Did Elizabethean's "speak the speech...trippingly on the tongue"? Over the past several years, the linguist David Crystal, the dialect expert Paul Meier, and others have reconstructed Elizabethan pronunciation—in other words, how Hamlet would have sounded in 1601—and will be sharing their work in upcoming publications. In the meantime, this year's ensemble at The Classical Studio has learned the OP dialect and will present Hamlet in OP during its Spring Repertory. (See photograph below.)
To complement the performance, The Classical Studio will host a gathering of scholars, practitioners, and students on April 2nd to discuss the significance of the OP dialect on production and research.
Symposium guests will include:
JENNIFER GEIZHALS - OP consultant and dialect coach
LAURA LEVINE - Associate Professor, Department of Drama, New York University
PAUL MEIER - Founder and Director, International Dialects of English Archive / President, Paul Meier Dialect Services
BRIAN PARSONS - Associate Dean, School of Theatre, Oklahoma City University
ROBERT RICHMOND - Associate Chair, Department of Theatre and Dance, University of South Carolina
For more information, email daniel.spector@nyu.edu
