If you wonder how Shakespeare stays relevant four centuries after he wrote his plays, take a look at some of his tragedies, such as Macbeth or Hamlet. There were madmen and women in power, and as unimaginable as it would seem, the same is happening today, right here, right now.
Innocent Americans are being shot on the streets by bands of agents with no respect for constitutional rights or human kindness. A mad king has knocked down part of the White House with no oversight or permission, while accusing a guy on a bicycle of vandalizing the reflecting pool with zero evidence or credibility.
“Madness in great ones must not unwatch’d go,” says Hamlet’s King Claudius and if you don’t see a daily dose of madness in the news, you aren’t paying attention.
Never would I have thought we would be living in an age like Shakespeare’s kings, but here we are. No coincidence that the anti-administration protests are called No Kings days, because we are seeing king-like misbehavior every day.
There are great lessons to be learned from the plays Santa Cruz Shakespeare is putting on this season, as unveiled in our cover story by Christina Waters, which is why the Bard is still studied and still entertaining.
One thing you’ll get from her story is a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what the directors are thinking and how they’ve made important decisions about the plays. You won’t find that anywhere else.
Added note: there are two special Scotch tastings at the shows on July 17 and Aug 27, adding some spice to Macbeth.
And, I know I say this all the time, but it deserves to be said: how lucky are we in one of the smallest counties in the state, to have a stunning, professional theater company bringing these plays and others to life? Find me another city the size of Santa Cruz, population 61,000 with this kind of culture. They are rare.
And to put a point on it: next week’s cover is about the Cabrillo Music Festival held here, which is an internationally recognized forum for experimental music. Again, we live in such an extraordinary place.
Also, congratulations to those working to bring people to the Seabright neighborhood by the Harbor, which is being threatened by the closure of the Murray Street Bridge. Organizers have put on a parade and now a movie night and shopping to keep the neighborhood alive.
Thanks for reading.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
WHALE, WHALE, WHALE Taken on a boat in Monterey Bay. Photograph by Susan Japinga, Aptos.
GOOD IDEA
Santa Cruz Public Libraries is excited to welcome former Simpsons and King of the Hill artist Carlos Nieto III to the Aptos Branch Library and invites artists of all abilities, ages 12-18 to join us for a free “Anime Your Way” drawing workshop on Sunday, July 26 at 1pm in the Betty Leonard Community Room.
Nieto III will teach a comprehensive, step-by-step program in which participants create and modify an anime character from scratch. This workshop is part of the Summer Reading Program and invites young people to join in and explore their creativity. No prior experience is required. Space is limited and registration is required. To register for the Aptos Branch Library workshop visit: santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/16116863
GOOD WORK
Bike Santa Cruz County will host a media conference to present the findings of its second annual countywide survey of cycling in the county, July 16 at 4 pm at the Community Room of the Downtown Branch.
The survey received 743 responses from residents across the county, nearly three times the participation in the organization’s 2025 survey. Respondents included people who bike for transportation, recreation, exercise, errands, school, family trips, and connections to transit.
The findings point to a consistent problem: many people want to bike, but the county’s network remains stressful, fragmented, and difficult to use from beginning to end.
“People who bike every day, recreational riders, families, e-bike users, and people who would ride more if they felt safer are all pointing to the same problems: fast traffic, close passing, missing connections, difficult crossings, and routes that suddenly stop,” said Mikey Cohen, chair of Bike Santa Cruz County.
