Shakespeare’s Globe Centre New Zealand founder and chief executive visits Stratford

Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ founder and CEO Dawn Sanders pictured during her visit for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Photo / Alyssa Smith

The founder and chief executive of Shakespeare’s Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) was in town for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

Dawn Sanders, an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit and Queen’s Service Medal recipient, first became interested in Shakespeare at age 7.

She read the Bard’s collected works at the age of 15 and in her mid-teens was a member of the Wellington Shakespeare Society.

In 1983 Dawn became involved in the Globe Theatre Hangings Project. She was appointed project manager and toured the hangings nationally, and internationally and then presented them to the Shakespeare Globe in London in 1994.

After meeting the instigator of the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe in London, the late Sam Wanamaker in 1990, in the middle of the following year she founded the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand, of which she is now the chief executive.

In Stratford Dawn spoke at two events, educating the public on the costumes used in Shakespeare’s time and today, and also the education of Shakespeare both in the past and in modern times.

She says walking down Broadway was a pleasure and she was impressed by all of the costumes in the shop windows.

“I loved seeing all the costumes in the shop windows. These young people deserve to have their costumes on display and Stratford has done a great job of showcasing their work.”

In her presentation on Thursday, Dawn explained how royalty would donate their clothing to the theatre.

“As the plays depicted kings, queens, and wealthy people the costumes reflected their character’s social status. Royalty would often donate their clothes to the theatre.”

In Elizabethan times clothing represented status, she says.

“In terms of hat highs, the more upper class you were the higher the hat.”

She said William Shakespeare is eternal.

She says the Stratford Shakespeare Trust has organised a well-rounded festival.

“It was nice to see the SGCNZ University of Otago Sheilah Winn regional festival incorporated in the festival. I admire the work of the Stratford Shakespeare Trust for all they have done and engaging with the town.”

On Friday she explained the education around Shakespeare and his relevance.

“We still use all of his sayings today. It’s important to know where that comes from. He’s eternal and has been made really important which is why he’s lasted for over 400 years.”