Columbia Arts presents The Book of Will By Lauren Gunderson | Directed by Tom Burns

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” — William Shakespeare

Be prepared to have your ideas about Shakespeare turned upside down when Columbia Center for the Arts presents The Book of Will by Lauren Gunderson. Directed by seasoned director Tom Burns, this lively and moving play tells the untold story of the two actors who saved Shakespeare’s work for history.

Without William Shakespeare, there would be no Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet — but without Henry Condell and John Heminges, we would have lost half of Shakespeare’s plays forever. After the death of their friend and mentor, these two unlikely heroes set out on an ambitious mission to compile the First Folio and preserve the words that shaped their lives. They’ll have to borrow, beg, and band together amidst the chaos and color of Elizabethan London to pull it off.

Heartfelt, funny, and full of adventure, The Book of Will celebrates friendship, memory, and the enduring power of storytelling.

Performance Dates:

• Thursday, September 12 at 7:30 PM

• Friday, September 13 at 7:30 PM

• Saturday, September 14 at 2:00 PM (matinee)

• Friday, September 20 at 7:30 PM

• Saturday, September 21 at 2:00 PM (matinee) and 7:30 PM

• Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 PM

• Friday, September 27 at 7:30 PM

 Produced with special permission from Dramatists Play Service.