William Shakespeare was a glover’s son, born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England in 1564. He worked in the London theater, primarily for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later The King’s Men) as an actor, a playwright, and company co-owner. During his lifetime, he achieved renown as a poet and sonneteer and was especially celebrated for his long poem, Venus and Adonis. In the 400 years since his passing, Shakespeare has become widely acknowledged as the greatest dramatist of human change and is frequently referred to by the honorific moniker, The Bard. Professor Harold Bloom found the depictions of self-overhearing and psychological change in Shakespeare’s characters so irresistibly definitive that he dubbed Shakespeare the “inventor” of the modern human personae, arguing that the Bard had, in effect, held the mirror up to modern mankind. Shakespeare’s theatrical work comprises histories, comedies, tragedies, and includes a mature, later style, often blending elements of different genres. The Tempest and The Winter’s Tale—considered romances, or later, tragicomedies—are key examples of this late style. Shakespeare’s work has inspired countless professional and amateur theater companies and has provided grist for the great mill of human stagecraft for nearly every season of the half-millennium since his passing.  #ReigningChamp