Written by Riley Hutchings
On April 1, Colorado College students and Colorado Springs community members gathered in Cornerstone to read Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets in chronological order to honor the 400th anniversary of his death.
Andrew Manley, an Associate Professor in CC’s Theatre and Dance Department, opened the assembly.
“Shakespeare truly does speak to us still, or we wouldn’t be doing this,” Manley began. “I believe you only truly discover the wonder of Shakespeare by speaking it, perhaps only by speaking it publicly.”
One by one, each speaker took the podium and delivered their sonnet as the crowd listened quietly to Shakespeare’s famous words.
The audience fluctuated over the course of the event, with a varying crowd of 30 to 60 people. Some lasted through all 154 sonnets. The readings continued well into the evening, but the energy and passion for Shakespeare and his words remained steady.
Every person that came in was given the opportunity to read in front of the crowd, from college first-years to elderly community members that needed assistance to the podium. Each presenter’s voice shed a new light on Shakespeare’s old words. The recitation provided audience members and performers a way to personally connect with Shakespeare.
Most people read their sonnets from paper, some spoke by memory, and others practically performed the short poems. Sonnets were even spoken in different languages, including German and Chinese.
CC first-year Emily Abbott was first introduced to Shakespeare as a child, when her mom would read it to her before bed. She started reading his work on her own, as early as middle school.
“I have always loved Shakespeare,” Abbott said. “I just to like see everyone’s different interpretations, and how the performers decided to project it and portray the different sonnets they were reading was super interesting.”
The CC Sonnet-a-Thon was just one of many commemorations of Shakespeare’s life this year. “All over the world [people are] doing this,” Manley said.