THE Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) has launched its YouTube Channel featuring works by and inspired by English poet and playwright William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare in the Time of COVID is online series celebrating the works of William Shakespeare, in commemoration to the renowned poet and playwright’s 404th death anniversary on April 23, 1616.

The series includes Sonnets & Songs, a reading of Shakespeare’s sonnets and their reimagining into Filipino songs. Participating artists include Michael Williams, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Noel Cabangon, Myke Salomon, and Bituin Escalante. The series culminates with the streaming of Ron Capinding’s 2011 play William, directed by Maribel Legarda.

Set in a high school in Metro Manila, the story focuses on five young students who are forced to study Shakespeare’s plays by their terror class adviser. While studying, the students realize the beauty of Shakespeare’s works and also re-discover themselves through the Bard’s characters.

The show features 10 original rap songs composed by Jeff Hernandez and choreographed by John Tan.

William won Outstanding Play, Outstanding Ensemble Performance in a Play, and Outstanding Original Script at the 2011 Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards.

Viewers can access the free 72-hour livestream of William on PETA’s YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/petatheateronline) starting April 26, 7 p.m.

Sessions of PETA’s Let Get Creative! online workshops, which stream live every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and highlights of #TalkTuesdays, which stream live every Tuesday on PETA’s Facebook page, will be available after the livestreams at the PETA YouTube channel.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/PETATHEATER/. — MAPS

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