MONMOUTH, Ill. — A group of eight Monmouth College
students recently performed a bilingual version of the Dr. Seuss classic,
“Green Eggs and Ham” for K-3 students at Immaculate Conception Elementary
school in Monmouth. The special feature of the performance was that every
line was spoken in both English and Latin.
The production was conceived and directed by
Carrie Casper, a senior from Tinley Park. English narrators were sophomore
Adam Drake of Rockford and freshman Richard Harrod of Annapolis, Md. Latin
narrators were senior Michael Fanucce of Oregon and freshman Michelle
Anstett of Peoria.
The performance featured two actors who mimed the
action of the story along with the English narration. Matthew Katsenes, a
senior from Frankfort, played the role of “Sam” and Brian Walgren, a
senior from Batavia, played the role of the grouch. During the Latin
narration, Casper and Merry Vue, a freshman from Thornton, Colo., held up
flashcards with illustrations and Latin words. The play was well received
and there are plans to repeat the performance at other local elementary
schools.
“The play turned out to be better than I expected,
and it was rewarding to see that the students were interested in the
language even though they were so young,” said Vue. “The application of
the English with the Latin looked like it really kept them interested in
the play as a whole, and the flashcards helped them to identify words
making it easy to learn.”
“It was a lot of work to put together, but seeing
the smiles on children's faces made it worthwhile,” added Katsenes.
Concluded Harrod, “The kids really enjoyed the
show. It was fun and a great way to spark interest in the Classics at an
early age. Get them while they’re young.”
Monmouth College’s Gamma Omicron chapter of Eta
Sigma Phi, the national classics honorary society, sponsored the
production as a service project designed to promote awareness of Latin
among elementary school children. At the society’s recent national
convention in New Orleans, the Gamma Omicron chapter won an award for
outstanding service in the promotion of Classics in 2004.
