397: Zombies and Shakespeare (with Melody Bates)

Was Shakespeare writing about zombies? What if Romeo & Juliet were transformed at the end of the play rather than just dying? We’re joined by playwright and creator Melody Bates to talk about her love and frustration with Shakespeare, her acting origins, and translating fashion and folklore into performance.    Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of blood, gore, misogyny, death, suicide, disease, and violence.     Guest Melody Bates (she/they) is a native Oregonian actor and writer based in Red Hook, Brooklyn. She is a queer femme creatrix whose award-winning work includes the plays R & J & Z and AVALON, and the Enchanted Islands Project. She is a versatile and talented actor who works in stage and film in a wide array of genres. Find out more about her work at https://www.melodybates.com    Housekeeping - Recommendation: This week, Amanda recommends Capital B News. - Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at https://spiritspodcast.com/books - Call to Action: Check out Exolore!   Sponsors - United by Blue, creators of sustainable apparel and outdoor gear. Use code spirits for 20% off at https://unitedbyblue.com - Naked Wines is a subscription service that sends you a box of the market's best-quality wines for a fraction of the price you’d normally pay in stores. To get Naked Wines’ 6 bottle for $39.99 offer, head to NakedWines.com/SPIRITS and use code SPIRITS for both the code AND password.   Find Us Online - Website & Transcripts: https://spiritspodcast.com - Patreon: https://patreon.com/spiritspodcast - Merch: https://spiritspodcast.com/merch - Instagram: https://instagram.com/spiritspodcast - Twitter: https://twitter.com/spiritspodcast - Tumblr: https://spiritspodcast.tumblr.com - Goodreads: https://goodreads.com/group/show/205387   Cast & Crew - Co-Hosts: Julia Schifini and Amanda McLoughlin - Editor: Bren Frederick - Music: Brandon Grugle, based on "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod - Artwork: Allyson Wakeman - Multitude: https://multitude.productions   About Us Spirits is a boozy podcast about mythology, legends, and folklore. Every episode, co-hosts Julia and Amanda mix a drink and discuss a new story or character from a wide range of places, eras, and cultures. Learn brand-new stories and enjoy retellings of your favorite myths, served over ice every week, on Spirits.