Sigma Tau Delta event brings old-world entertainment to UNK

BY: Amelia Cooper

To celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday, the English Honors society, Sigma Tau Delta, is presenting the Shakespeare Revels. Welcoming all students, faculty and staff who have an interest in Shakespeare, this will be the third annual Shakespeare Revels. 

This event will feature an Elizabethan-style feast, Shakespearean entertainment, an open mic and a raffle consisting of Shakespearean-themed trinkets.

“The Elizabethan feast will include tarts, meat pasties, cakes, butter beer and other delicacies that were popular in Shakespeare’s England,” said Dr. Marguerite Tassi, a professor in the English department. 

The Shakespearean entertainment will consist of readings and parodies of Shakespeare’s poetry, dramatic readings and Elizabethan music performed by a local musician. This will also include an open mic.

“The open mic is truly an open mic,” Tassi said. “Everyone is invited to bring their Shakespeare poem or speech to read and we also welcome Shakespeare-inspired creative pieces.”

Included with the open mic will be readings from English students, many from Sigma Tau Delta, students from other majors and faculty. The raffle will be a suggested donation of a dollar and the proceeds will go to Sigma Tau Delta, which is sponsoring the Shakespeare Revels. 

“Sigma Tau Delta is very active in the literary arts; the organization sponsors an annual Bad Love Valentine’s open mic and they publish the literary journal The Carillon,” Tassi said. “Sigma Tau Delta invites new members to apply for membership in the organization and you can find out more about the organization at the Shakespeare Revels.”

The English Department hosts different open mics and literary events throughout the semester. The Reynolds Writer series brings poets and fiction writers each semester to read their work on campus and at the MONA. 

Join the English Department and Sigma Tau Delta in celebrating Shakespeare’s birthday at the Shakespeare Revels on April 26 from 3 – 5 p.m. in the studio theatre in the Fine Arts Building.