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Reduced Shakespeare Co. on Tour
April 12 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm EDT
Reduced Shakespeare Co. on Tour
You haven’t truly experienced Shakespeare, Hollywood, or even the Bible if you haven’t caught a Reduced Shakespeare Co. (RSC) performance. Going strong since 1981, the one-of-a-kind comedy company has been giving audiences the Cliff’s Notes on such wide-ranging topics as comedy, sports, America, and Western civilization. “Brevity is the soul of wit” is their motto, and it perfectly encapsulates their mission in bringing cultured comedy — with just enough lowbrow touches — to the stage.
Founded by Daniel Singer, Adam Long, and Jess Borgeson (now known as Jess Winfield), the RSC has grown from a three-man operation into a full-scale international ensemble. They started by performing at Renaissance fairs and art festivals around the U.S. and U.K. with their first full show, ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged),’ which eventually ran for nine years at London’s Criterion Theatre in Piccadilly Circus.
They’ve since created some 10 stage shows — including ‘The Complete History of America (abridged)’ and ‘The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged)’ — a handful of television specials, and numerous radio pieces for stations like NPR and the BBC.
Over the years, the cast and crew have rotated and changed, but the company has kept its comedic bite, touring throughout the U.S., the U.K., and Europe. They’ve brought us shows like ‘The Complete World of Sports (abridged)’ in 2010, ‘The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged)’ in 2011, and ‘The Complete History of Comedy (abridged)’ in 2013. They even set a Guinness World Record for the Highest Theatrical Performance in 2014 when they performed Shakespeare on board an EasyJet flight from London to Verona at 37,000 feet.
After an impressive 35-year run, the company returned in 2016 with a brand-new show, ‘William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged),’ which premiered in Washington, D.C. They continue to have an exhaustive touring schedule, with dates throughout the U.S. and U.K., and they impress audiences with their fast, funny, and whip-smart performances. Thankfully, you don’t need to be a Shakespearean scholar to appreciate their witty brand of comedy