author
Bernard Beckerman
1921–1985
A leading voice in Shakespeare studies and modern dramatic theory, this scholar-director helped generations of students and readers think more deeply about how plays work on the page and on the stage.
1 Audiobook
Shakespeare at the Globe, 1599-1609
by Bernard Beckerman
About the author
Born in 1921 and active across both scholarship and production, Bernard Beckerman built a career as a Shakespeare scholar, theatre director, and teacher. Reliable reference sources describe him as a key figure at Hofstra University, where he led the drama department and helped shape its Shakespeare festival, before moving to Columbia University, where he served as Brander Matthews Professor of Dramatic Literature until his death in 1985.
His writing focused on how drama comes alive in performance as well as in text. Among the books most often associated with him are Shakespeare at the Globe and Dynamics of Drama, works that made complex ideas about theatre more usable for students, scholars, and serious playgoers.
Beckerman was also recognized within the wider field of theatre research. Britannica notes that he served as president of the American Society for Theatre Research from 1973 to 1979, reflecting the respect he earned as both an academic leader and a thoughtful interpreter of the stage.