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| Cast of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s “Macbeth” |
LEXINGTON, Ky.—Several Transylvania University student groups are partnering for Shakesweek, a three-day festival of events celebrating the birthday of William Shakespeare. Included in the events are two free public performances, on April 25 and 26.
On Thursday, April 25, at 5:30 p.m., the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company will present a post-apocalypse style version of “Macbeth” on the lawn of Old Morrison, Transylvania’s administration building on Third Street. The actors will offer a question and answer session following the performance and there will be blanket space and chairs for audience members.
On Friday, April 26, at 5:30 p.m., there will be “A Night of Shakespeare Scenes and Music,” in Old Morrison chapel featuring scenes from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Julius Caesar” and “Henry V” performed by students in The Transylvania Theatre Guild. The student band The Cowgill Tippers and Transylvania’s a cappella group, TBA, will perform pieces based on Shakespeare’s works.
“This event initially came about because people from the English and theater departments had been talking about how we should collaborate more often, since we’re often studying the same works from different points of view,” said senior Elizabeth Davis, president of Sigma Tau Delta English honorary and organizer of Shakesweek. “What author could be more interdisciplinary than Shakespeare?”
Other activities for students during Shakesweek include a screening of the 1999 film “10 Things I Hate About You,” which is based on Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” and a talk about Shakespeare’s views on leadership by political science professor Michael Cairo. Shakesweek events are sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, The Theatre Guild, the Student Government Association, the Student Activities Board, the Creative Intelligence Series and the humanities and fine arts divisions.
“Shakespeare’s literature is really enjoyable and engaging, but the language and concepts behind his writings can often be foreign to a modern audience,” said Davis. “So we chose to present Shakespeare through film, music, talks and, of course, lots of theater, using innovative angles in order to show how multidimensional his works and legacy are.”
For more information, contact the public relations office at (859) 233-8120.