Florida Tech to Hold ‘Celebration of the Bard’

Movies, Discussions and Social Media Fun Start April 18

MELBOURNE, FLA. — On the anniversary of his death 400 years ago, William Shakespeare is getting the Florida Tech treatment: high tech with a human touch.

From movies to social media to panel discussions, “Four-Ever Shakespeare: A Celebration of the Bard,” will take a multimedia approach to appreciating and understanding one of the English language’s greatest writers. The three-day celebration is organized by Florida Tech’s School of Arts and Communication and Evans Library.

Things kick off Wednesday, April 20, with a 6 p.m. showing of Roman Polanski’s 1971 film version of Macbeth. The free screening will be at Foosaner Art Museum’s Harris Community Auditorium in the Eau Gallie Arts District of Melbourne and be followed by a discussion.

On Thursday, April 21, at 6 p.m., Florida Tech will present the 1999 film A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Evans Library’s recently opened Digital Scholarship Laboratory. The free presentation will be followed by a discussion.

Starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 22, a panel of Florida Tech faculty, joined by library staff and members of a student improv group that is part of The College Players, will read several sonnets as well as portions of The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear, Hamlet and Love’s Labor’s Lost. Participating faculty, led by Chris Frongillo, Melissa Crofton, and Andrew Aberdein and featuring Debbie Lelekis, Jacob Ivey and Lisa Perdigao, will discuss the works and explore several relevant topics such as nature/environment, love, love poetry, colonialism, feminism, social justice and injustice, and the nature of reality.

Students will bring a social media touch to the celebration during the week of April 18-22 thanks to a contest involving a ‘photo booth’ wall. Set up in Evans Library, this will allow students to take pictures using Shakespearean props and write out their favorite Shakespeare quotes and memories. Everything can be posted on Instagram, Twitter and/or Facebook using the hashtag #4EverShakespeare @FloridaTech. Two Barnes & Noble gift cards will be in the offing as prizes for the most creative/original posts as chosen by humanities faculty.

For more information on the celebration, contact Evans Library at 321-674-8086.

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