Recap of Bloomsday V . . . James Joyce Celebration

Ocean City Repertory Theater presented its 5th annual staged reading of James Joyce's Ulysses, our annual celebration of life, love, language, literature and the coming of summertime, on Tuesday, June 16, from noon to midnight.

The Repertory Theater was pleased to continue its long tradition of Bloomsday readings by professional actors, local celebrities, esteemed politicians, Joyce enthusiasts, friends and neighbors.

Joyce's epic novel is about a Jewish advertising salesman, Leopold Bloom, who is beset by thoughts of his infant son's death and his wife's infidelities, and Stephen Dedalus, a young writer so alienated from his native culture and religion that he refuses to pray for his dying mother's soul. Ulysses follows the two men's navigations and chance encounters in Dublin on June 16, 1904.

The readings took place at various locations in Ocean City.

Bloomsday Tea • Scarborough Inn, 720 Ocean Avenue • noon -1:00 pm

We enjoyed a gorgeous afternoon tea of finger sandwiches and desserts, at the Scarborough Inn Luxury B&B, as songs of Joyce's bygone era filled the air. Love's Old Sweet Song and The Lass of Aughrim were just the beginning of a musical odyssey performed by soprano Jackie Kenney that delighted one and all.

Episode thirteen: Nausicaa • OC Fine Arts League, 608 Asbury Avenue • 1:30 - 2:30 pm

Actors John Alvarez, Jeff Sharkey and Suzanne Longacre read from episode thirteen: Nausicaa, which takes place at 8:00 pm on the beach at Sandymount Strand, where Bloom encounters the young beauty Gerty MacDowell.

In honor of Homer, Greek food from Katina's Restaurant was served.

Episode one: Telemachus; Chamber Music • City Hall, 900 Asbury Avenue • 3:00 - 4:00 pm

Actors John Alvarez, Suzanne Longacre, OC Arts Center Board President Jack Devine and PHD Candidate Gary Hink, Jr read from episode one: Telemachus. It is around 8:00 in the morning, and Buck Mulligan, performing a mock mass with his shaving bowl, calls Stephen Dedalus up to the roof of the Martello tower overlooking Dublin bay. Mayor Sal Perillo read a selection of poems from Chamber Music.

A selection of Wards pastries and coffee from WaWa was served.

Episode six: Hades; Letters from Joyce • Godfrey Funeral Home, 809 Central Avenue • 4:30 - 5:30 pm

Artistic Director Flossi Micciolo and Marie Dugan read Episode six: Hades, which begins the morning of Paddy Dignam's funeral (at about 11 o'clock Bloomtime). Frank Mcall read selected letters from Joyce.

Sandwiches and coffee from Positively 4th Street were served.

Lecture • Sun Rose Words & Music, 756 Asbury Avenue • 6:00 - 7:00 pm

Jewell Seehaus-Fisher is the recipient of the 2007 NJ State Council on the Arts Fellowship. She presented a very special talk focused on James Joyce's Ulysses and Homer's Odyssey in modern Dublin.

Soup and soda bread from Arlene's Cafe was served.

Episode nine: Scylaa and Charybdiss; Episode eleven: Sirens; Episode fifteen: Circe; Episode eighteen: Penelope  • OC Repertory Theater, 908 Asbury Avenue • 7:30 - midnight

Arias from Don Giovanni were performed by harpist Stephanie Sussemyer.

As a traditional Irish dinner was being served actors delighted one and all with readings and song. Readers included Christopher Maloney (executive director of OC Free Public Library), Bob DelBene, John Alvarez, Dee Thomas, Leah Getz, Jeff Sharkey, Beverly McCall, Cecilia Dugan, Marie Dugan, Frank McCall, Suzanne Longacre and Dan Skeldon (NBC 40 weatherman).

Thanks to our sponsors, The Thomas H. Heist Insurance Agency, Halliday Leonard and Perry-Egan Chevrolet.