College Publisher Test Site

Some people might not think that Shakespeare has a place in modern lives, but Daytona State College knows differently.

Last month in the Mori Hosseini Center, DSC staged its second annual Shakespeare Festival, attracting around 100 participants, who took part in a Shakespearean activities ranging from sword fighting to sonnet writing.

"Not only is literature timeless, but so is music," said DSC Vocal Professor Norton Christeson and the instructor of "Dancing, Carousing and Singing in Shakespeare's Time and Play."

"I think Shakespeare's themes are universal. Even though they are hard to understand, they all have a meaning."

The idea of the Nov. 14 festival was to make the works of Shakespeare more accessible to students with the aid of workshops and shows. In one of the workshops, participants learned the basics of sonnet writing and wrote their own Shakespearean sonnets in groups.

When asked about what she wanted to accomplish in the Sonnet Writing Workshop, Jessica Kester, an English Professor at DSC and also one of two instructors for the workshop said, "I want to get them to write and even though the form of sonnets is old, it is really accessible for students today."

Another offering was A Shakespearean Insults Workshop where partakers learned how people insult each other Shakespearean style, with the help of some of the members of the Daytona State Theater Department. An example: Thou art a dankish hugger-mugger!

The story of Romeo and Juliet may be an old one but English professor, Michelle Lee brought it to life in with "The Evolution of Star-Crossed Lovers." Lee showed how the story of Romeo and Juliet has evolved dramatically over the ages and participants learned all about star-crossed lovers from the story of Tristan and Isolde to Taylor Swift's 'Love Story.'

"We want to make the story of Romeo and Juliet more accessible by showing how the play reaches across to music, film, movies, and pop culture. We're shedding a whole new light on the play," said Michelle Lee after the workshop.

But as far as music goes, the modern twist on Shakespeare doesn't stop at Taylor Swift - a workshop called "Dancing, Carousing and Singing in Shakespeare's Time and Play" delved into the popular music and instruments in Shakespeare's time and how it was performed during his plays. This allowed the audience to experience how music would have sounded in Shakespeare's time and in his plays.

Today, the last thing young people think they want to do is learn about an old playwright. But DSC brought Shakespeare to life in this marvelous festival, creating an even larger audience for The Bard. One suggestion, setting the starting time at 9 a.m. on a Saturday is not an incentive to attract large crowds of students. Sponsors might want to think about staging it on a weekday.

For those who didn't make it to the festival, don't be a frothy foot-licker - stop by next year!

Article Tools