Grant Dillard
Staff Writer
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Dionte Berry
Contributing Writer
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For its 20th anniversary, the Murray Shakespeare Festival has incorporated Shakespeare and students in a mix of fun activities. Murray Shakespeare Festival took fruition in 2001 and has been a success since.

The first event of the festival was the Flash Mob on Tuesday, March 3. At the event, students shouted Shakespearean insults at student actors, participated in Hamlet Skull Hot Potato and Poison Pool Noodle sword fights.

Shannon Eaton, junior English/literature major, dressed as Ophelia from “Hamlet” and received the brunt of some insults.

“I have read a lot of Shakespeare, so it was really interesting to see what the audience could come up with,” Eaton said.

Gabby Sullivan, junior creative writing major, dressed as Juliet from “Romeo and Juliet” and had insults yelled at her as well.

“I can say that I have never before been called an ill-born foot-licker,” Sullivan said. “A Shakespearean insult has the right amount of creativity that it could be the most disgusting thing you ever heard, but it just ends up being funny.”

On Tuesday, March 3, Michael Bordieri and Esther Malm from the psychology department hosted a discussion panel that incorporated grief and “Hamlet.”

“Grief is a major theme in Shakespeare’s works,” Bordieri said. “It can be difficult to talk about intense experiences such as grief as a community, and our hope is that this event will allow us to come together and give words to an experience that is often suffered in silence.”

One of the final events of the Murray Shakespeare Festival was a public lecture presented by professor Barbara Cobb. Her lecture, “Who Sees Ophelia Drown?” was a multimedia discussion on the description of Ophelia’s death in “Hamlet” and its influence in art and cinema.

“In the last act of ‘Hamlet,’ it is suggested that Ophelia’s death is the result of suicide,” Cobb said. “The play gives us a way to address suicide and the reasons why we should strive to stay alive.”

Cobb said Shakespeare’s plays are engaging and a segway to delve into important issues that are universal to humans.

Cobb also said she is excited that the 20th anniversary of the Murray Shakespeare Festival has brought in so many people to experience Shakespeare.

“We have brought more than 20,000 regional students to Murray State’s campus for a quality arts experience, and many of these students are alumni and current Racers today,” Cobb said. “We are so glad to have Kentucky Shakespeare with us for the first time this year.”

Kentucky Shakespeare, a touring theater group based in Louisville, Kentucky, has made the 20th anniversary special by bringing “Hamlet” to campus. This is the company’s first tour at Murray State.

Amy Attaway, associate artistic director, has directed many plays for Kentucky Shakespeare over the past four seasons. She said it’s a delight to take a 400 year old play and make it relevant and meaningful to today’s audience. To do this, Attaway takes it from the beginning.

“We start with the first folio text and try to dig into what Shakespeare might have meant and what those same words can mean for contemporary artists and audiences,” Attaway said. “It’s my job as the director to decide how we’re going to tell the story.”

Matt Street, member of Kentucky Shakespeare, is playing Hamlet. This is his first tour with the company, and Street said playing the main character is terrifying.

“It’s impossible, when you’re starting, to not be apprehensive and in your head about every Hamlet you’ve ever seen,” Street said. “But once you move past that, you start to feel the energy of this historic role, and it really takes you places.”

Street said he will always return to the role to perfect it even after the tour ends.

He prepares for the role by connecting with the character and learning to use Shakespeare’s poetry in the most effective way. Street said his tourmates assist with this process.

“To come into a rehearsal room full of talented, professional people has taught me so much about my work ethic, preparation and how to truly build a show from the ground up,” Street said.

Neill Robertson, another member of the acting company, plays Polonius, a comedic relief character in the tragic play. Robertson said this aspect makes playing Polonius fun, yet he recognizes the layers to his character.

“His family is dwindling and he could be left all alone,” Robertson said. “Everything he has held dear seems to be slipping through his fingers. He is funny, but like any well-written character, his stakes are very high.”

Professor William Jones has led the Murray Shakespeare Festival for the past six years.

“I am one of the two Shakespeareans here on campus,” Jones said. “I love [Shakespeare] for the language, the characters that can still relate to people today, the beautiful plots, the moving tragedies and the funny comedies.”

Jones has been collaborating with Kentucky Shakespeare for over a year to bring the company to campus. Jones said Kentucky Shakespeare has never been this far west before and they were pleased to visit the new territory.

“Kentucky Shakespeare has a great reputation as a relatively young and energetic company, and that attracted our attention,” Jones said.

Despite its tricky language, Jones thinks people can understand and truly enjoy Shakespeare.

“I think most people are afraid of Shakespeare because they think that they won’t understand it,” Jones said. “If they come and see a show I think they will understand much more than they think they will and the actors add a whole other dimension to the show.”

Kentucky Shakespeare will perform “Hamlet” on Thursday, March 5, at 10 a.m and 7 p.m. and on Friday, March 6, at 7 p.m. in Lovett Auditorium.