William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, England to Mary Arden and John Shakespeare. Historical evidence strongly suggests John Shakespeare could not read or write.

Will was the third of eight children and received a free boyhood education because of his father's position as alderman. Indications in his later writing suggest that as a kid Shakespeare enjoyed football, field sports and arguing with the referees. The Shakespeare's were comfortable, but not aristocrats by any means. By the time William was fifteen the family's fortunes were in decline. Business was bad. This just meant that when Will came of age. he had to work for a living.

Obviously, there were not a lot of entertainment options at the time. Books were not in wide circulation and anyone with half a brain could only take so much of that crappy recorder music and those inane puppet shows - so Shakespeare had the brilliant idea of becoming an actor. Theatrical troupes of Elizabethan England were kind of like the garage bands of their time. Actors would often write their own plays improvise lines and dress up in drag. It wasn't unusual for them to rave for hours, or to bore their friends into oblivion. Incontrovertible historical evidence strongly suggests actors of Shakespeare's times would regularly trash inns, drink heavily, chase locals and generally wreak havoc. When Will was eighteen he fell in love with Anne Hathaway. After the requisite amount of head-banging they were married.

Aside from the birth of his children, little is known about Shakespeare between 1582 and 1592, except that he built a career as an actor and eventually became an established and popular member of the London theatre circuit. Shakespeare's play writing success began with historical works. Between 1590 and 1593 he wrote "Henry Vl, Parts 1, 2, and 3," "Richard III" and "A Comedy of Errors." "Romeo and Juliet" was written around 1594-1595. Shakespeare had the rhymes. Everyone knew it. In fact, he used cadences we're still hearing today to reinforce some of this most important concepts and lines. As his fame and success grew Shakespeare was able to buy the second-largest house in Stratford, called New Place, a cottage and garden nearby, and 107 acres of soccer field. In about 1611, Shakespeare retired permanently to Stratford, having earned the status of "gentleman." After writing many successful tragedies and comedies, he finished as he started, with a historical play, "Henry VIII."

He died young -- on his 52nd birthday. William Shakespeare was buried at Trinity Church in Stratford as an honored citizen. On his tombstone is carved a rather wry inscription:

"Good Friend, for Jesus's sake forbear
To dig the dust enclosed here.
Blest be the man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he who moves my bones."