Arts & Entertainment

How the Costumes of ‘American Born Chinese’ Straddle Fantasy and Reality

Source: CNN

The imprint of Greek and Roman mythology is all around us, from the names of our shoes (Nike, the goddess of victory) to the names of the planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, etc). And maybe a certain recent movie series has made you familiar with a little Norse mythology, like Thor and Loki, too. Now a new show is introducing Western audiences to Chinese mythology. Find out how costume designers approached dressing ancient Chinese gods for a modern American audience.

Shakespeare-Fan King Charles Celebrates 400 Years Since the First Folio

Source: Reuters

Shakespeare, an iconic figure in English history, is celebrated and beloved by another significant English figure, King Charles. Read about how and why King Charles celebrates the 400-year anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio.

What Are the Yips? The Unfortunate Phenomenon Impacting Athletes

Source: NBC 5 News (Chicago)

Have you ever seen an accomplished athlete suddenly perform as if they’ve completely forget how to play their sport? If so, you’ve seen “the yips”–the sudden and unexplained loss of an athlete’s typical skills–in action. The yips are basically the opposite of achievement. Learn more about a term that started in golf, quickly moved to other sports, and is increasingly being used in other fields like politics, business, and education.

Tales of Migration Explore Modern-Day Odysseys and ‘Hyphenated Identities’

Source: WUWM

Many contemporary authors are inspired to explore the themes of immigration. Often drawing from their own experiences, they write about meeting different kinds of people and reconciling the past with the future.

Why ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Frightened So Many Parents in the 1990s

Source: Smithsonian Magazine

Read about the story behind one of the most banned books for children.

The dead we honor: Shakespeare’s apt words for Memorial Day

Source: New York Post

Centuries after they were written, Shakespeare’s words remain poignant as we honor veterans on Memorial Day.

9 Legends of American Folklore

Source: How Stuff Works

Words like “myth” and “legend” often make you think of stories from thousands of years ago, but new legends are always being created. America is no exception, with a number of popular myths spreading during the 1800s as the country expanded westward. This article provides a high-level summary of nine of the most well-known American frontier legends–some entirely fictional, but some based on exaggerations around real people and events.

A Brief Introduction to Gothic Literature

Source: ThoughtCo.

You may have heard of ‘Gothic horror,’ but do you know what makes a story ‘Gothic’ or not? This resources provides a quick, high-level breakdown of key elements, themes, and techniques that can earn a story the label of ‘Gothic,’ as well as a few examples of famous Gothic horror stories you can read on your own.

Surviving copies of Shakespeare’s First Folio to go on show

Source: The Guardian

Many of Shakespeare’s works might be lost to us forever had they not been preserved in a collection of published manuscripts known as the First Folio.

1776 Musical brings vibrant nontraditional casting of founding fathers to stage at DCPA

Source: CBS

Read about how 1776, a musical about the founding fathers, takes on a modern and thought-provoking twist through its most diverse cast to date.