A treasured author of Philip Turner Book Productions is Alexis Greene (Emily Mann: Rebel Artist of the American Theater, Applause Books, 2021) who this fall published a fantastic book for which we were proud to arrange publication; it will make an ideal gift for lovers of the Bard, the written word and the theatrical arts. The book is Shakespeare Theatre Company: The History of a Classical Theatre (Peter Randall Publishers, September 2025). It’s a sumptuous, coffee-table book that tells the engaging story of how this nonprofit theatre in Washington, DC, became one of America’s foremost centers for the performing arts. Illustrated with more than 250 dramatic photographs of productions and performers, Greene’s history takes readers from the earliest performances of Shakespeare in America; through the establishment of the Folger Shakespeare Library; the founding of the enthralling Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC); and its current role as a theatre that embraces Shakespeare, as well as other classical playwrights and contemporary dramatists. This unique history was envisioned and commissioned by longtime supporter of the STC, Lawrence Hough to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the company. Ewan Turner and I were honored to edit the text with Alexis Greene, as well.

Shakespeare Theatre Company was recently featured in Washington Unbound, linked to here, and Alexis was interviewed for the same publication in “A Glimpse Behind the Scene of One of Washington’s Finest Theaters.”

Actors and theatre professionals have praised the book, with comments like this:

“I am utterly fascinated by Alexis Greene’s superb account of Washington, D.C. Shakespeare Theatre Company’s existence. She highlights its leadership under five very different artistic directors as well as its operation from small to big physical homes, never failing to convey a vivid personal sense of the actors, directors, and writers that are involved in each decade of its productions. She doesn’t shrink from quoting the good and less-than-good reviews they encountered and gently threads her own feelings about the long-overdue employment of women directors. A volume worthy of a special place on your bookshelf.” Gail Merrifield Papp, author of Public/Private: My Life with Joe Papp at the Public Theater.