Welcome to the online site commemorating the 25th Annual Shakespeare's Birthday Celebration at Saint Anselm College.
- Register to Read a Sonnet on April 23, 2013
The Beginning of an Anselmian Tradition
On Monday, April 25th, 1989 Professor Gary Bouchard stepped out on to the quad in front of the still brand new statue of Saint Anselm to lead the campus in a reading of all 154 of Shakespeare's Sonnets in celebration of William's Birthday. The Bard was a mere 425 years old that year and Bouchard was still pretty young himself or at least still blonde on top and wet behind the professorial ears. About 75 readers took part in that initial marathon reading. As the quatrains and couplets cut through the crisp April air, New Hampshire Public Radio recorded many of them and when Professor Landis Magnuson made a surprise entrance down the stairs of Alumni Hall in full Elizabethan regalia The Union Leader was there to capture it on film (see above image).
As Professor Comiskey turned out to read 154 to close out the celebration it was clear that a tradition had been born and that come rain, snow, wind or sudden springtime sun, Saint Anselm would be hearing the echo of sonnets each year on Shakespeare's Birthday. The following year the Abbey Players got into the act, got into several acts in fact, adding to the celebration with scenes from Shakespeare plays. Madrigals and Early Modern music made it onto the program and soon enough the marathon reading was a legitimate festival, made more special each year by the return of alumni from days gone by.
Now, on April 23rd, 2013 we will be celebrating Shakespeare's Birthday on the Saint Anselm campus for the 25th time. Shakespeare will be 449 this year and remarkably is wearing his age better than the rest of us. The English Department welcomes you to this site to explore some familiar faces and voices from past festivals. While you are here take the Trivia Quiz to test your knowledge of the sonnet festival you only thought you knew.
Get in on the Action
Be sure to register for this year's special 25th edition of Shakespeare's Birthday! This time we will be tossing out sonnets, making scenes and serving cake on a brand new quad on the lower campus. Please join us and if you are a Saint Anselm alum be sure to let us know what year you graduated. We are very much looking forward to seeing you!