MERRY WIVES
By William Shakespeare
Adapted by Jocelyn Bioh
Directed by Saheem Ali
MERRY WIVES, a fresh and joyous adaptation by Jocelyn Bioh of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by our Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali.
Set in South Harlem, amidst a vibrant and eclectic community of West African immigrants, MERRY WIVES is a New York story about tricks of the heart, performed in the heart of the City—Central Park’s magical Delacorte Theater. A raucous spinoff featuring the Bard’s most beloved comic characters, this hilarious farce tells the story of the trickster Falstaff and the wily wives who outwit him in a new celebration of Black joy, laughter, and vitality.
Dive deeper into all things MERRY WIVES:
- Educational K-12 materials surrounding topics such as representation on stage, community spaces in NYC, decolonizing Shakespearean language, and more.
- Watch the cast name their favorite lines from the show
- Hear from Jocelyn Bioh, Saheem Ali, Jacob Ming-Trent and more about how they worked to make Shakespeare's comedy resonate with modern audiences.