I suspect the full extent of the awesomeness will creep up on you, Sean.

Seeing a great production of Twelfth Night is what got me interested in theatre, period.

I think he's important because of his influence on how our language developed--which makes him very important when teaching about theatre as literature.

A skillful introduction to Shakes can foster a further interest in plays and the theatre, which can only help other playwrites (modern & classic).

I don't envy any English teacher who has to develop a curriculum because deciding what to teach would be VERY diffcult. Sure, you want to introduce other exciting writers, but you have such a limit on time and opportunity that it's probably easier to stick to the biggies, rather than go out on a limb with an obscure artist.

ND, your experience is enviable because your job has exposed you to great plays.

I'm still glad I had the chance to take a Shakespeare class in high school. And I also got to take a great history of theatre class in college.

ND has had such an incredible and extensive education in theatre that I hesitate to doubt him too much whenever we debate this topic. Seriously, he knows more about theatre history than anyone I know (including former professors), and I don't doubt that there are influences outside of Shakespeare and the Greeks who have had a profound influence on Western culture that goes largely unknown.

Btw, I'm sure the Carly/Caryl thing was a typo on his part which I blithely copied without thinking about it since we've discussed her work in the past and I hear her name as "Caryl" when I think about her.

Amazingly enough, Caryl Churchhill I know. My best friend in high school was in a community theatre, and they did "Top Girls."

She was also in "Nunsense II." The same summer "Silence of the Lambs" was in theatres, and I slept in the sunroom. Stuff grew in our coffeepot and her cat ate my beta, Solzeneitzen. Good times.

Owen and Olivia's newest bath time game: Liv turns on the faucet and fills her little, plastic teapot up with water. She drinks from the spout and then spits the water on Owen. Both kids giggle madly.

Adorable and gross at the same time.

I forgot to say, "eek! Earthquake!" I had gone back to sleep after Persey's 8am follow-up at the vet (she's doing good) and was dreaming about someone trying to impress me with fireworks. The person (I forget who it was supposed to be now) had just said, "well if that doesn't wow you, how about THIS!?" and the ground started shaking. Then I was awake and the shaking turned into rolling. I looked over at the cat standing stiff-legged and staring at me like, WTF? D tapped on my door and said, "are you feeling this?" "Why isn't it over yet?" I replied- and then it was. From the construction site up the hill came a great whooping. It was the first one I was actually awake for most of so that's it. I don't need another earthquake.

I'm not surprised folks haven't heard of [Caryl Churchill]. She's a late 20th century playwright. Amazing stuff, a very strong woman writer. It's a shame that she and others like her are not better known.

Eh, I kind of don't love her. Mind you, I've read several of her plays, but never seen them performed - that probably makes a difference. I have a collection of her plays here, actually - I'll have to check them out again & see what I've been missing.

Meanwhile, a mighty THANK YOU to whoever it was (maybe omnis?) that suggested the icecream ball to meara as an amusing thing for her beach date, a while ago. Thanks to that link, I now own an icecream ball! And can make my own icecream!

And it is TEH YUM!!!!

I think Churchill is hard to read, but I worked on A Mouthful of Birds and it was quite profound.

I have had a little bit of exposure to other playwrights.I find that Shakespeare is easy for me to see. and then some of the more modern /absurdest/minimal plays are ok ---but the closer they are to real,the more that feels missing from a play. I really find it hard to read most plays.

My father used to read me Shakespeare as my bedtime stories when I was under 10. I don't have a distinct memory of his plays in high school, but I know we did As You Like It when I was in 8th grade at a private school.

I also grew up with a Shakespeare in the Park company near my house. Back then it was free and you could watch rehearsals. Over the years it became more popular, started charging and eventually had to move because it outgrew it's humble beginnings which marked my childhood.