By John Moore
CultureWest.Org is endeavoring to make short films out of all 154 of Shakespeare’s sonnets, each featuring actors with Colorado connections. The artistic intent is primarily to further CultureWest’s mission to spotlight the local theatre community and their current or upcoming productions. It’s also an attempt to promote Shakespeare education in a fun way. This is an entirely volunteer project with a proud budget of … zero dollars.
We intend to roll out one Sonnet video a week for … zoinks! … 154 weeks. Here’s a link to the YouTube playlist that hosts the entire series.
For our seventh episode, Sonnet No. 74, we filmed second-graders from Lowry Elementary School performing at the recent 2014 Denver Public Schools Shakespeare Festival at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Featured are students August Salbenblatt, Emmanuel Mendoza, Emma Hosking, Kelsey Simmons, Ryan Palmeiro, Evan Zilverberg, Diego DeHerrera and Bo Foster. Special thanks to their teacher, Tamara Marocco.
The Denver Sonnets Project is a volunteer collaboration, with limited eligibility requirements for participation. For information on how to register, email your interest to culturewestjohn@gmail.com.
Completed episodes to date (in numeric order):
Sonnet 1: Cast of “Cult Following”: “From fairest creatures we desire increase …”
Sonnet 2: Josh Robinson, “See thy blood warm …”
Sonnet 23: Gabra Zackman, “As an unperfect actor on a stage …”
Sonnet 36: Rachel Fowler, “I may not evermore acknowledge thee …”
Sonnet 74: Lowry Elementary School: “Thou hast but lost the dregs of life”
Sonnet 94: James O’Hagan-Murphy: Sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds …”
Sonnet 136: Lyndsay and Jeremy Palmer, “Make but my name thy love …”
Look here for a new sonnet every Monday. For more information on The Denver Sonnets Project, please email culturewestjohn@gmail.com.
Please consider supporting the Denver Actors Fund at www.DenverActorsFund.Org
