Shakespeare Shorts
Thanks for stopping by. The showing of the “Shakespeare Shorts” film series has ended.
Central College’s theatre department presents “Shakespeare Shorts” online only. The short film series premieres at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, and is then available to stream online 24 hours a day through midnight Saturday, Feb. 27.
The series is made up of short films that redefine the works of Shakespeare:
“Between the Trees”
The preservation of memory has historically been exclusive due to the erasure of feminine identities. This erasure has led to the misunderstanding of lesbianism, or same-sex relationships between women, as something inherently modern. Due to this, “Between the Trees” follows the tragic love hexagon between openly lesbian poet Natalie Clifford Barney and lover Pauline Tarn, who wrote under the pen name Renée Vivien, by utilizing the lines of Shakespeare’s mess of love from Act One Scene Five and Act Two Scene Two in “Twelfth Night.”
“In the Dark”
The socially constructed gender and sexual binaries posit two co-dependent options of expression. “In the Dark” attempts to redefine understandings of gender and sexuality as malleable. Act Two Scene One from “Taming of the Shrew” may originally be damaging to women by positioning them as either submissive or ‘shrew’ish but we seek to present the scene as two people navigating their identities.
“The Prophecies of Macbeth”
“The Prophecies of Macbeth” is a strange and colorful retelling of the prophecies of Macbeth. This film delves into different time periods, dream-like wonder and sinister motives that branch between absurdity and hope.
“O’Spite”
“O’Spite” takes place on a cold, quiet day in Iowa. Helena, a scorned woman, tries to forget the last day of events. With the buzz of a text message, she goes on a tirade about her current circumstances to whomever will listen.
“Hark, What Light”
“Hark, What Light” uses one of Shakespeare’s most famous monologues from “Romeo and Juliet” to reveal the sinister motives of a young man who stands outside a stranger’s house.
“Cover to Cover”
“Cover to Cover” presents numerous topics relevant to today, tomorrow and yesterday. The film features performances by several Central College alumni Melissa Atwell ’11, Shawna Tuffin Kier ’15, Elizabeth Rouse ’20, Jon Merkle ’09, Alexis Steel ’15 and Jamie Ewing ’98.
“Twelfth Night”
“Twelfth Night” features several scenes selected from Shakespeare’s romantic comedy performed by Jennifer Jensen ’09 and Jenna Vik Bonofiglio ’10.
The series is an original production directed by Mary Jo Sodd, professor of theatre; Cailyn Sales, Class of 2021; and Eric Bridges, an independent filmmaker who graduated from Central in 2012. It replaces a directing/production slot within the theatre department, a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please also visit the Artist Relief Project, which is supported by the Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society.