A Celebration in Honor of Charles Dickens’s 200th Birthday Anniversary Year

Co-sponsored by The Dickens Project, University of California, Santa Cruz

An Important Notice of (perhaps) the one and only all-day Dickens Day Celebration in San Francisco, hence, one that should not be missed on all account. Thus, a brief description of what will occur by way of discourse and disquisition, literary enrichment, theatrical engagement, delectable fare, and of course, sheer fun.

A Dickens Day Celebration (in honor of Charles Dickens’s 200th Birthday Anniversary Year will be held on Wednesday, May 2 from NOON – 8:30 pm at San Francisco’s historic Mechanics’ Institute Library & Chess Room (founded in 1854). The day will start at Noon with lunch in the Six Jolly Fellowship Porters Pub followed by a series of talks from 12:30 -3:30 pm on Discovering Dickens’s London. From 3:30 – 4:30 pm we feature English Tea with Charles Dickens in Residence (performed by Robert Young) with additional “5 minute Dickens” readings from the audience. The evening program from 6:30 -8:30 pm features a keynote address by Jane Smiley (Charles Dickens (2002), followed by a panel titled, A Writer’s Life: Author, Celebrity, Social Reformer, Intrepid Traveler, Amateur Actor & Family Man and Dickens in the Digital Age with professors from the UC Santa Cruz Dickens Project and others; culminating with a dramatic reading by actor Paul Whitworth.

Six Jolly Fellowship Porters Pub will offer hearty tavern fare from NOON – 6:00 pm with a special Tea Service from 3:30 -5:00 pm. The audience and participants are welcomed to come in costumes as favorite characters from Dickens’s novels or people of the times!

Afternoon Program

Discovering Dickens’s London

12:00 – Six Jolly Fellowship Porters Pub (hearty tavern fare & libations 12:00 – 6:00 pm)

12:30-1:30 – John Jordan, Arriving in Dickens’s London

1:30-2:30 – Murray Baumgarten, Reading Dickens Writing London

2:30-3:30 – Peter Orner, Dickens and Melville: A Tale of Two Scriveners

3:30-4:30 – Tea Readings with Charles Dickens (Robert Young) Dramatic Reading by the Author!
        “5-Minute Dickens” with audience participation – bring your favorite selection to share!
        English Tea Service available!

Evening Program

A Writer’s Life: Author, Celebrity, Social Reformer, Intrepid Traveler, Amateur Actor & Family Man and
Dickens in the Digital Age

6:00 – Doors Open – Victorian Guests & Surprises

6:30-8:30 – Keynote Address: Jane Smiley, author of Charles Dickens (2002)

Panel discussion, moderated by John Jordan with Murray Baumgarten, Edwin Eigner, Jane Smiley, Peter Orner, Jon Michael Varese

From Page to Stage –A Dramatic Reading by actor Paul Whitworth

Reservations Required: (415) 393-0100 or rsvp@milibrary.org www.milibrary.org

Members Free; Public $15