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Shakespeare festival to host ‘Last Vampire’ and ‘Vampyre’ readings Oct. 30-31

October 10, 2020

The Lewes Public Library Shakespeare Festival will host David Logan Rankin for a reading of his original piece “The Last Vampire” and Polidori’s “The Last Vampyre” with Sadie Andros at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30 and 31.

Both readings will be presented outdoors, weather permitting, on the back lawn of the library at 111 Adams Ave. in Lewes.

Rankin is a veteran of the New York theatrical scene, having appeared in more than 100 professional productions since the early 1980s. His artistic drive has also seen him working as a playwright, musical composer, designer, artistic director, and managing director for projects of significant breadth, power, and diversity.

“The Last Vampire” is a solo piece Rankin created, telling the story of a vampire hundreds of years old and his experiences among people. The piece is compelling, with just the right amount of suspense to generate an enthralling Halloween experience. These stories are intended for adults due to thematic material and language, and are not appropriate for families with young children.

John William Polidori’s 1819 piece, “The Vampyre,” was written as a short work of prose fiction as part of a contest that also produced Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” It is perhaps the first written work to combine the various elements of the vampire tale into a coherent literary work. It follows the experiences of an Englishman of the upper class and his unwitting adventures with a gentleman who might well not be what he seems. Suspense rises and danger ensues as the two engage in a test of wills between man and immortal. Rankin will be joined in this reading by Lewes’ own Sadie Andros, familiar to local audiences from her previous work with the Shakespeare Festival and on the stage at Clear Space, and in her work as the drama teacher at Cape Henlopen High School.

Admission is free, but registration is required. For comfort, attendees may bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Dressing for the weather is encouraged. Social distancing areas will be marked out for attendees, and masks that cover the mouth and nose are required to be worn by all on library property. In case of inclement weather, the readings will be held inside the library. Attendance may be limited, adhering to strict social distancing rules.

To register, go lewes.lib.de.us and select the Virtual Programs for Adults page.

The Lewes Public Library Shakespeare Festival has provided a platform for the celebration of the spoken word since its inception in 2016, bringing free lectures, demonstrations, workshops, recitals, concerts and performances to the area. Beginning this year, programming has outgrown the week-long festival proper and now includes public professional and amateur performances of live theatre, reader’s theatre, poetic and musical artistry, and lectures all through the year.

 

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