News Archives - 2011

Reading Ulysses all around the town

You can't be sure what senior English majors would do when given the choice between writing a paper or reading James Joyce's 265,000-word novel Ulysses at the end of one the last classes of their academic career. English majors presumably love reading, but they are also the people who say they'd rather write a paper than take a test.

And while they weren't really given a choice—their professor assigned the reading as their final major project—the students in Bob Cowgill's senior keystone course took on a bit of a challenge in reading Ulysses. They're doing it aloud, in a marathon reading over the course of three weeks, and in several locations around the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.

From April 13 to May 4, the students will take turns reading from the novel. Some readings will take place in settings related to the text, like the April 14 reading on the Mississippi Riverbank.

Senior Susan Woehrle says Cowgill assigned the staged reading as a way for students to engage the text. Not only do they have to do the reading, they need to get people to the venues to listen. "We thought it would mean less work, but then we started to look at promotions and multi-media aspect and realized it was harder than it seemed," she says. The students worked with Darcey Engen, a professor of theatre at Augsburg, on vocal projection and dramatic reading techniques so they're presentations would be more engaging, "And not droning on," Woehrle says.

Woehrle has become invested in the promotion of this event. "Unlike other students in the class, I'm coming back to college after a while away. I'm excited about this as the prodigal's son who is returning," she says. She adds that after graduation, it will be more difficult to have this same kind of opportunity, so she wants to make the best of it. "After I leave, this kind of opportunity is not going to be as easy to find."

You can find event details on Facebook in the "Three-Week Marathon Ulysses Reading" event. Also read the Daily A-mail or check the Inside Augsburg calendar for information.

Three-Week Marathon Ulysses Reading

(Schedule subject to change)

Wed, 4/13/11, 7 p.m.
Lindell Library, Room 301

Thursday 4/14, 11 a.m.
Boneshaker Books
2002 23rd Ave. S. (Franklin & 23rd)

Thursday 4/14, 4 p.m.
Mississippi Riverbank
S 4th St & W River Pkwy

Monday, 4/18, 7 p.m.
Lindell Library, Room 301

Wednesday 4/20, 2 p.m.
Christensen Center

Wednesday 4/20, 7 p.m.
Lindell Library, Room 301

Monday 4/25, Noon
Lindell Library, Room 301

Monday 4/25, 7 p.m.
Lindell Library, Room 301

Tuesday, 4/26, 2 p.m.
The Quad

Wednesday, 4/27, 7 p.m.
Lindell Library, Room 301

Thursday, 4/28, 7 p.m.
Lindell Library, Room 301

Friday, 4/29, Noon
Murphy Park

Monday, 5/2, 7 p.m.
Lindell Library, Room 301

Tuesday, 5/3, 7 p.m.
Lindell Library, Room 301

Wednesday, 5/4, Noon
Christensen Center

Wednesday, 5/4, 3 p.m.
Christensen Center

Wednesday, 5/4, 7 p.m.
"Black Box" Theater