Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre Hosts 1st Annual Sonnet Competition
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre is challenging the public to write their own sonnet in its first annual Sonnet Competition.
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
Titled, "Show Us Your Love" the first annual sonnet competition challenges you to answer questions like "What was it like the first time you fell in love?" in Elizabethan form using Iambic pentameter.
"Da dum...Da dum...Da dum...that's the rhythm of it. It's not very hard once you look at it," says Carmen Khan, artistic executive director of the Philadelphia Shakespearean Theatre.
She says the competition is part of Year of the Bard: Shakespeare at 450, a yearlong celebration of Shakespeare. She says they're hoping students and professionals will submit their prose by January 31st.
"We wanted people to share in Shakespeare's work and get a little but of the complexity of it and the beauty of it while saying at the same time it's really doable," says Khan.
Four winners will get their sonnets performed on stage this spring. Details on the competition, including how to write a sonnet are at phillyshakespeare.org.
