Tuesday, March 22, 2016
SONNET SLAM - APRIL 22, 2016 CENTRAL PARK
THE SIXTH ANNUAL
SHAKESPEARE'S BIRTHDAY
SHAKESPEARE'S BIRTHDAY
SONNET SLAM
CENTRAL PARK
APRIL 22, 2016 1-4 PM
rain or shine
The Sixth Annual Shakepeare's Birthday Sonnet Slam, produced by Willful Pictures, will be held in New York's Central Park on Friday, April 22, 2016 from 1 to 4 PM.
Shakespeare was baptised on April 26, 1564. As he was most likely born a few days earlier, April 23 is often presumed to be his birthday. He died on April 23, 2016; that would make him just 52 years old.
Celebrating his birthday (and this year one day before the 400th anniversary of his death) there is an annual, public, free reading of all 154 poems published together and known as Shakespeare's sonnets. It is free to attend and anyone can register to perform. The performance is efficient -- each reader simply reads their assigned sonnet; 14 lines takes about a minute. That's 154 sonnets in 3 hours or about 51 sonnets an hour.
NOTE: In this collection of 154 poems, most of the poems are in 14 lines, with three quatrains (rhymed ABAB CDCD EFEF ) and a couplet (rhymed GG) all in iambic pentameter. Poem # 126 has only 12 lines and a different rhyming scheme than the rest of the poems. Some purists could argue there are 153 sonnets in this bunch, and one outlier poem.
In addition to these poems, Shakespeare wrote other sonnets! There are several poems in sonnet form in the plays, sometimes shared between characters. Probably the most famous of these is the dialog between Romeo and Juliet when they first meet in Act I Scene 5, beginning
Romeo: "If I profane with my unworthiest hand"
To watch and listen, just come to the bandshell in Central Park between 1 and 4. (*) It's free!
(*And if you're there around 1:30 -- say 1:15 to 1:45 -- you'll see me performing #27 "Weary with toil...", but come at the start and stay 'til the end!)
To register to read a poem in the slam go to the website:
Note: sooner is better: once all 154 sonnets have been taken the opportunity to read is (sort of) over; (but you can still be a Stand-by Reader, if any scheduled reader is missing -- just register with the staff when you arrive, preferable at noon).
For early registration there is a minimum $10 contribution. (They accept bigger contributions for some extra perks.)
There is no audition, age limit, nationality or other similar requirements. The basic requirement is just that if you have gotten a sonnet to read, be there at the slam!
Famous actors, amateurs, children, people using sign language, well aged people, and lots of other types have all read sonnets. They can be performed from memory or read.
It is simply a celebration of Shakespeare and his sonnets. For all!
And MORE!
On Tuesday March 22 at 6 PM there will be a
CRUSH A CUP SONNET SLAM MIXER
YOU ARE INVITED!
For more information...
For more information...
VIDEOS
INSTAGRAM
TWITTER
@sonnetslam
Here are some interviews from prior years with organizer Melinda Hall,
an actress and director
(Remember the dates they mention are NOT this year.
THIS YEAR it's Friday, April 22, 2016)
Labels: 400th anniversary, Central Park, Melinda Hall, Shakespeare, Sonnet Slam, sonnets, Will
