Holiday Happenings at the Pawling Shakespeare Club
By PSC
On Monday, December 7th, the Pawling Shakespeare Club, along with invited guests, celebrated with their annual holiday party in The Barn, at the Quaker Hill home of Tino and Marie DiLorenzo. Catered by the culinarily talented members of the Shakespeare Club, the holiday fair was impressive and plentiful. Secret Santa gifts were exchanged as this year’s Santa, member Forbes Linkhorn and elf, member Stephanie Rogers organized the hand outs from under the tree!
Club members kept all amused with holiday music and song as well as a rollicking chorus of The Twelve Days of Shakespeare, led by club President, Rita Shaffer and honorary club member and husband, Barry Shaffer. Stephanie Rogers performed “The Night Before Christmas,” and a short dramatic reading of the Cratchit family Christmas dinner scene from Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” was performed by member Susan Stone, who also presented a brief, fun explanation of Christmas celebrations (or lack thereof) in Elizabethan England. Additionally, a dramatic reading of O’Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi”, performed by members Carol-Lee Kantor, Marie DiLorenzo and Ann Wagner rounded out the entertainment portion of this fun filled afternoon.
On Saturday, December 19th, members of the Pawling Shakespeare Club headed into The Big Apple to see fellow Pawlingite and honorary club member James Earl Jones perform The Gin Game at the Golden Theatre with co-star Cicely Tyson. Lunch at Sardi’s was enjoyed before show time. The performance of this two character classic revival was magical!
This spring, The Pawling Shakespeare Club will read and discuss the very merry… “Merry Wives of Windsor.” A commemoration of the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death will be on the spring agenda. The Pawling Shakespeare Club, the oldest chartered club in New York State, has been in continuous operation since 1898. Those with Interest in attending the spring session, running from March to June, may contact Rita Shaffer at: senorita28@aol.com. All are welcome!
