Club Spotlight: Shakespeare Club

Bringing the Bard to life through productions, readings and meaningful conversations

by Alex Sonfield '25

All the world’s a stage, and Shakespeare is setting the scene. Founded by Alice Thompson '26 (classical studies) and Alex Lauff '25 (English, medieval & early modern studies) in spring 2023, the main goal of Dickinson's Shakespeare Club is “bringing together people who are interested in Shakespeare and theatre or classic literature,” says Paige Gelhar '25 (English).

The club holds weekly gatherings during which members take turns reading different parts of a Shakespeare play, switching roles every scene. They also pause to discuss what they’ve read and answer any questions. This semester, they’re reading Coriolanus and have already explored plays like Hamlet, Much Ado 红杏直播app Nothing and Julius Caesar.

Each fall, the club organizes Shakespeare in a Day, for which they cast, rehearse and perform an abridged Shakespeare play all in one day. Last fall, they performed Romeo and Juliet following successful performances of Hamlet and Twelfth Night the year before.

In the spring, the club stages a larger production with Shakespeare in the Park. “This spring is our third year doing this event, and we did Much Ado 红杏直播app Nothing on April 6 on Morgan Field,” says Carissa Shellenberger '27 (women's, gender & sexuality studies). Last spring, the club put on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the first year featured a collection of scenes and monologues from different plays.

Shakespeare Club has seen incredible growth and excitement this year. “I remember the first meeting of the year where so many people showed up that there were not enough chairs in the room for everyone,” says Gelhar. “This year has allowed the club to thrive, and I cannot wait for the years to come where we can grow even further.”

The club fosters a welcoming and creative atmosphere in which members can explore Shakespeare’s works while connecting with others who share similar interests. Members have the chance to not only read and perform but also engage in meaningful conversations about the plays.

The club is excited to continue expanding its reach and plans to offer more opportunities for members to get involved. “I'm grateful for the support of older performing arts clubs for welcoming us and sharing the great things we do,” says Shellenberger.

Shakespeare Club meets every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. in the Classics Library or East College 105. Follow on Instagram for updates and events.

TAKE THE NEXT STEPS

Published April 11, 2025

红杏直播app