Shakespearean Lessons in Racism

Two organizations are teaming up this week to use William Shakespeare to fight bigotry, bias and racism.

Shakespeare Festival/LA, a nonprofit theater group, and the National Conference group, a nonsectarian race-relations organization, are working with 50 youths at Cal State Los Angeles to develop three original plays based on themes from the Bard’s work. The plays will be based on themes from “Romeo and Juliet,” “Othello” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The youths, between 15 and 19, come from inner-city neighborhoods and from areas such as Beverly Hills and Brentwood. They are writing and rehearsing the plays that they will perform at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Cal State Los Angeles Theater. Admission is free.

“Young people need to work with people who are different because their lives are going to depend on how they get along with others,” said Lori Nelson, director of programs at the National Conference, formerly known as the National Conference of Christians and Jews.