Thursday, April 22, 2010

April 23 is Talk Like Shakespeare Day

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley announced that Friday, April 23, Shakespeare’s 446th Birthday, will be Talk Like Shakespeare Day—an occasion for citizens to bring the spoken words of Shakespeare into their daily lives. “Chicago is recognized as the home not only of ’Da Bulls and ’Da Bears, but also ’Da Bard,” said Mayor Daley. He encourages citizens to “let boldness be thy friend and celebrate Shakespeare by vocal acclamation of his words.”

Read Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley’s official proclamation for 2010

Last year Mayor Daley inaugurated “Talk Like Shakespeare Day” in Chicago—a celebration which spread across the country and around the globe, thanks to national and international press coverage—with over one million hits to www.talklikeshakespeare.org, the virtual home base for revelers. This week, we invite you to get in on the act—visit www.talklikeshakespeare.org and share your own stories, photos, videos, and favorite quotes.

Tony Award-winning Chicago Shakespeare Theater will be honoring the occasion by sending Shakespeare look-alikes throughout the city to entreat Chicagoans to speak his speech “trippingly on their tongues”. One lucky everyday thespian will win two round-trip flights to London courtesy of American Airlines and and complimentary tickets to a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Chicago Shakespeare will also host Chicago Public School students and teachers for birthday cake and an exclusive Shakespearean hip-hop performance by Flocabulary artists Blake Harrison, Mervin Jenkins (a.k.a. Spectac) and Alex Rappaport, nationally recognized for their groundbreaking work with students, using rhyme and rhythm to crack open Shakespeare. Teachers and students will craft their own Shakespearean hip-hop masterpieces, a fitting tribute to the Bard on his birthday.

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