Welcome to Author Insights! Ever wonder what goes on in the mind of a playwright? In this series, you get a rare and exciting opportunity to hear directly from the authors themselves. Each article offers personal insights from the playwright, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, character motivations, and thematic explorations that bring their scripts to life.
Below, you’ll find a downloadable blog post offering valuable insights directly from the author of To Thine Own Self Be True. The downloaded PDF also includes supplemental classroom activities to help you connect the play’s themes and characters with your students.
Be sure to download this resource by clicking the button above!
We’re thrilled to share the latest installment in our Author Insights series—a heartfelt reflection from playwright Shannon Chinn on how To Thine Own Self Be True began not just as a script, but as a way to survive a season of overwhelming grief and change.
In this piece, Making Shakespeare Personal, Chinn recounts how the early days of the pandemic coincided with her father’s leukemia diagnosis and the cancellation of a long-awaited production of Hamlet. What emerged from that time was a powerful new play, rooted in Shakespeare but resonating deeply with contemporary teenage life. Through humor, heartbreak, and a literal talking skull, To Thine Own Self Be True gives students a way to grapple with grief, identity, and growing up.
Whether you’re a teacher helping students connect with the classics, a director looking to understand a character’s emotional arc, or simply a theatre lover curious about what goes on in the playwright’s mind, this Script Insight offers a moving glimpse behind the curtain.