The 451st birthday of William Shakespeare will be celebrated with an all-day event Thursday, April 23, in Waterville.
Weather permitting, Recycled Shakespeare Co. will start the party at 10 a.m. on the stage behind Barrels Market in The Concourse, according to a news release from Join costumed readers and revelers as they parade down Silver Street to Main Street. At noon, the public is invited to bring their lunch and enjoy Shakespeare’s sonnets and songs at 1 p.m. at the REM Forum, 93 Main St. The parading continues up Main Street to Selah Tea, where more sonnets and entertainment will run from 2 to 7 p.m. All 154 sonnets will be read throughout the day.
This is the second annual Shakespeare birthday celebration presented by the company which offers free community theater for all. Everyone is invited to participate, so sign up to read a sonnet or two or do a favorite Shakespearian monologue at either location. Last year every sonnet was read by a wide variety of people including city dignitaries, politicians, shopkeepers, librarians, social workers, artists, writers, chefs, retired folks and students age 6 to 80, according to the release. Costumes are encouraged, although not required. As a special feature, this year’s event will include a simulcast sonnet with St. Anselm College, in New Hampshire, which has been doing this festival for more than 30 years and is the alma mater of Emily Rowden Fournier, who is RSC’s producer and president. To participate, contact Fournier at 314-8607 or recycledshakespeare@gmail.com. All ages are welcome and no special talent is required. Sign up in advance to get a sonnet and chose a time to read.
If the weather does not cooperative, the event will begin at 10 a.m. at REM and continue as planned.
Auditions for the next RSC play, “A Comedy of Errors,” is set for 4-8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, April 14 and 15, at Fairfield United Methodist Church hall, U.S. Route. 201 in Fairfield. To audition, contact Rowden by April 15.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/RecycledShakespeare.
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