Dunno if it’s still true, but in My Day, sophomores in high school had to read Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. I dutifully read it, of course, and I got straight A’s in most subjects in those days so clearly I knew enough about the play to satisfy the teacher (who probably rapped Marcus Antonius over the knuckles for being a wiseass, back in the day).

But I never really appreciated the role of Cassius in the plot. I mean, who would, with almost all the bombastic speeches going to the other guys? Cassius did get quoted, memorably, by Edward R. Murrow, so that’s something–but I bet most people remember the quote (the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings) but not the character who delivered it.

Enter the creative people at Pendant Productions. They do a fantastic lineup of original full cast audio dramas, and they also do Shakespeare. Which is how Cassius re-entered my life, and in a good way. Because the people at Pendant are so creative, they didn’t feel they had to stick with the old ways of doing things when they tackled Shakespeare, so, in this incarnation, Cassius is female.

Me.

I did some acting and some professional voice-over work, back in the day, and when the casting call was anounced for this production, I sent in my auditon for Antonia (yup, gender change for that, too). The director asked me if I’d do Cassius instead, and I said sure. Not realizing that Cassius gets more lines than anyone in Act 1… wowzers.

The production’s complete now. Give it a listen. Find the links at Pendant Production’s Wild Bill Show.

Oh, and if you want to hear more of me (of course you do) check out Phantom Canyon, a rip-roaring horror story that will knock your socks off.

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