In A Midsummer Night's Dream, the fairy king, Oberon, is angry with his wife, Titania. He enlists the help of a mischievous sprite named Puck to get back at her. Oberon's plan goes awry when Puck makes some foolish mistakes with the enchantments. Four humans find themselves mixed up in the strange and confusing events that night in the woods.
In The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, a cruel manipulation turns tragic. Othello, a Moor serving as a general in the Venetian army, passes over Iago for a promotion. Iago gets angry and decides to get back at Othello. First, Iago spreads the rumor that Othello kidnapped his new bride, Desdemona. He is betting that Venetian society, with its prejudices against the dark-skinned Moors, will want to believe such a lie. When that fails, Iago plots to convince Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful. This time, Iago's evil plan succeeds in ruining lives, including his own.
In The Tragedy of Macbeth, three witches tell a general that he is destined to become King of Scotland. The general, Macbeth, becomes fixated on this prophecy. He and his wife decide to take matters into their own hands. At Lady Macbeth's urging, Macbeth begins murdering his way to the throne. When the pair finally gets what they want, they cannot enjoy it. Instead, they are crazed with guilt and paranoia.
In Child Labor and the Industrial Revolution, two sisters work in a linen mill under horrible conditions. Years later, the girls, now women, are about to receive an honor for an interview with the National Child Labor Committee.
Two African American students decide to join the Freedom Riders organized by the Congress of Racial Equality to protest the Jim Crow laws that deny African Americans the same rights as white people. When the Freedom Riders are beaten by angry mobs in the streets, the governor and the attorney general are forced to get involved.
Henry McArdle uncovers disagreement as he researches the Battle of the Alamo by meeting with exiled Mexican President, Santa Anna, and Susanna Dickinson, the widow of a Texan officer slain in the battle. You be the judge as you step back in time to the brutal clash.
The fight to change the law to allow women to vote was called the Suffrage Movement. Those who joined this fight were called suffragists. Many brave suffragists organized groups, gave speeches, and held marches and parades. It took women almost 150 years to get the right to vote. This is the story of how they did it.
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is the tragic true story of the betrayal and assassination of Roman ruler Julius Caesar in 44 BC. After successfully conquering much of the ancient world, Caesar is invited to lead the Roman Empire. Cassius and other members of the Roman senate fear that Caesar will become a power-hungry dictator. They decide Caesar must be stopped. They enlist Caesar's trusted friend, Brutus, to help murder the leader as a patriotic act for the good of Rome.
In The Taming of the Shrew, a wealthy man named Baptista wants to marry off his daughters. His youngest daughter, Bianca, is beautiful, demure, and eager to become someone's wife. His older daughter, Kate, is beautiful, but she is ill-tempered and defiant. Baptista makes a rule that before Bianca can marry, Kate must marry. Bianca's suitors set to work finding a brave man to marry Kate.
Follow the struggles, hardships, and tragedies of two immigrant families—an Italian Catholic family and a Russian Jewish family from their arrival at Ellis Island in 1914 until they become United States citizens five years later.
Follow the life of slave Sojourner Truth and her family as they face one difficult hardship after another at the hands of cruel slave masters. Despite numerous hardships, Sojourner, through her faith and determination, is able to win an important personal battle and ultimately help others by becoming a public speaker.
In Cold War: Communism on Trial, Jude Hill is called before the House Un-American Activities Committee to prove he is not an enemy of his country. He is willing to testify about his patriotic background as well as his membership in the Communist Party, but adamantly refuses to implicate anyone else in his testimony. Find out what happens when the hearing concludes.
