This April, Saint Anselm College celebrated Shakespeare's 462nd birthday with a series of special events on campus honoring the famed playwright and poet. Born in 1564, Shakespeare was ahead of his time, pioneering the art of language, writing and drama. He is credited with writing some of the most famous plays in the world, such as “Romeo and Juliet” and “Hamlet.”
For their spring musical, the Abbey Players performed “Something Rotten!” in which brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate playwrights living in the shadow of William Shakespeare. Colby Lynch ’26, a business analytics major who starred in the production, played the role of William Shakespeare.
“I believe it is important for students to celebrate Shakespeare because of the impact he has had on literature over the centuries,” said Lynch. “Shakespeare’s plays have been used for academics since all of us were in middle school and he has impacted the way students and teachers write.”
Here on the Hilltop, Shakespeare is woven into our core academic curriculum. This year, the Humanities Department core program, Conversatio, gave students the opportunity to read Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” and view the film version of the play. Dr. Scheopner Torres, explains why Shakespeare is included in the program.
“Conversatio includes Shakespeare as part of the Beauty and Art unit, where students explore questions, including what is beauty, how does beauty relate to art, what is art, and does art have to be beautiful? Shakespeare’s plays allow for an exploration of the art of literature as well as drama and theatre,” said Professor Aubrey Scheopner Torres, director of the Conversatio program.
On Thursday, April 23, 2026, Professor Gary Bouchard hosted the Hilltop’s 38th Annual Sonnet Marathon in honor of Shakespeare’s birthday at the “Sonnet Stage” in front of the Gregory J. Grappone Humanities Institute. This year, students, faculty, administrators, and 31 alumni of the college read a total of 154 sonnets.
In 1989, Bouchard inaugurated the first sonnet marathon reading in celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday in front of Alumni Hall. Throughout the years, the festival has become a rite of spring on campus, being a cherished Anselmian tradition.
“We will once again get people close to poetry who would never otherwise do so. Three quatrains and a couplet all day long, some of the most beautiful poetry ever written,” shared Bouchard.
Julia Mehlin ’26, an English major who has participated in the sonnet reading since her freshman year, says that the event is one of her favorite spring traditions on the Hilltop.
“I have always loved how students, faculty, staff, and alumni come together each year to celebrate literature and enjoy each other's company,” shared Mehlin. “Professor Bouchard always creates a fun and uplifting environment, and it's a lovely time for everyone involved. I think now, more than ever, literature is crucial to our society, so the sonnet readings not only promote the humanities in many ways, but it encourages students to get out of their comfort zone and try something new.”
Shakespeare’s birthday is a cherished tradition on the Hilltop, celebrating the lasting legacy of the sonnet readings. In the classroom, Shakespeare’s works are deeply woven into the college’s academic core curriculum. It is crucial to preserve Shakespeare’s legacy by continuing to teach every student here on campus about his timeless influence on the arts and humanities.