William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564, and his birth is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The facts of his life, known from surviving documents, are sparse. He died on April 23, 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.
Peter Holland (editor) was director of the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon, and a professor of Shakespeare studies at the University of Birmingham. He is now McMeel Family Chair of Shakespeare Studies at the University of Notre Dame.