No Jacket Required

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

In the Summer of 2008, three Shakespearean actors came together in NYC to attempt the impossible: to perform The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged.

After an extremely successful run that propelled the group to stardom, the group split up at the height of their celebrity. Going their separate ways, the group has not worked with each other since the tumultuous break up, leaving scores of fans disappointed and wondering what could have caused this to happen. No Jacket Required has tracked down the original members of the NYC performance, to see if they can make the magic happen one more time.

With some sleuthing, a private investigator, and a little bit of blackmail, NJR has tracked down all three original members, and is pleased to announce that we will be bringing back the original St. Mark's cast for your viewing pleasure. Ethan Downing, Darren St. George, and Timothy Dudek have agreed to bring the show across the pond to entertain, alienate and offend as many countries as possible, and not just New Yorkers.

NJR has documented the process and what the actors have been up to since the show closed in a special series, here, called: NJR: Behind the Bard.

Ethan Downing

Since closing the show at UNDER St. Mark's theatre, Ethan has been able to keep himself busy with a number of other Shakespearean roles. Sadly, because of the lack of appreciation for good Shakespearean theatre, coupled with the financial crisis, none of these jobs have paid enough for him to subsist on.

Ethan has been seen on various street corners performing soliloquies for donation and rumaging through dumpsters for food. When asked what his next project was, he responded "I'm starting my own theatre company that will perform all of Shakespeare's History plays with a trained troupe of subway rats. They're really quite talented, you know, they just never get the opportunity to do this kind of work because they are always type cast as something gross running over your feet."

Ethan has not bathed since the last performance of The Complete Works.

Click here to read Ethan's original Abridged Bio.

Darren St. George

Darren has gone on to be the most successful of the troupe members after closing the show in August. Realizing that men's business attire was lacking throughout their run, Darren formed a budding company selling male tights. His affinity for UnderArmor and "giving his boys a home" led him to found the start up GuyTights.

Although obviously rooted in the show, Darren refuses to acknowledge that any of the ideas came from The Complete Works for fear that NJR would demand part of the profits. JockStocks website says:

"There is nothing more manly than feeling comfortable and secure. Reaching back around the Middle Ages, there is a long tradition of men's tights. Mr. St. George is a true visionary, who has illustrated the need for proper layering to correctly protect one's legs from the cold, harsh, biting, New York winters. Commuting by foot and train leaves one subject to the whims of Mother Nature, and if she is having 'one of those weeks' (fellas, you know what we mean) you could be in some serious trouble. Don't risk your boys to the elements, make sure to protect your most valuable assets with a pair of GuyTights."

Recently the company has been diversifying their product, and offering athletic, as well as casual, lines.

Click here to read Darren's original Abridged Bio.

Timothy Dudek

After a sudden rise to fame and fortune, Tim found himself surrounded by a rock star's lifestyle of drugs, booze, and partying common to most Shakespearean actors. Tim quickly learned the perils of the parasitic celebrity world, and after leaving the Church of Scientology, he joined the Priesthood.

Fr. Dudek often talks about his transition during his sermons, saying,"There is only so much meaning you can find at the bottom of a glass of whiskey. I like that I can give back to the community, and hell, I have a guaranteed full house every Sunday!"

Fr. Tim Dudek has since requested that the church install a fly space and a dressing room for his sermons.

Click here to read Tim's original Abridged Bio.

William "Bill" Shakespeare

After his role as script supervisor and historical adivsor, Bill has had the greatest success, artistically, out of the group. He has worked with a number of Hollywood directors and actors such as Kenneth Branaugh, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Fiennes, and that lady who named her daughter after a fruit (Apple, we think it was) on such films like "Ten Things I Hate About You," "O," "Romeo and Juliet," and "Shakespeare in Love: How That Wench Tore My Heart Out but Gave Me a Lot to Write About."

He is currently working on a new TV series with Aaron Sorkin about Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth I's, court and it's inner workings. Stockard Chaning will of course play the Queen, since she is as frigid as they come, while Bradley Whitford will be the one everyone will want to watch.

Click here to read Bill's original Abridged Bio.