English Professor George Pittman Headlines 2013 Lipsey Lecture

Retired Mississippi College English professor George C. Pittman will headline the 42^nd annual Lipsey Lecture series on the Clinton campus and discuss the humor in William Shakespeare’s literary masterpieces.

On April 9, the MC English Department is sponsoring the Sue Price Lipsey Lectureship that promotes scholarship in the field of humanities.

Beginning at 6:15 p.m. that Tuesday evening in Anderson Hall, the Lipsey Lecture is held in conjunction with the Christian university’s 36^th annual Shakespeare Festival that is sponsored by the university’s theatre program.

Born in 1564 in England, Shakespeare penned more than 30 plays. His many works include “The Merchant of Venice,” plus “King Lear” and “Othello” to name a few. The greatest writer in the English language, Shakespeare died in 1616.

Nearly 400 years later, Pittman will make the works of Shakespeare come alive once again on the Clinton campus.

“Dr. Pittman and his wife, Alicia, are well-known to the MC community, and his life-long enthusiasm for and expertise in Shakespearean theatre is sure to inform and entertain the crowd,” said Jonathan Randle, chairman of the English Department.

Pittman’s address is free and open to the public. The Lipsey Lecture series was established in 1971. The English Department named the program in honor of Sue Price Lipsey for her many years of service to the university. She joined the faculty in 1946 and retired in May 1974.

Following Pittman’s remarks, doors will open at 6:45 p.m. at Anderson Hall in the B.C. Rogers Student Center for the traveling show of New Stage Theater’s “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare” by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield. It promises to be a humorous, yet informative interpretation of two of Shakespeare’s most famous plays “Romeo and Juliet” and “Hamlet.”

Members of the audience will get the opportunity to talk with the actors after the show.

Tickets for “Complete Works” are $5 for all students, MC employees and senior adults. There’s an $8 admission charge for the general public. Groups of 10 or more will pay $4 each. Ticket prices will include refreshments served after the performance in early celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday.

For ticket reservations, contact the English Department at 601.925.3215.