William Shakespeare, thief and genius. "Borrowing" other people's stories, he used his unparalleled way with words to craft those stories into timeless plays. And in those plays, he hid countless secrets: references to mythology, popular music, and secret instructions for his actors.

This collection of essays by author and actor David Blixt explores every secret hidden in Shakespeare's most-read play, Romeo & Juliet, revealing everything from Shakespeare's source material to his performance tips to his actors. From The Juliet Trap to The Window Scene, Blixt turns every misconception about the play on its head, returning to the text to find great humor, and through that humor, greater tragedy.

He also posits a never-before-heard origin to the famous Capulet-Montague feud, an idea hidden in the text that sparked Blixt's acclaimed Star-Cross'd series of novels.