EL Education Curriculum

from the ebook,"The Shakespeare Authorship Question" "The Shakespeare Authorship Question: A Crackpot's View" is a quick, fun read that will leave you wondering why schools and colleges aren't teaching both sides of the Shakespeare story. I am a "crackpot." More accurately, I have a "psychological aberration." I am also "ignorant," "a snob" and "a publicity hound." I "have a poor sense of logic," "refuse to accept evidence," and am possibly, "certifiably mad." Who calls me (and people like me) by those terms? The Shakespeare Birth Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Why? Because I question whether the man from Stratford wrote the famous plays and poems. And even crazier, I contend that to many teachers and professors, Shakespeare has become a religion, and most schools would no more question Shakespeare’s authorship than the Vatican would question Jesus Christ’s divinity. There exists an impressive army of "crackpots" who doubt the traditional story of Shakespeare: Mark Twain, Sigmund Freud, James Joyce, Orson Welles, John Gielgud, Derek Jacobi, Michael York, Vanessa Redgrave, Jeremy Irons, Mark Rylance, former U.S. Supreme Court Justices John Paul Stevens and Sandra Day O’Connor, and the great writer and critic Henry James, who wrote: “I am haunted by the conviction that the divine William is the biggest and most successful fraud!” Whether the man from Stratford did or did not write the famous plays and poems, all students have a right to know, as Smithsonian Magazine has stated, “There are no original manuscripts. Not so much as a couplet written in Shakespeare's own hand has been proven to exist. In fact, there's no hard evidence that Will Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon (1564-1616), revered as the greatest author in the English language, could even write a complete sentence.” This Smithsonian statement proves nothing, but it is information students must have before they can decide if there is indeed a Shakespeare Authorship Question worth investigating. "A Crackpot’s View" is one man’s attempt to bring critical thinking to an important subject. Strange that one has to be a “crackpot” to do it. This work is an absolute must for all lovers of Shakespeare, and believers in critical thinking! About the Author. Keir Cutler has a Ph.D. in theater from Wayne State University in Detroit, and a playwriting diploma from the National Theater School of Canada. He is a signatory of and videospokesman for the "Declaration of Reasonable Doubt About the Identity of William Shakespeare." Playwright/performer of eight solo theater plays, including the multiple-award-winning, "Teaching Shakespeare: A Parody," and an adaptation of Mark Twain's "Is Shakespeare Dead?" Keir has performed his works across Canada, in New York City and other American cities. Four of his solo shows are on video and have been broadcasted by BRAVO!/CANADA. He is also the author of the hit two-actor comedy, "Teaching Hamlet." Keir Cutler has been called "a masterful entertainer," (Winnipeg Free Press) "a marvel to watch," (Toronto Sun) "formidably delightful," (Off-Off Broadway Review, New York) "blisteringly funny," (Hour, Montreal) "a real theatrical gift," (Ottawa Citizen) "a phenomenal performer," (winnipegonstage.com) "supremely witty," (Edmonton Journal) "a penetrating presence," (Backstage, New York) "consistently intelligent," (CBC, Edmonton) "one of solo theatre's superstars." (Montreal Gazette) www.keircutler.com