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Classic Readings: Where Literature Comes to Life

Step into a world where timeless words are spoken anew.

Classic Readings is a monthly celebration of literature and storytelling, presented by the Kakos School of Arts & Sciences. The series brings together students, faculty, and guest readers to perform beloved works from the literary canon as well as original pieces that reflect the creative spirit of our campus community.

Each performance invites audiences to rediscover the beauty, rhythm, and emotion of language through the power of voice. From haunting verses to holiday favorites, Classic Readings reminds us that great stories never lose their resonance, they simply await new voices to tell them.

  • May - Mai (May)

    As May arrives with a sense of movement, renewal, and reflection—on campus and beyond—Apollinaire’s poem invites us to consider the passage of time and the emotional currents of the season with fresh attention.

    This month’s Classic Reading celebrates the richness of spring through one of Guillaume Apollinaire’s most vivid and lyrical poems. Join Vice President for Student Life Kristell Lowe, MBA as she reads Mai (May) in both French and English, offering a reflective meditation on memory, transition, and the beauty of the changing season.

    Reader: Vice President for Student Life Kristell Lowe, MBA

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  • April - April Rain Song

    As April ushers in a season of growth, reflection, and new beginnings—on campus and beyond—Hughes’s poem invites us to slow down and listen to the natural world with fresh attention. 

    This month’s Classic Reading celebrates the gentle arrival of spring through one of Langston Hughes’s most lyrical and evocative poems. Join Dr. Margaret Groarke as she reads April Rain Song, a vivid meditation on renewal, rhythm, and the sensory beauty of a spring rain.

    Reader: Dr. Margaret Groarke

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  • March - Dear March—Come In

    Just in time for March Madness, Dear March—Come In by Emily Dickinson is read by Shawn Ladda, Ph.D., Professor of Kinesiology.

    This month’s Classic Reading welcomes the arrival of spring through one of Emily Dickinson’s most imaginative and inviting poems. Join Dr. Shawn Ladda as she reads Dear March—Come In, a playful and reflective work that personifies the month as a long-awaited guest.

    Reader: Dr. Shawn Ladda

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  • February - Sonnet 116 by Shakespeare

    Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Manhattan University’s Classic Readings series presents Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare, read by Brian Chalk, Ph.D., Professor of English.

    One of Shakespeare’s most celebrated poems, Sonnet 116 offers a powerful meditation on the nature of true love — steadfast, enduring, and unchanged by time or circumstance. Its language continues to resonate centuries later, reminding readers of love’s depth, strength, and permanence.

    Reader: Dr. Brian Chalk

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  • January - Ring Out, Wild Bells by Tennyson

    Pause and reflect with Ring Out, Wild Bells by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, drawn from his larger elegy In Memoriam. Set on New Year’s Eve, the poem uses the ringing of church bells as a call to moral renewal, urging us to release grief, injustice, and falsehood, and to welcome compassion, truth, and hope in their place.

    Both deeply personal and strikingly timely, Tennyson’s words resonate across generations, reminding us that renewal is not passive but intentional.

    Reader: Br. Robert Berger

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  • December - ’Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore

    Clement Clarke Moore’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas is a beloved holiday poem that captures the magic, anticipation, and warmth of Christmas Eve. For generations, it has remained a timeless tradition shared with family and loved ones.

    Reader: Dean Marcy Kelly, Ph.D.

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  • November - Thanksgiving by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

    Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s Thanksgiving is a timeless reflection on gratitude, community, and the quiet beauty of the season.

    Reader: Deirdre O’Leary Cunningham, Ph.D.

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  • October - The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

    Dark, lyrical, and unforgettable — Poe’s masterpiece of melancholy sets the stage for the series launch the week of Halloween.

    Storyteller: Dr. Mark Pottinger
    Camera: Michael Grabowski
    Production Design & SFX: Anna Schmidt
    Additional Lighting: Ryan Montemarano

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About the Series

The Classic Readings initiative was created as an edutainment project, part education, part performance, and entirely dedicated to celebrating the art of storytelling.

Featuring works now in the public domain, as well as student and faculty compositions, the series highlights how literature connects generations, disciplines, and ideas.

Our goals are:

  • To promote reading and literary appreciation across diverse audiences.
  • To showcase the talent of University students and faculty through performance and creative collaboration.
  • To foster interdisciplinary connections across writing, theatre, and digital media.
  • To build community around shared stories that inspire, challenge, and delight.