Ten Thousand Things has a singular mission—play to audiences that usually don't have a chance to see theater—and they attack it with gusto. The company performs at prisons, shelters, and community centers. The approach makes for a singular experience for the theater veteran as well. No sets. Minimal props. House lights that stay on throughout the performance. And there's nothing gimmicky about the productions, which hone the theatrical experience to its raw, thrilling core. Ten Thousand Things topped itself at the end of 2009 with a triumphant reading of Othello that showed that Shakespeare can speak to any audience, from the prisoners who live in a world of conflict, jealousy, and violence to the jaded theatergoer not used to seeing the Bard brought home in such a direct, honest way. The company never stops challenging, be it with Endgame, Raskol, the more recent Stones in His Pocket, or the upcoming My Fair Lady. (Yes, that My Fair Lady.)