I am pretty sure I'm going to have too much time trouble to get this done. So feel free to use it as inspiration or just comment.

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It is the far future, and humanity has succumbed to cheap technology and virtual experience. The haves of the great cities consumed by base pleasures, waking from induced dreams only to further secure their privilege. Those without are either slaves within the bounds of the city; or nomads, living out amongst wild nature, away from the city and enslaved by the struggle to survive.

The language has been denuded, and the words which once changed lives have long been forgotten. But great words never lose their power, and the words of the Great Bard were first spoken to shape worlds, and have always caused things that were not, to be.

A small group of faithful humanity have rediscovered this true magic. They wield the words of the Great Bard to sculpt the world to their will.

Shunned as reality seekers by a society that can pipe any visions or sensations directly into the brain, these Players, as they call themselves, quest to find the fabled city of Stratford. Though lost centuries ago somewhere in Eurasia, their prophets say the city still lives, and its magical inhabitants have the secrets of the language of old. If the Literates of Stratford can be found, and brought back from their self-inflicted exile, the prophets say that they will lead humanity to a utopian future where the whole world is once more a stage, and all people are Players.

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Fairly self explanatory except for a note on the magic system, which is based on a simple mechanic: a character can read a line or couplet from the Holy Words of the Great Bard (the Complete Works of Shakespeare), and if their quote matches what they want to do, it is done. The closer the quote matches the situation, the more accurately their will is done. The longer the quote, the more power it has (so long as it is all fitting). For example, the characters fear that their boat will be overwhelmed in a storm. One draws his knife and raises it towards the great curtain of heaven and says "take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them", and the storm is diminished. Once a quotation is used it cannot be used again. Players have access to the Holy Words of the Great Bard at game time. Mining it for powerful spells ahead of time is actively encouraged!

[The name is for the two sub-groups of Players, the Order of the Globe, and the Daughters of the Rose, which also function as character archetypes].

That is a pretty neat idea.

What if each quotation can only be used once, ever. I envision a table stacked high with plays, well-thumbed and all crossed-out. If this had a link to the game-world it could be really powerful - like, the words of the bard are that which must be preserved, but once used they are forgotten, so there's a tension between achieving short-term goals versus long term survival.

Just some thoughts, I hope you manage to find time to flesh out your ideas more!

I love that idea. There is an inherent entropy, as the potency of magic diminishes over time. Cool beans.