The Elizabethan era came to NE Campus April 26 with the Shakespeare Carnivale, featuring a variety of interactive activities for anyone interested in the world of art and theater.

NE English Instructor Lisette Blanco-Cerda directed the event.

“We wanted to make the Carnivale a place where students could have fun and be active in the arts, not just sitting down and watching a play,” she said.

A band of musicians played in one area while other areas offered an arts and crafts table, a create-your-own-sonnet table and a spot where students could read random quotes and act out scenes together. Snacks, refreshments and door prizes were also provided.

Many students impersonated different characters from plays, including theater student Heather Biondini, who dressed as Juliet.

“I was excited about the Shakespeare Carnivale,” she said. “I enjoy expressing myself through acting and bringing my audience into a scene.”

NE English instructor Amanda Myers said the Carnivale was great for both her college students and dual-credit high school students.

“The Carnivale is much like a Renaissance Fair where students can explore film, art and music while having fun at the same time,” she said.

The walls were decorated with artwork created by TCC students while the movie Romeo and Juliet played on a large screen.

— Stevi Smith