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Shakesqueer

Shakesqueer

Written by: Rubie Butler and Kirsten Vanderspek
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About this listen

Shakespeare—from boring to brilliant, everyone has their thoughts. For us, those thoughts just happen to be about how gay everyone is. Join Rubie and Kirsten—two queer drama students—on their journey to uncover the inherent LGBTQ+ themes in Shakespeare’s work. Enjoy scene performances, character analysis, and a little more on thou/thine pronouns than you ever thought you needed.

Rubie Butler and Kirsten Vanderspek Art Drama & Plays Entertainment & Performing Arts
Episodes
  • A Special Announcement!

    A Special Announcement!
    Feb 23 2026

    We've got an announcement for y'all...
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    2 mins
  • "A Green Carnation" Twelfth Night's Antonio and Sebastian

    "A Green Carnation" Twelfth Night's Antonio and Sebastian
    Feb 5 2026

    Our Twelfth Night series continues with one of Shakespeare’s most famous gays of all time—Antonio—and his relationship with Sebastian.

    Chapters:

    (1:08): 2.1 Scene Context

    (1:50): Act 2 Scene 1 Read

    (4:05): 2.1 Commentary: Prose & Pronouns (follow along with the notes below!)

    (9:48): 2.1 Commentary: Plot & Performance

    (15:30): 3.3 Scene Context

    (16:17): Act 3 Scene 3 Read

    (18:30): 3.3 Commentary (see our notes for extra comments [what Kirsten forgot to say])

    (29:00): 5.1 Scene Context

    (30:00): Act 5 Scene 1

    (31:15): 5.1 Commentary: Prose & Pronouns

    (36:00): 5.1 Commentary: Plot & Performance

    (38:30): Overall Commentary

    (45:24): Rubie’s Poem (also in our notes—check the link below!)

    Our Notes! (a.k.a. what’s in front of us)

    https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Pns9vK_nVQd3RObykf82CwexUcb-kj1G?usp=sharing

    Read Along:

    Twelfth Night: Act 2 Scene 1 https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/twelfth-night/read/2/1/

    Twelfth Night: Act 3 Scene 3

    https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/twelfth-night/read/3/3/

    Twelfth Night: Act 5 Scene 1 (starting at line 69)

    https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/twelfth-night/read/5/1/#line-5.1.69

    “We’ll put this in the description.”

    Elam, Keir (ed.) (2008) Twelfth Night. The Arden Shakespeare.

    Twelfth Night (2017) Christopher Luscombe [Film]. Royal Shakespeare Company.

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    48 mins
  • “Do you listen to Girl in Red?” Twelfth Night’s Olivia and Viola

    “Do you listen to Girl in Red?” Twelfth Night’s Olivia and Viola
    Feb 4 2026

    Let’s go lesbians!

    Our debut kicks off with Olivia and Viola from Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night (Or What You Will).

    Chapters:

    (0:45): Introduction

    (1:50): Scene Context

    (2:50): Act 3 Scene 1 Read

    (7:24): Analysis

    (9:10): Kirsten’s Thou/Thine Breakdown

    (23:28): Act 3 Scene 4 Cold Read

    (26:58): Rubie’s Directorial Concepts

    Read Along:

    Twelfth Night: Act 3 Scene 1 ⁠https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/twelfth-night/read/3/1/#line-3.1.97⁠

    Twelfth Night: Act 3 Scene 4

    ⁠https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/twelfth-night/read/3/4/#line-3.4.209⁠

    "We'll put this in the description:"

    Shakespeare, W. (2017) Twelfth Night. Royal Shakespeare Company.
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    32 mins
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