Free Events Help Celebrate Shakespeare's 449th Birthday

The Salameno Center for British Studies presents Shakespeare at Ramapo on Tuesday, April 23. The multi-event festival, which honors Shakespeare’s 449th birthday, is co-sponsored by the School of Contemporary Arts, the Salameno School of American and International Studies and the School of Social Science and Human Services.

Talks & Toasting will take place in the Birch Mansion’s York Room from 1 to 2 p.m. with mini-lectures and refreshments. Professor Todd Barnes will present “Against Bardolatry: Remembering and Dismembering Shakespeare on His Birthday.”Professors Ellen Ross and Roark Atkinson will present “Shakespeare’s Witches,” and Professor Yvette Kisor will offer “Guess the Shakespeare Quote or Insult—A Game.”

A workshop entitled, Performing Shakespeare,  will take place in room BC-216 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. 

A stage-combat demonstration, Swashbuckling Swordplay, will be featured in the Grove at 6 p.m.

Madrigals and Music will take place at the Berrie Center’s Grove-side entrance at 6:30 p.m. featuring some of Ramapo’s own singers and musicians performing Shakespeare-inspired selections.

Professors Terra Vandergaw and Maria Vail will present a lively showcase of Scenes, Sonnets and Soliloquies in the Adler Theater from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with students from Advanced Acting, Acting in Shakespeare, Voice and Movement and Basic Acting. 

“Shakespeare at Ramapo” concludes in Laurel Hall’s movie theater with a screening of the acclaimed documentary,  “Shakespeare Behind Bars,” which follows 20 male inmates as they struggle to reconcile their pasts and search for personal meaning through performing “The Tempest.” 

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit www.ramapo.edu/british-studies/, or contact Professor Terra Vandergaw at tvanderg@ramapo.edu or (201) 684-7145.

The above was submitted to Patch by Ramapo College.