Welcome to the October Episode of the Teen Take Shax Miscellany! Halloween is coming up and A Teenager’s Take on Shakespeare is getting into the spooky spirit with Ellicia Elliot in this bewitching conversation. In this episode, we discuss ghosts, spirits, witches, and all the unholy terrors Shakespeare crammed his theatre with across his impressive career (well, as many as we could, at least). Ellicia Elliott (she/her) is the Founding Artistic Director of The Rude Mechanicals, Eastern Washington State’s premier Shakespeare theatre company. She holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Idaho, an MA in Theatre Production, and a BA in Language Arts and Theatre Arts Education, both from Central Washington University. Her most recent work includes serving as dramaturg and directing consultant for Lauren Gunderson's A Room in the Castle (a new take on Hamlet, from the points of view of Gertrude and Ophelia), directing Shakespeare's As You Like It and The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse (The Rude Mechanicals), Ada and the Engine by Lauren Gunderson (Walla Walla University), and Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors (Woodward Shakespeare Festival, Fresno, California). In the Summer of 2020, Ellicia produced Idris Goodwin's FREE PLAY: Open Source Scripts Toward an Antiracist Tomorrow and created an online season for The Rude Mechanicals, available on YouTube, of new works and Shakespeare-inspired pieces focusing on equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Before starting The Rude Mechanicals, Ellicia directed over fifty productions in educational theatre programs, community theatres, juvenile justice centers, and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Ellicia is currently a curriculum consultant for middle school and high school theatre educators. She is a proud member of artEquity and the Educational Theatre Association (EDTA). Ellicia's newest role in theatre education is as an adjudicator/respondent for organizations such as EDTA and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). Recognitions for Ellicia's work include Directors Lab West (2020), Shakespeare's Globe Directing Studio (2016), artEquity Facilitator Training with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (2015), the Teaching Artist Training (TAT) Lab Fellowship with Seattle Rep (2011), The Outstanding Educator award (2014), two Educational Outreach awards (2008, 2012), and Outstanding Direction of a Musical (2008), all from The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, and the Theatre of Puget Sound’s Young Playwright’s Award (2001). You can find Ellicia on Twitter at @ElliciaElliott, on Instagram at @ellicia_elliott and on her website elliciaelliott.com. Don’t forget to check out A Teenager’s Take on Shakespeare at @TeenTakeShax on Twitter and @ateenagerstakeonshakespeare on Instagram, and please do rate the show. Enjoy!