The North Dakota State University Department of English has organized a new spring event, "Recycling Shakespeare, an Earth Day Birthday Celebration," for April 21-23. All events are free an open to the campus and the community
"We wanted an opportunity to talk about how nonpolluting creative energy is generated and to show the breadth of everyday concerns that literature addresses," said Linda Helstern, associate professor of English and coordinator of the event. "We thought that the celebration of Earth Day on April 22 followed by Shakespeare's birthday the next day gave us the perfect opportunity. Shakespeare is so much a part of contemporary pop culture."
Wednesday, April 21
The celebration will kick off with a free movie, "Hamlet," starring Ethan Hawke, at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Century Theater. A film discussion with English professors Verena Theile, Miriam Mara and Eunice Johnston will follow.
Thursday, April 22
A Cosgrove Seminar "Thinking Ecocritically" is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Presenters from English 336 (Literature and the Environment) and professor Linda Helstern will apply four ecocritical strategies to John Steinbeck's novel, "To a God Unknown," a reworking of the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers. Refreshments will be served.
Everyone who can recite a Shakespeare sonnet from memory is invited to attend "Brush Up Your Sonnets" from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Gallery. Participants will be entered in a drawing for prizes including gift certificates to the NDSU Bookstore, Sandella's, Jimmy John's, Jitters and the Memorial Union Gallery. Professor Muriel Brown will decide who will be eligible for the drawing.
Author Lin Enger, director of the creative writing program at Minnesota State University Moorhead, will give the keynote talk at 2 p.m. in the Alumni Center Atrium. Enger's most recent novel, "Undiscovered Country," re-imagines Shakespeare's "Hamlet" in contemporary small-town Minnesota. Shakespeare birthday cake and a book signing will follow. Enger's novel will be available for purchase courtesy of the NDSU Bookstore.
Members of the Shakespeare class taught by Theile will present "Scenes from Shakespeare," from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Alumni Center Atrium. The event also includes a discussion of "The Merchant of Venice," film clips and performances by members of the class.
Friday, April 23
"Sci Fi Shakespeare," featuring professor Robert O'Connor and "Dr. Who," will conclude the celebration at 3:30 p.m. in FLC 124. Organizers will show the "Dr. Who" episode, "The Shakespeare Code," which restages the Shakespeare play "Love's Labors Lost."
The Departments of English, Theatre, and History, Women's and Gender Studies and the NDSU Cooperative Sponsorship Committee are sponsoring "Recycling Shakespeare, an Earth Day Birthday Celebration!"