Irodalom | Középiskola » Integrating Art and Literature with The Great Gatsby Community Reading Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Facebook: www.facebookcom/youngaud Twitter: www.twittercom/youngauditorium LinkedIn: www.linkedincom/company/young-auditorium Website: www.uwwedu/youngauditorium Stacy P. Sherman Marketing Specialist Ph: (262) 472-5705 Email: ShermanS@uww.edu Date: February 18, 2015 Integrating Art and Literature with The Great Gatsby Community Reading Project WHITEWATER – February marks the start of the fifth consecutive year of Young Auditorium Outreach’s community reading project. This year, the book selection is F Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” which drives the campaign’s Readeasy theme. The 2015 Readeasy Project is sponsored by a generous donation from American Family Insurance. Fitzgerald’s “Gatsby” is the inspiration for a variety of arts and literature integration events ranging from book club discussions, to 1920s dance workshops, author speaking engagements, and culminating with Montana Repertory Theatre’s performance of The Great

Gatsby at Young Auditorium on March 18, 2015 at 7:30 p.m in Whitewater. The goal of the Readeasy is to provide an opportunity for the UW-Whitewater campus and community at large to participate in activities and engage in discussion related to a common read, increasing awareness about the joy and importance of reading. More information about the Readeasy project can be found at www.youngauditoriumwordpresscom Why Gatsby? Fitzgerald’s novel is arguably the most popular classic in modern American fiction. Published in 1925, the masterpiece captures the grandeur and opulence of the Roaring 20’s and juxtaposes that with challenges of the human condition. The story of Jay Gatsby touches on universal themes such as desire, unrequited love, the importance of honesty, the temptation of wealth, and the struggle to escape the past. It is perhaps because these themes speak to us on a very basic level of human understanding that this novel has -more- become a hallmark for generations of

readers and writers. Why “Readeasy?” Assistant Director and the Director of Education and Outreach for Young Auditorium, Shannon Dozoryst, responds, “Readeasy is a play on the term ‘speakeasy.’ The sale, manufacture and transportation of alcoholic beverages was illegal in the United States during the Prohibition Era (1920-1933). A speakeasy was an establishment that illegally sold alcoholic beverages. There are numerous references to Prohibition, speakeasy establishments, and bootlegging in Fitzgerald’s Gatsby. This year, Young Auditorium is taking the initiative to independently program a common read, so we thought this name fitting.” Schedule of Events Book Clubs – Many book clubs may have already begun reading the novel, but community members are welcome to contact them to join in. • AAUW Geneva Lakes Chapter – Contact Roberta at rohr49@yahoo.com or (262) 472-9268 www.genevalake-wiaauwnet • Lake Geneva Public Library – Contact Andrea at

andreap@lakegeneva.libwius or (262) 249-5299 www.lakegenevalibwius 1920s Immersion Through Dance-Youth After School Workshop Scheduled for Thursday, February 26 and Friday, February 27th is the Dancing With Class® after school workshop (ages 10-18) from 4-6 p.m at the Kachel Center (Young Auditorium) The workshop is two days and registration required. Contact Shannon Dozoryst at dozoryss@uwwedu or (262) 472-1432 for more information or to register. “Calling All Jitterbugs”-Dancing With Class® Family Dance Program On Saturday, February 28th at 3 p.m, clap and dance along at this interactive family story time and movement workshop! Learn the dance steps that go along with the new book, Jitterbugs! by Margot Toppen and illustrated by Karen Light, two Chicago area teaching artists. Jitterbugs! is an exciting picture book that will entertain children ages 2-10 with its scat rhythm under-tone and fast-moving story about two very different bugs who triumph through their unlikely dance

partnership. The story Jitterbugs! is inspired by real-life 1930s Lindy Hop dancers George Snowden (“Shorty George”) and Beatrice Gay (“Big Bea”) who used their height difference to their advantage to win contests at places like the famed Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, New York. This dance-along story re-casts George and Bea as adorable and engaging “Jitterbugs.” Young children and their families will love to dance along with the bugs in this fully interactive family dance workshop, while discovering that moving together can be a fun and healthy family activity. This program is sponsored by Fort HealthCare -more- R. Clifton Spargo Author Appearances Friday, March 6th - R. Clifton Spargo is the author of “Beautiful Fools: The Last Affair of Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald.” He will be speaking about the process of writing his book, and the parallels between the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald in his story with Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby – the two main characters in

F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, “The Great Gatsby,” written in 1925. • 2:00-3:00 p.m – Fairhaven Lecture Series (Whitewater); this event is FREE and open to the public No registration required. “Beautiful Fools” will be available for sale and signing Fairhaven lectures are held in the Fellowship Hall of Fairhaven Retirement Community, 435 West Starin Road in Whitewater. Street parking is adjacent to the building • 5:00-6:00 p.m – Lake Geneva Public Library; this event is FREE and open to the public No registration required. “Beautiful Fools” will be available for sale and signing Event will be held in the library, located at 918 West Main Street in downtown Lake Geneva. Street or metered parking is available. “The Great Gatsby” Stage Performance at Young Auditorium Montana Repertory Theatre reinvigorates this moving story with Simon Levy’s stage adaptation of the classic novel. With themes from the Roaring Twenties that resonate with the current times, this show

brings the beauty and poetry of the original masterpiece to life. The performance will be on Wednesday, March 18th at 7:30 pm Visit www.uwwedu/youngauditorium for more information or to purchase tickets online Tickets can also be purchased through the Box Office at (262) 472-2222. The Young Auditorium serves as a presenting organization for the performing arts and as an educational and cultural center enriching the lives of regional communities, offering a full season of world-class performing arts presentations. To learn more, visit wwwuwwedu/youngauditorium or follow at www.Facebookcom/YoungAud ###