Newswise — A semester on comedy and humor? On a college campus? That's what's in store this fall, as the University of Maryland continues to celebrate its 150th anniversary with a wide range of courses, programs and events that will let comedy and humor take center stage. Faculty and staff from the College of Arts and Humanities helped organize the semester's events, with support from the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Adele Stamp Student Union, the provost's office and the Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies.
In fact, the director of the center, Adele Seeff, is helping coordinate the semester-long project, along with English Professor Kent Cartwright and Larry Mintz, an associate professor of American studies and former director of the Art Gliner Center for Humor Studies. A 19 member campus steering committee has actually been working on the project since 2004, providing input and guidance, as well as developing specific programs for the semester's activities like the Commedia dell'arte performance October 12 in the Kogod Theater.
Seeff says the whole idea is to "get a sustained conversation going on campus about the experience, nature, working, and function of comedy and humor." Comedy is part of the fabric of every culture around the world. But Seeff says, "It's even harder to define or analyze than tragedy; humor is fundamental to human society and individual experience, but its social and psychological dimensions need better understanding. In exploring these matters through practice and analysis, the Semester on Comedy and Humor is academic - but we may even laugh a little."
Prof. Mintz says courses are being offered by eleven departments on campus - including American Studies, English, Latin, Women's Studies and Theater. Mintz himself is teaching an upper level American Humor class that is already full. "Humor is a vital part of the ways in which we understand and express ourselves on just about anything of importance in our lives," he says.
English Professor Kent Cartwright's class in "Tudor Comedy from Heywood to Shakespeare" is also full. He says that along with the course offerings, there is literally something for everyone during the semester including performances, lectures, discussions and some very special events. Cartwright points to one featured event - a new exhibit honoring Jim Henson as a performing artist at the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library in the Clarice Smith Center. Panel discussions will include Henson's wife, Jane.
Cartwright says another highlight will be the debut of "College Park: the Opera" performed by the Squonk Opera Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 9 and 10. And you won't want to miss a performance of the "500 Clown MacBeth" in the Kogod Theater November 30-Dec. 3. The Semester of Comedy and Humor website has a full list of events that are being offered. There are plans to add more events as well.
See this release on the web at: http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/culture/release.cfm?ArticleID=1313
The Semester on Comedy and Humor website:http://www.comedy.umd.edu/index.htmlSemester on Comedy and Humor Expert's Listhttp://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/experts/hottopic.cfm?hotlist_id=89
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