Age: 64
male
Craig Ferguson (born May 17, 1962) is a Scottish-born, naturalized American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS. In addition to hosting that program and performing stand-up comedy, Ferguson has written two books: Between the Bridge and the River, a novel, and American on Purpose, an autobiography. He became a citizen of the United States in 2008. Before his career as a late-night television host, Ferguson was best known in the United States for his role as the office boss, Nigel Wick, on The Drew Carey Show from 1996 to 2003. After that, he wrote and starred in three films, directing one of them. Description above from the Wikipedia article Craig Ferguson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
So how do you introduce young thespians and audiences to Shakespeare without turning them off? This one-act no-set romp takes that snooty, sophisticated aura off Bill once and for all by poking fun while at the same time demonstrating his relevance to today’s modern world. What if Juliet went on “The Dating Game?” What if “Titus Andronicus” had been written as a gentle comedy of manners? What if something went wrong every time someone mentioned the word “Macbeth?” What if Othello, Iago and Desdemona appeared on “The Jerry Springer Show?” What if zombies tried to stage “Richard III?” What if the Immortal Bard of Avon married Mr. Drysedale’s secretary from “The Beverly Hillbillies?” What if a cow threw a pie at the director? With actual Shakespearean lines added into the mix, the play painlessly eases audiences and performers alike into the world of the world’s greatest playwright. On tour or in the classroom, “I Hate Shakespeare!” can be staged in a mere hour by as few as 5 performers or as many as 25, with a cast of adults or kids. Don’t forget to have a nub ready if you go blank!
