Yesterday, the esteemed Brian Kettler and I had the privilege of visiting Mead Hunter's Renaissance Theatre class at University of Portland. Brian and I led a discussion centered on Shakespeare's adaptation of the Pyramus and Thisbe myth, looking at the text from Ovid's Metamorphoses and comparing it to segments of Romeo and Juliet and of course, the lamentable tragedy tucked within A Midsummer Night's Dream.

We closed by splitting the class into two groups, tasked with coming up with their own adaptation of the story, set in contemporary times. This resulted in one tragedy, where the ill-fated (star-crossed) lovers were two young men from conservative families, divided when a suicide attempt led to one of them being sequestered in a mental hospital. The other, a social media conscious comedy, with a missed connection at the airport. I want to see these plays.

What a brilliant group of students. What an honor to be invited. Much appreciation to all involved.

...and we'll be back there next week, for Introduction to Fine Arts. Surprisingly enough, we will again explore adaptation. This time, with Sappho. Stay tuned!