Why Shakespeare Still Matters

Title - Why Shakespeare Still Matters

Speaker - Elyse Sharp, Co-Host of the podcast, Shakespeare Anyone?

Location - Tandem Coffee & Wine in East Sacramento

Details:

Long before he was a literary icon, William Shakespeare was a man living through a period of massive cultural and economic upheaval that is similar to our current reality. Feudalism was giving way to a powerful merchant class, a booming publishing industry dramatically changed the way people consumed information, and a growing right-wing authoritarian movement challenged artistic expression. We’ll dive into the historical reality of the 16th century: a world of rising rents, declining wages, and intense competition for entertainment, and explore how a glove-maker’s son from Stratford-upon-Avon managed to build a successful life as a playwright and leave an indelible mark on the world. 

This lecture will move beyond the myth to examine William Shakespeare, the man, in the context of the political and social structures of Elizabethan England. Sharp will break down how those structures shaped his work, and why understanding this context is critical for engaging his work today. Join us for a smart, no-nonsense look at how Shakespeare’s world shaped our own, and why his incredible body of work continues to captivate audiences across the globe. You’ll leave this lecture with a new understanding and context that will forever change the way you experience Shakespeare’s work.

Elyse Sharp is an actor, producer, and Shakespeare scholar based in Sacramento. She's been obsessed with Shakespeare since age nine, when an episode of the PBS children's show Wishbone inspired her to rewrite Romeo and Juliet for a fourth grade class project. She is the co-host and co-producer of Shakespeare Anyone?, a podcast dedicated to making Shakespeare accessible to everyone--minus the bardolatry. Ranked as a Top 50 Performing Arts Podcast, Shakespeare Anyone? was recently awarded the 2026 Shakespeare Publics Award from the Shakespeare Association of America, the leading organization for the advancement of Shakespeare scholarship in the United States. In Sacramento, Elyse has built a theatre career as a performer, director, teaching artist, playwright, and producer working at both B Street Theatre and Capital Stage.

She holds a BA in Theatre and Communication Arts from Whittier College and has served as a dramaturg, private Shakespeare instructor, acting coach, and guest lecturer on Shakespeare at high schools and colleges across California. She has a lifelong goal to perform in every play of Shakespeare's canon at least once; she's currently at 17. For more about Elyse, visit elysesharp.com or to listen to Shakespeare Anyone?, visit shakespeareanyone.com or look for it on all major podcast platforms.

Tandem is a coffee shop by day and a bar by night. They have rotating beers on tap as well as a large selections of wines by the glass. They will have food for sale during this event as well. 

All Common Knowledge events are 21+

Schedule:

6pm - Doors Open - grab a drink and mingle. We'll have trivia questions on the screen and some surprises

6:45pm - Program begins with an intro & prize giveaway

7pm - Lecture begins

7:45pm - Q&A

8pm - Have some wine and meet the speaker, mingle, hang out

9pm - You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here

What to Expect:

Common Knowledge is Sacramento's new bar lecture series. 

At Common Knowledge we believe that learning something new is the most rewarding and fun thing you can do. We're about bringing diverse people and ideas together to have a great time.

This event is open seating so come at 6pm to to grab a drink and a seat. Before the lecture we'll have music and trivia questions on the screen. We'll also have a fun, low pressure "side quest"  so you can win a free drink. 

The lecture will last for 45 minutes and are made for an intelligent, general audience so you don't need any science background to have a great time. After the lecture, there will be 20 minutes for Q&A and then the bar will be open for another hour to hang out, meet the speaker, and discuss the ideas you just heard.

The bar will close at 9pm.

 Parking:

Tandem has an attached parking lot and there is a parking garage next door that’s open to the public. There is also ample street parking on N Street around the corner.

Policies:

All Common Knowledge events are 21+

No hidden ticket fees. The price you see is the price you pay. Period.

Change your mind? Cancellation is easy. Just hit the "manage tickets" button on the top right corner of this page. You may cancel your ticket for a full refund up to 48 hours before the event.

Orders of 6 tickets or more need to contact our customer service team in order to cancel. 

We treat our guests like family so if there is anything you need, just get in touch: info@cklectures.com

Accessibility: We strive to make all of our lectures 100% accessible for everyone. If you have specific accessibility needs please email us at least 72 hours ahead of the lecture to plan to attend: info@cklectures.com

Students! We offer a student discount - just email info@cklectures.com from your university email address and we'll send you a discount code.

Common Knowledge is for everyone! If you want to attend an event but can't afford a full price ticket we have you covered. Just email us at info@cklectures.com and we'll help you out.

Way to go, you know everything there is to know about this event. So what are you waiting for? Buy a ticket already!

Come Drink With Us & Think With Elyse Sharp