New Mural Outside Shakespeare Tavern Imagines “What We May Be” … with a Twist
11/06/2025
BY BRIAN CARR
The Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse has been a mainstay for arts and culture in Midtown since 1989 when the company moved to Midtown from Manuel's Tavern. The building on Peachtree Street has undergone renovations to the interior and exterior over the years.
“In this day and age, finding authentic places with a soul is incredibly valuable and heart opening,” said Jeanette Meierhofer, Assistant to the Artistic Director at Shakespeare Tavern. “It's an honor to be able to perform Shakespeare, one of the world's most famous poets and playwrights, on Peachtree Street. We couldn't think of a better, more centralized location for people to gather from all over the city and state.”
The venue hosts over 35,000 attendees annually. And Shakespeare Tavern’s production team has a talent for winning over skeptics. After a show, Meierhofer said it's not uncommon for her to hear from guests — who claim they didn't like Shakespeare in school — about how relatable the actors made his text. And how fun, emotional, and sometimes bawdy he can be.
"Plus, we serve beer and food," she said.
Seeing Potential in the Blank Wall Surrounded by Bright Murals
Local artist Demetri Burke is very familiar with the area because he worked next door in a studio space as a Midtown Alliance artist-in-residence and created another mural nearby with fellow artist-in-residence Sayma Hossain. And yet another artist-in-residence alumna, Patricia Hernandez, created a mural of her own on this same block. Over the past few years, the entire block has become more colorful and inviting on the strength of creative partnerships between Midtown Alliance, property owners, and Atlanta artists.
Burke remembers reading Shakespeare in high school, and his affinity for the 1990s film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet that director Baz Luhrmann made into a cult classic. And when he had some downtime between his projects, he started thinking about the unmet potential of that blank wall on the Tavern’s exterior.
“I wanted to create something that sparked my interest in Shakespeare the same way it did when I was a teenager,” Burke said. “And I thought about the story of Hamlet. In itself, it’s a tragedy. But so much richness can be pulled out of the dialog. And that's what I saw in Ophelia's text.”
“What We May Be”
In the story, Ophelia’s character provides some much-needed counterweight to Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be, that is the question” line when she offers that “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”
According to Burke, “reading that line and thinking about the potential that a person can have, and focusing on the goodness of that potential, the discovery of that potential, the wonder of that potential, it felt like the right message for this project.”
So, how would a person who’s intimately familiar with Ophelia’s character interpret that memorable line? We connected with Gabi Anderson — the actress in Shakespeare Tavern’s performing company who plays Ophelia in the upcoming production of Hamlet — to get her perspective.
“I like to think Ophelia brings out the good in Hamlet, which makes it even more heartbreaking when things turn,” Anderson said.
She sets the context that Ophelia has lost her father, her relationship, and seemingly all hope — and is trying to make sense of her world.
“Upon first read, her text can seem very unhinged and nonsensical,” Anderson said. “But I think Ophelia’s line can intentionally be interpreted as either hopeful or falling into despair.”
A Closer Look at Burke’s Version of Ophelia
Burke described the novelty of creating work outside on the street, having to plan around changes in the weather, and getting encouragement from passersby as he climbed onto a mechanical lift to paint.
“It just made me remember all the incredible connections I had with Midtown Alliance,” Burke said. “This feels really special to me because it's something I've developed from the ground up.”
Look closely at Burke’s mural and you’ll see a modern-day interpretation of Ophelia, sporting an Atlanta Braves baseball cap and carrying flowers – pansies, which her character gives out for remembrance in the story.
“She's smiling, she's carrying flowers,” Burke said. “It's like she's walking down the street, and you're catching her in this scene where she shares your glance for just a second, and then you pass by it.”
Burke also noted that the pose his Ophelia assumes pays homage to the classic Vermeer painting of the Girl with a Pearl Earring, but with a twist:
“I also added gold bamboo hoops that feels representative of my own culture, being in Atlanta, being a Black person in America,” Burke said.
The message in Burke’s mural and his optimistic interpretation of Ophelia's line is profound. Meierhofer, the Shakespeare Tavern assistant to the artistic director, said Burke’s mural project resonates with her colleagues so much because “... to know that young people are still inspired by Shakespeare’s words solidifies our belief that Shakespeare is for the people, and that language matters to us all.”
Know Before You Go
Find meaning in Midtown’s newest mural. Grab a photo. Then head inside an Atlanta institution with your friends to see a first-class theatrical production. The Shakespeare Tavern is open 51 weeks out of the year and typically offers a different production every month.
Shakespeare Tavern
499 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30308