14 Broadcaster Press March 17, 2015 www.broadcasteronline.com Vermillion to Host Shakespeare’s First Folio Tour By Amber Margheim For the Plain Talk Who has not heard “Out, damned spot,” “To Sleep, perchance to dream,” or “Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble?” These quotes from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, and countless other lines are woven throughout the tapestry of American culture. One can even find them in children’s cartoons parroting Shakespeare’s great works to the youngest of generations. Now Vermillion will be take its place in Shakespeare history by hosting the 2016 tour of “First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare”. On Feb 26, the National Music Museum announced its selection by the Folger Shakespeare Library as the one location in the South Dakota to host and house this rare collection of Shakespeare’s works while it is on tour. The Shakespeare First Folio is the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays. Thanks to the Folger Shakespeare Library, this world-famous book will be touring all 50 states in 2016, spending four weeks in one lucky community in each state. This particular copy of the Folio dates from the 1623 printing and is one of only 233 copies still known to exist. While here, the First Folio will be displayed inside the National Music Museum, which according to NMM spokesperson Patricia Bornhofen is not only able to provide the right ambient conditions for such a delicate artifact but also an appropriate historical context. “The Folio will be in good care and good company at the museum,” says Bornhofen. “Many of our equally priceless musical instruments are from Shakespeare’s era.” While the Folio will be housed at the NMM, its arrival in Vermillion was spear headed by University of South Dakota English professor Dr. Darlene Farabee, who worked with the NMM and other passionate individuals from the USD and the Vermillion community via a committee. Farabee and the committee began the lengthy application process to host the exhibition in July 2014. The committee submitted the application in October and received the good news a few weeks ago. Farabee, was “absolutely delighted” upon hearing the news and learned of the town’s honor prior to the official press release. “I was notified and I shared that immediately with Cleveland Johnson, Director of the National Music Museum. The notification came from the Folger Shakespeare Library,” Farabee said. “The Folger asked that we wait to put out notice until after the national press release. “My email inbox was flooded with congratulatory emails, ecstatic about the news that our application had been successful”. Farabee points out that the 1623 printing of the First Folio is not just any old collection of Shakespeare’s work. Unlike many books of that time period, the Folio is a very physically large sized book, similar to a historical church Bible or a book of maps. “It was the size of important books of that time,” Farabee said. The choice of the formatting of the First Folio to make it so large denoted how important and instrumental Shakespeare was to his contemporaries. “This was an incredibly expensive format” to produce says Farabee. While Shakespeare never saw the First Folio, having died in 1616, the tour of the First Folio marks the 400th anniversary of his death. Of equal importance is the contents of the First Folio. The First Folio is the first collected works of Shakespeare. Plays such as Macbeth, The Tempest and Julius Caesar would have been lost to history if not for this book. Farabee is very excited about the programming connecting the First Folio to Shakespeare in South Dakota. “Being chosen to be a host sight is a wonderful win for University of South Dakota, the National Music Museum, and Vermillion. But being chosen as a host site is just the beginning of it—being chosen as a site opens up the door for us to do some fabulous programming around the exhibit,” Farabee said. “There are many entities that we hope will be very involved in the programing, at the University as well as in the community such as the area public schools, the SD Public Broadcasting, the City of Vermillion as well as the Edith B. Siegrist Vermillion Public Library.” “The First Folio will be a new draw to Vermillion, benefitting the whole community, both culturally and financially,” Bornhofen says. “Many art, history and culture lovers from elsewhere will turn off I-29 or travel out of their way to see this historic book in person. And Vermillion residents will have a new reason to brag (and to revisit the museum themselves).” Farabee describes South Dakota as having a rich history in the 19th century of traveling troupes touring South Dakota and performing Shakespeare’s works in opera houses across the state. “The opera houses were essentially tour stops for these traveling troupes,” according to Farabee and some of which came all the way from England to perform. Sadly, the opera house in Vermillion from that era no longer exists. Farabee expects that over the next year there will be a great deal of archival research being done by university students to investigate the links between Shakespeare and South Dakota. For a little Shakespeare in South Dakota in the meantime before the Folio arrives, Farabee mentions that the South Dakota Shakespeare Festival will be performing Macbeth in June at Prentis Park. “We only have that play (Macbeth) because it is in the Folio.” Vermillion to Host Shakespeare’s First Folio Tour By Alan Dale For the Plain Talk On Tuesday, the Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company’s (VCDC) annual banquet will have an appreciated guest speaker as Governor Dennis Daugaard will make the visit to Vermillion. The banquet will be held at the Vermillion Technology Center (VTC), located at 1012 Princeton, and honored guests will include Senator Tim Johnson and Barb Johnson. This is the first time Governor Daugaard has come to be our speaker for our annual banquet,” Governor Dennis Daugaard, seen here last fall visting with Vermillion High School students, returns to Clay County on Tuesday when he will be the guest speaker at the Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Company’s (VCDC) annual banquet. FILE PHOTO VCDC Executive Director Nate Welch said. “I’m not sure if the VCDC has had another sitting governor as the speaker, but I don’t believe so. The governor has been a great supporter of the efforts we are working on in Vermillion and he’s often been available when we reach out. This particular visit lined up with a couple other exciting, timely events that made it possible for the governor to come.” Daugaard is looking forward to the visit to Clay County. “Good things are happening in Vermillion,” Daugaard told The Plain Talk. “Most recently, Polaris has expanded and three local sites are completing the Certified Ready process. I’m looking forward to celebrating these things with the people of Vermillion next week.” Welch is excited about the other aspects of Daugaard’s visit outside of the banquet itself. “The VCDC is extremely excited to have three Certified Ready Sites in Vermillion,” Welch said. “A very important step to being ready for the next business growth or expansion to happen in Vermillion.” The banquet will have a “Celebrating the ‘You’ in Community”, theme and its social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the program. “I think there are a lot of great things to look forward to in the evening,” Welch said. “First, it’s the first time the public has been able to see the inside of our beautiful new building, the Vermillion Technology Center. Second, the special recognition and tribute we plan on having for Senator Tim Johnson and Barb for their lifelong support to Vermillion. Third, the governor as well as other members of his staff, including the Commissioner of GOED, Pat Costello will be joining the whole evening. “We look forward to the program where we look at all the great things that have happened over the past year and what the next year will be bringing us. And if that wasn’t enough, we have a number of our community awards to hand out all on a night where you can have a fun social and a great dinner with other community members.” This type of banquet is a way to for the VCDC to have transparency with the public and make itself be seen for being part of the Vermillion fabric. “Chambers have an annual banquet/meeting with the membership and for a number of years, the VCDC has opened it to the public,” Welch said. “We are happy and continue to carry on that tradition. Our purpose that we will have with this meeting, and the ones to come, is to reflect on the past year, look towards our current successes and hope to inspire for our future years. “This is a great opportunity to celebrate all the great things we have in and around Vermillion as well as look towards the future.” The banquet also gives the VCDC an opportunity to recognize the achievements of the community’s leaders and organizations by presenting the Family Business of the Year Award, the Mayor’s Community Service Award, the United Way Volunteer of the Year Award, the VCDC Community Leader Award, along with other awards. “Events like this are great for many reasons,” Welch said. “One is simply because they are a fun night with so many great people. Also, because with organizations like the VCDC, the members, those who are involved, make the organization. We use these nights to take the opportunity to remind people how important they are in the organization and even the community. “These are important nights and we look forward to this year’s night very much.” ‘Shark Tank’ Pared Down to 13 Teams By Alan Dale For the Plain Talk Thirteen Vermillion High School teams made it to the second round of the ‘Shark Tank’ competition that has become a hit with freshmen English students. Originally 12 teams were going to advance, but two teams tied leading to the baker’s dozen advancing to the next round which takes place next Thursday from 8:30 – 10:45 a.m. at the high school auditorium. “We chose the teams solely by the judges’ scores of each group,” VHS freshmen English teacher Teramie Hill said. “All the kids did a very nice job, especially since it is not easy for 14-yearolds to get up in front of a panel of judges to not only pitch their idea but also to answer tough questions on their products.” Judges included a community volunteer – Jennifer Peterson, officer Paul Pederson, and various high school staff members (Jon Ruevers, Rebecca Nelson, Jason Huska and Curt Cameron), who watched the 3-5 minute presentations. phase. “Haleigh, Maddie, and I are very excited and looking forward to round two next week,” Martinez said “We think our product, the Gum Numb Patch, will Vermillion High School freshmen English students do well and go far as are getting along swimmingly as they battle it out long as we continue in the ‘Shark Tank’ to put in the effort COURTESY PHOTO we have been. We are also grateful for the “Judges used the same rubric feedback from the we use for grading to compile judges in round one. point totals,” Hill said. “(English “The three of us can better teacher) Mrs. Carla Kozak and I ourselves as a group and our graded the kids and asked each product for the future. Our group questions, but we wanted product has the potential to be to keep everything as neutral very successful, and we hope it as possible, so our three judges’ will be very soon.” scores determined whether they The 13 teams that advanced were: were in the top 12. We tallied Spoil Alert: points and then decided to do a Maddie Abbot, Nick Lubbers, top 13 due to a tie.” Tristin Malory Parents and community members are invited to attend. The TemperToe: presentations will be between 5-7 Haley Doty, Mia Johns, Taylor minutes and will include their Weber, Casey Jensen own commercials. Madisen Martinez of the group Sun Charger: “Gum Numb” was really pumped Ivy Hays, Jennifer Ensminger, up for the next round after Melissa Mikkelson, advancing out of the preliminary EZ Brush: Devin O’Neil, Colton McNear, Shinayne Whipple, Joey Sweeney The Groundhog: Gabe DeJong, Carter Larson, Riley Johnson Cap Eyes Kirstyn Bohn, Kara Mulheron, Sierra Furry Anti-Tangle: Kieonni Knight, Savannah Simmons, Shelby Brady, Wyatt Waage StoreMore Brush: Anneliese Taggart, Josh Prescott, Morgan Graham Nice Ice: Bali Summers, Madelyn Zevecke Shield X: Maria Flores, Shelby Noteboom, Carrie Skrivan, Ivan Morales Pocket Perfection: Maddison Gilbertson, Emily Bye, Kinsey James Size-a-bra: Kayla Farmer Jessica Ruring Gum Numb: Maddie Martinez, Maddie Lavin, Haleigh Melstand