Students at
James Weldon Johnson College Preparatory Middle School hosted a Renaissance Faire and Elizabethan Feast on November 19. Tables were donned with velvet cloth, garnish centerpieces and porcelain masques, and the walls were covered with art work representative of that time period. It gave the students a taste of what Elizabethan celebrations were like during the early 1600's, and was a reward for their hard work and study.
Prior to the celebration, students read and analyzed Twelfth Night, a
comedy by William Shakespear, and had to memorize and perform scenes in front of their class. Those judged as having the best performance earned a slot to perform at the faire.
The festivities opened with a trumpet salute and the introduction of the Omega, Gamma and Delta kings and queens. Students dressed in appropriate costumes representing royalty, lords and ladies, and friars and apothecaries. Others acted as dancers, jugglers and musicians.
The Renaissance Faire was a creative outlet of expression that utilized active participation in the learning process. The students not only had to recite the monologues and dialogues, but also had to incorporate their interpretation of the interactions into their performance. The students’ enthusiasm for their work emanated throughout the celebration as they cheered and high-fived successful performances. The festivities concluded with a dance performance and the call to feast.
For more pictures from the James Weldon Johnson Renaissance Faire, visit the
DCPS' flickr photostream.
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