Motor City Youth Theatre
Nancy Florkowski, Founder and Director
(313) 535-8962 or e-mail nancy@mcyt.org

Wednesday, July 6, 2005

Rob Widdis / Special to The Detroit News Sarah Lowry, 12, gives the thumbs-up to Matt Ward, 12, during the reading of "Hamlet" at the Redford Township District Library.

It's dragon season at the Redford library

The medieval age will come alive with sword fighting demonstrations and arts and crafts.

By Ursula Watson / The Detroit News

Rob Widdis / Special to The Detroit News Motor City Youth Theater founder Nancy Florkowski directs the show. Library fun All activities of the Dragons, Dreams, and Daring reading program will be held at the Redford Township District Library, 25320 W. Six Mile. The library's youth department will end its program Aug. 3 while the teen department will conclude Aug. 4. For information, call the library at (313) 531-5960.

REDFORD TOWNSHIP -- Zoe Hardoin decided to spend her summer taking part in the Dragons, Dreams, and Daring reading program sponsored by the Redford Township District Library.

The theme of this year's program is all things medieval with activities related to that time period such as sword and stick fighting demonstrations, arts and crafts, and of course books. The library's Youth and Teen departments offer age appropriate activities daily. The Youth portion of the program is for kids 3-11, while the teen portion is for ages 12-18.

Zoe, 13, of Redford Township joined up to 20 other teens in reading Shakespeare's "Hamlet." A student at Hilbert Middle School, Zoe played Hamlet.

She is no stranger to the works of Shakespeare, she said. She has been reading a book with his complete works before this event.

When asked why she would want to spend so much time in the library during her vacation, Zoe said it comes from a love of the library.

"I like coming here," she said. "It is nice and peaceful and there is air conditioning."

The reading program is financed by fund-raising efforts of the Friends of the Redford Township Library and public donations.

The library has 350 kids and teens enrolled in the program but there is room for a few more participants.

Zoe said she enjoyed the program on Hamlet, which was headed by Nancy Florkowski, founder of Motor City Youth Theatre in Livonia.

Florkowski helped Zoe and other teens while they read the scripts of Hamlet in a meeting room in the upstairs of the library. Any words or phrases that they didn't understand would cause her to stop the reading and interject the meaning. She also gave them a taste of how stage plays work, instructing them to exit stage left or right.

A former teacher in the South Redford School district for 30 years, Florkowski said she enjoys participating in library-sponsored events.

"It is great to be around kids that are really into reading," she said.

Zoe's mom, Barbie Hardoin, watched as her daughter confidently read the part of Hamlet. Hardoin said she loves the fact that the library offers such activities.

"It is something constructive and positive for her to do in the summer," Hardoin said. "Plus it is close to home."

You can reach Ursula Watson at (734) 462-2094 or uwatson@detnews.com