Southside Shakespeare SocietyJoin

A Malik Yusef project · South Side Chicago

From theGlobeto theblock.

Shakespeare's timeless classics, retold in the raw poetry of South Side Chicago, where every word carries the weight of street wisdom.

Join the SocietyRead the vision
The words Southside Shakespeare Society painted in gold graffiti letters on a brick wall under a glowing street lamp at night.
  • Romeo & Juliet
  • Hamlet
  • Macbeth
  • Othello
  • King Lear
  • Julius Caesar
  • The Tempest
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream
  • Much Ado About Nothing
  • Twelfth Night
  • Antony & Cleopatra
  • Richard III
  • The Merchant of Venice
  • Coriolanus

The Vision

This isn't just adaptation. It's a cultural revolution.

We're reimagining Shakespeare through the lens of South Side Chicago, where every story pulses with the life of the city right now.

We're building a bridge between the Globe Theatre and the corner of 79th and Cottage Grove, proving that poetry lives wherever passion dwells.

  1. Act I

    Adapt the classics

    Shakespeare's timeless works, transformed into South Side stories.

  2. Act II

    Bring them to life

    Film, series and graphic novels that put the stories in front of the world.

  3. Act III

    Build the culture

    Fashion, collectibles and live experiences you can wear, hold and walk into.

A young Black couple, foreheads touching, in an alley of teal and gold graffiti lit by a single street lamp.

The first play

Romeo & JulietSouth Side Royalty

PrologueTwo families, both alike in dignity, ruling different corners of the city, where love knows no boundaries.

  • I

    Urban royalty

    Two houses, two corners, one city. The feud is old. The love is new.

  • II

    Raw storytelling

    Shakespeare's poetry meets Malik Yusef's voice: something entirely new, and somehow familiar.

  • III

    Legacy & loss

    The eternal themes of love and sacrifice, told through the life of the city today.

An orange-and-black painted portrait of a woman in profile, eyes closed, her hair flowing in waves.

The Works

One story, every stage.

Each adaptation lives everywhere you do: in your hands, on the stage, on the screen and on your back.

  1. 01

    Books & literature

    Modern adaptations as novels, graphic novels and poetry collections, in print and digital.

  2. 02

    Stage & screen

    Theatrical productions that grow into film and series, made for audiences everywhere.

  3. 03

    Fashion

    High-end apparel inspired by the characters and their worlds, online and at live events.

  4. 04

    Collectibles

    Limited-edition pieces and accessories that turn readers into walking ambassadors.

The Poet

Malik Yusef

Grammy-winning poet, lyricist and creative visionary

Malik Yusef's voice was shaped on the South Side of Chicago and carried around the world through poetry, music and film.

In Shakespeare he finds kin: a fearless way with language, a devotion to rhythm and truth, and a willingness to go to the depths of what it means to be human. The Society is his bridge between the classics and the voices of today.

“Shakespeare was always speaking our language.”

An illustrated portrait of Malik Yusef in sunglasses, a durag and a leather jacket in front of the Society's graffiti wall.

Join the Society

The stage is set. The story is waiting.

Be first to hear about the books, the stage and the drops, starting with Romeo & Juliet. Artists, theaters, Shakespeare societies, brands and press are all welcome at the table.

  • The cultureHip-hop heads and lovers of the word.
  • The next generationNew readers meeting the classics for the first time.
  • The worldLove, loss and legacy translate everywhere.
southsideshakespearesociety@gmail.com @southsideshakespearesociety

Sign the guest book

I am · choose one

We use your details only to reply and to keep you posted.