100th Anniversary Performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the Division of English Language and Literature
- 작성처
- Date2025.03.11
- 21495
100th Anniversary Performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the Division of English Language and Literature
To commemorate the centennial of the Division of English Language and Literature, a special performance of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream was held from March 6 (Thu.) to March 8 (Sat.) at the ECC Youngsan Theater.
Rooted in Ewha Haktang’s humanities program of 1910, the division was established as an independent department in 1925 with the founding of Ewha College, since serving as a key pillar of Ewha’s academic tradition over the past century. To celebrate its centennial, the division hosted the 100th Anniversary International Academic Conference last October and has planned a series of commemorative events, beginning with this theatrical production.
This production was a collaborative effort involving both alumnae and current students, led by BEINGS, the division’s English-language theater group. BEINGS has a distinguished history and legacy in English-language theater, having staged Korea’s first English-language play, Ivanhoe, in 1930 and Shakespeare’s The Tempest in 1986 to mark Ewha Womans University’s centennial.
This year’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, often cited as one of Shakespeare’s top five plays, was a modern reimagining interpreted through the lens of year 2025. Professor Tae Kyeong Kang from the Division of English Language and Literature, who served as the performance coordinator, described it as “a song of the search for harmony amidst the great turmoil of strife and animosity in the human realm, juxtaposed against discord and conflict in the realm of nature, and a cyclical dance weaving together life and theater.” This production was a meaningful collaboration that brought together alumnae spanning four decades from the Incoming Classes of 1984 to 2024, with active participation from many BEINGS graduates who are now thriving as professionals in the performing arts sector.
Notably, this was the first performance staged at the newly inaugurated Youngsan Theater, which opened last December as a professional performance venue. Located on the fourth basement level of the ECC, Youngsan Theater is equipped with cutting-edge theatrical technology and infrastructure. The venue is expected to enhance the overall viewing experience while providing students with firsthand exposure to a professional theater setting.
The centennial celebrations will continue with the 100th Anniversary Joint Exhibition at the ECC Daesan Gallery, co-hosted by the Ewha History Museum and Yeonghakhoe (Alumnae Association of the Division of English Language and Literature), from April 24 to the end of May. On May 23, the Centennial Commemoration Ceremony and a Future Vision Forum will be held to offer an opportunity to reflect on the division’s century-long legacy.