Academy to Celebrate William Shakespeare’s 450th Birthday

Along with theater companies, museums, libraries, and campuses around the world, the Academy will host a gala for Shakespeare’s 450th birthday on November 17th. This event will involve multiple departments and create a night for the community to come together and celebrate the renowned writer.

Todd Hearon, English instructor, and Robert Richards, dance and theater instructor, planned the night’s program, which will consist of art, theater and music. Student and faculty actors will perform scenes from multiple Shakespeare plays including Hamlet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night and As You Like It. For music, student and faculty musicians and singers will be performing works of and inspired by Shakespeare.

As far as artwork, there will be visual images from faculty artists. There will also be a display of the first and second-edition folios of Shakespeare.

Music instructor Jon Sakata emphasized the importance of such an event.

“Centuries on, we—across departments, disciplines, longitudes and latitudes—are challenged and inspired by these works which not only profoundly reveal so much about who we are; but that drive us to new imaginaries, dimensions, potentials of what it can mean to feel more, think harder, listen closer, love deeper, shatter, revolt, conjure, live exponentially more intensely,” he said.

“Centuries on, we—across departments, disciplines, longitudes and latitudes—are challenged and inspired by these works which not only profoundly reveal so much about who we are; but that drive us to new imaginaries, dimensions, potentials of what it can mean to feel more, think harder, listen closer, love deeper, shatter, revolt, conjure, live exponentially more intensely,”

Richards agreed, elaborating on the event and the collaboration it has brought about within the Exeter community.

“I might describe the event as a tribute to a great writer, a great dramatic writer, some say the greatest writer of all time."

Mr. Hearon has carefully selected and melded some of the most timeless passages,” he said. “Gifted and brilliant members of the music department, such as Dr. Jon Sakata, are inspiring collaborators, in the finest sense of true fellowship.”

With the entire community contributing to the event, the Academy is creating a true Shakespearean experience.

“The library’s Rockefeller Hall will be transformed into our own version of the Globe Theater—an ‘open-air’ amphitheater with a stage platform in the middle of the hall. We will use some of the upper floors for balcony scenes and to house the choir,” Academy librarian Gail Scanlon said.

For each Shakespearean scene performed, there will also be accompanying lighting and music.

Besides these scenes, to give the event a more unique Exonian feel, Exeter alumnus Greg Brown ‘93 will be giving the world premiere of his original composition. Student groups such as concert choir and Democracy of Sound will also be performing.

The event will be a night full of arts and intellectual stimulation that all members of the community can enjoy.

“It is exciting that individuals from across the community—students, staff, faculty, alums, faculty and alum spouses—are collaborating together to lift their voices, musical, theatrical and visual creativity to celebrate and engage the works of Shakespeare through Mr. Hearon and Mr. Richards’ vision,” Sakata said.