The first pilot project is underway for Ingensia, a collaborative community program to promote and facilitate lifelong learning in Kent.

“Our Hamlet” is being planned and developed in cooperation with the Kent State School of Theatre and Dance and the Kent community in an effort to educate the audience about the Shakespearean play before opening night April 15 at the Roe Green Center.

“I got the idea on Oct. 10 and it’s really taken off,” said Ingensia creator Hal DuBois. “I thought, ‘let’s create a community development project and get people familiar with the language and the plot of the play,’ and it took off from there.”

More than 50 organizations have been invited to participate in the program. So far, the School of Education, the Kent State English department, University Libraries, the Tannery, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Standing Rock Cultural Arts, the Kent Free Library, Portage County Retired Teacher’s Association, Portage Animal Protective League, the Flynn, Keith and Flynn law firm and the Portage Family and Community Services have committed.

“We reach a different population within the county so it will be neat to see if there are ways they could be involved,” said Anne Face, Director of Shelter Services for Portage Family and Community Services. “I could see a couple of our groups being interested in coming to the study groups. I think that would be a nice way to involve and link the community.”

Cheryl Chlysta, branch manager with the Portage County District Library System, added that her position will allow for the opportunity to reach a range of ages to participate.

The project begins Jan. 12 with a road trip to Cedar Lee cinema to see the United Kingdom’s National Theatre’s high definition digital broadcast production of Hamlet. Tickets will be available on a first come basis.

Hamlet study groups will also be available beginning Feb. 9, facilitated by DuBois and retired Kent Roosevelt English teacher Cathy Cikra. The group will meet once a week every week through mid-April for an in-depth discussion of the play’s features and themes.

Cindy Stillings, director of the School of Theatre and Dance, said this program provides the opportunity for students to go beyond the required lectures in class.

“There are certainly other students who would like to go beyond what they learn in the lecture classroom and explore this with someone who has the expertise to look at this play from various perspectives,” she said. “Just for the pure knowledge of it. No grade, no tests. Let’s see what we can learn about this play.”

DuBois said no prior experience of Shakespeare’s plays is required.

“We’re making an effort to not have this exclude anyone who’s interesting in pursuing it,” DuBois said. “If they haven’t had any experience with Shakespeare, that’s fine. If they realize a financial hardship trying to purchase a copy of the play, we will come up with a way to support that.”

You can contact Kristyn Soltis at [email protected].