How Shakespeare Saved My Life
Written and performed by Jacob Ming-Trent, Directed by Tony Taccone, A co-production with Folger Theatre and Red Bull Theater, World premiere
“America tried to take my life, and somehow a five-hundred-year-old white dude saved it.” In an autobiographical and music-filled tour-de-force, award-winning performer Jacob Ming-Trent dares to rescue himself from the “slings and arrows” of his past. Born with a gift for poetry but rejected as unfit to play the poet, his search for home yields results both hilarious and tragic. Invoking artistic geniuses like Biggie, Tupac, and Basquiat, he takes us on a propulsive ride that reaffirms the power of language and music. Directed by Tony Taccone, How Shakespeare Saved My Life begins with the Bard but becomes a ritual of communal salvation. Post show discussion: Stay behind after the show for a discussion guided by members of Berkeley Rep’s artistic team!