicting Falstaff in love. In the centuries since its first publication, Merry Wives has been adapted into an opera at least ten times, translated into Swahili, German, Spanish, and French, and performed around the globe.
TICKETS $28+fees ($30.20)
RUNTIME ESTIMATED AT 2 HOURS + ONE 15-minute intermission
PLAYWRIGHT
Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare was a renowned actor, playwright, and poet. He penned an estimated 39 plays, 154 sonnets, 2 narrative poems, and a variety of other poems over his lifetime. Shakespeare's works have been translated and adapted countless times, across multiple genres and cultures. His legacy is as storied and diverse as his works and he remains one of the most prolific literary figures in the English language. In fact, he's credited with coining or popularizing hundreds of English words and phrases still in common use today (like "break the ice", "wild goose chase", and "bedroom")