To Be or Not to Be… Sustainable? How Shakespeare Takes On the Climate Crisis

the vibe

🎭 Can a 400-year-old playwright help us care about the planet? Statistics about climate change can feel distant and easy to scroll past. Stories, music, and performance can make them feel real. This lecture asks how the arts transform environmental issues into experiences we can see, feel, and imagine. Cathryn Flores, PhD candidate in English at UC Davis, specializes in Performance Studies and is also a recording artist and former GRAMMY U representative. She takes us from Shakespeare in Yosemite to Baz Luhrmann's 1996 Romeo + Juliet to explore how modern adaptations use performance, music, and pop culture to spark conversations about climate change and conservation. Rather than treating Shakespeare as a dusty artifact, Cathryn shows how the old playwright can be reimagined for urgent contemporary questions and help create new environmental imaginaries. Expect big ideas, great examples, and maybe a new way to hear the Bard. 🌲 *Venue Note This venue asks guests to sit on floor seats during the lecture. Comfy fold-out floor seats are provided, so guests won’t be sitting directly upright on the floor. We also reserve a limited number of standard chairs for guests who prefer or need them. The venue additionally asks that guests remove their shoes before entering the space. 🕰 Event Details What should I expect? 7:00-7:35 --> arrival & chats 7:35-8:20 --> lecture 8:20-9:00 --> q&a and more chatting Who's invited? Anyone with an interest in learning new things, meeting new…