THE SYT LAB: JAMES JOYCE'S SHAKESPEARE

A staged-reading

Directed by Lukas Brasherfons, created and conceived by the 2025 SYT Lab

November 24th, 2025, 7 PM, at the James S. and John L. Knight Theater, located within the Playwrights' Center's new home:

710 Raymond Ave, St Paul, MN 55114

This year's SYT Lab has used as its basis 'Scylla and Charybdis', the ninth chapter of James Joyce's Ulysses, sometimes called the greatest novel of the 20th century. 

In the midst of the book, young writer and intellectual Stephen Dedalus holds court at a literary salon, and offers his theory that within the works of Shakespeare we can find the author's own biography: one of scandal, drama, and intrigue. While Stephen's claims may be historically dubious (he claims that Anne Hathaway cheated on Shakespeare with Shakespeare's brother...), they lead to a fascinating and revealing exploration of how artists use the work of William Shakespeare to create their own autobiography.

Join the SYT Lab for a wholly new staged reading based off Joyce's episode, and be prepared to dive into the deepest, most fundamental reasons as to why humans make art. 

NOTE: This staged-reading will run 90 minutes, with no intermission, and contain mature themes and langauge.

The NEW Playwrights' Center is located at 710 Raymond Ave, St Paul, MN 55114.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.