Seanchai Library: The Dickens Project Returns for 2022 December 8- January 3

 

Second Life – Seanchai Library is proud to announce the opening of The Dickens Project 2022 Edition. This Second Life winter holiday tradition invites guests to walk in the steps of Ebenezer Scrooge in an environment inspired, in part, by Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella “A Christmas Carol.” An invited community of Second Life groups and organizations will present a variety of music events, dance performances, as well as story presentations. Other Project features include skating, sledding, a balloon ride, a horse cart tour, and plenty of photo opportunities. The Dickens Project regions will open on Thursday, December 8th, and close at the end of the day on Tuesday, January 3rd.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The 2022 Edition features an Experience-based teleport system. Please accept the “Caledonian Studios” Experience in the Welcome Area to fully explore The Project. 

LOCATION: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Dickens%20Project/129/128/1401

"This year we challenged a lot of assumptions about how we configured the land to tell the story," said Caledonia Skytower of Seanchai Library. "So what Dickens Project fans will discover is a layout that is very different from past Projects, but still has a narrative sense. It feels like a lot ‘more’, somehow, and yet will still have the friendly familiarity that many will expect."  The Dickens Project is intentionally designed to follow, as much as possible, the narrative of Dickens’ 1843 work, allowing guests to walk through the Christmas past, present, and future of the story.

The Dickens Project also seeks to promote community - a community of Second Life individuals and organizations which come together for this annual celebration. After a hiatus in 2021, this community includes Virtual Community Radio and Innsmouth in SL. The Community Virtual Library will again provide research and information on Victorian life in the time of Dickens’ works. 

Four dance companies will present unique performances including Idle Rogue Productions, TerpsiCorps Dance, Misfit Dance and Performance Art SL, and Virtuoso Dance. Eclipse Club and Resort will contribute music sets in addition to various independent DJs and musicians.  SL Hawks Aerobatic Team will return for a single performance of their popular “Ghost Flights of Christmas” air show in the skies above Dickens Harbour, this season with wing walkers. These are all in addition to the live story reading programs for which Seanchai Library is known.  

The popular "Carol Week" returns in a revised format this year. The week will begin with The Big Read on Sunday, December 18th at Noon. The relay-style presentation involves a chorus of voices in a continuous reading of "A Christmas Carol" from beginning to end. The week will continue December 19 - 22nd with a section of Dickens' novella presented live each day in a "Story Tour" presentation to the sites in the region inspired by the story. 

Seanchai Library offers its thanks to Linden Labs and Patch Linden, our 2022 Region Sponsors.

There will be additional information available on the Seanchai Library Website, and at the Welcome Area at The Dickens Project.

This press release is available in digital form at https://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/p/the-dickens-project-press-release.html

About the Seanchai Library

Seanchai Library (pronounced Shawn-a-kee, which means "Storyteller" in Irish Gaelic.) was founded in March of 2008 in Second Life. The program remains dedicated to promoting the power of stories to transform and inspire through live voice presentations: "We bring stories of all kinds to life, in Second Life and other virtual worlds."  http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/

All times listed are SLT/ Pacific.

Images and Project Poster can be accessed from our online image bank which can be accessed via the digital press release on our website.

 Media Contact:

Caledonia Skytower, Seanchai Library

caledoniaskytower@gmail.com

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The Dickens Project Opens Sunday December 1st!

Second Life – The Seanchai Library is proud to announce that the doors of The Dickens Project 2019 Edition will open December 1. What follows is a month of events including storytelling, music, dance, roleplay, and the return of the "Urchins in Dickens’ London" experience. Inspired by Charles Dickens, this region recreates the Victorian world of A Christmas Carol and other beloved tales, offering a wonderful opportunity to explore and discover.



Over 60 hours of events are planned for this year's Project. Seanchai Library has expanded the information available on its website to include: region map, calendar of events, the Urchins in London experience, the Story Path Voices audio tour, information on roleplay events, "rideables", and in-region gifts. The expanded information pages will go live on Thursday, November 28th, with access to The Dickens Project opening to all residents on Sunday, December 1st at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Dickens%20Project/125/118/22

Special Blogger/Press Previews are scheduled for November 29th from noon to 2pm, and November 30th from 2-4pm. Members of the virtual media are invited to get a closer look at The Project before it officially opens. Team Dickens creators will be on hand to answer questions, and the music stream will include music and highlight various features in the region.

"The Dickens Project has really become a community. It stopped being a strictly Seanchai Library happening several years ago," said Caledonia Skytower of Seanchai Library. This year will again feature contributions from Ce Soir Arts, Radio Riel, and Innsmouth SL.  The Community Virtual Library will be providing the Resource Center and The Dickens Library, exploring the breadth and scope of the author's work. Idle Rogue Productions and Misfit Dance & Performance Art will be staging special productions for The Project. Fantasy Faire Radio will be joining the community this year, broadcasting music from Dickens Square on December 18th, and presenting an encore performance of its radio drama "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde". These are in addition to the live story reading programs which are Seanchai Library's hallmark.  

The popular "Carol Week" will return, with a section of Dickens' novella presented live each day in a "Story Tour" to the sites on the region inspired by the story. Saturday, December 21st features Fezziwig's Ball. The week culminates in The Big Read on Sunday, December 22nd at Noon.  The Big Read is a relay-style reading involving 9-12 voices in a continuous reading of "A Christmas Carol" from start to the end of it.



"There really is so much to see and do, it's hard to describe it all," added Skytower, "You really have to check out the website and then come and experience it for yourself."

http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/p/the-dickens-project-sl.html


Seanchai Library offers its thanks to Linden Labs and Patch Linden, our 2019 Region Sponsors.



About the Seanchai Library
Seanchai Library (pronounced Shawn-a-kee, which means "Storyteller" in Irish Gaelic.) was founded in March of 2008 in Second Life. The program remains dedicated to promoting the power of stories to transform and inspire through live voice presentations: "We bring stories of all kinds to life, in Second Life and other virtual worlds."  http://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/



All times listed are SLT/ Pacific.

All photos courtesy of The Dickens Project. For additional photos, feel free to contact Caledonia Skytower or Aoife Lorefield.

Media Contact:

Caledonia Skytower, Seanchai Library
caledoniaskytower@gmail.com

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THE DICKENS PROJECT Returns to Second Life December 1st

The Dickens Project has become a winter holiday tradition for a growing number of Second Life residents since it began as a special seasonal presentation by Seanchai Library in 2008.  It transformed into an interactive environment in 2012, then to a full region experience for 2017 and 2018. Seanchai Library is proud to announce that they will be opening the doors of The Dickens Project 2019 Edition beginning December 1.

The Dickens Project celebrates the work of English author Charles Dickens (1812-1870) featuring his seminal work "A Christmas Carol." This year's edition presents a full month of exploration, storytelling, music, dance, roleplay opportunities, and the return of the "Urchins in Dickens’ London" experience. 

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THE DICKENS PROJECT: A View From An Urchin

This year, THE DICKENS PROJECT invites residents to participate in a new way: become an urchin in Dickens' London!

Charles Dickens, ever a champion of children, wrote stories about those who were poor and unprotected, left in the hands of the manipulative and cruel.  His child characters are often triumphant, finding ways to build lives of purpose and sometimes even happiness in a difficult time. 

 Enjoy this story, created at Urchins in Dickens' London just this week.

***

Kit Becomes an Urchin

By Aoife Lorefield

Kit shivered in the fog. Another hungry morning. She’d slept, sort of, in the empty wagon after supping on a badly bruised apple and a bit of bread she’d grabbed before a dog could. Food all around her and she hadn’t a farthing for it, nor anything else.

Sad thing was, she’d always wanted to see London.

Her brother George, the one who’d gone to sea, came home once with stories about throngs of people, shops full of fancy goods, and ships with masts taller than trees. She’d dreamt of it all in the long nights and longed for that life.

Now Mum and Dad were gone. Her and Henry had been left to the parish and after six months of that, she’d thought she’d rather die. She’d run to London and maybe she would die, here. If she couldn’t find food or a place to stay or something, anyway.

Sounds of laughter made her shrink back against the wagon. It was far too early for market folk and she was certain she didn’t want thieves to find her. She crawled under the wagon and peered through the thick fog.

The laughter came again, closer this time. It sounded like kids. What could they be doing?

The small figures took shape in the fog. A tiny red-haired girl, her thin arms blue with cold, holding a basket with some green stuff in it. A boy, also a carrot top and almost as thin, in a green cap pulled low over his forehead. A blonde boy in a top hat. That looked ace, that did. Wonder where he got that one. A tiny little girl in a red hat.

Kit watched as the children strolled, skipped, and danced through the market stalls. This was not the fancy market where the toffs went, not this one. This was where the mums from Camden Town came for a bit of meat and greens, or the scriveners and clerks scrounged for the coins to pay for another used book, or cabbies might stop for a cup of hot soup.

One of the boys picked up three books and juggled them, making the youngest laugh.

“Put ‘em back, Jo,” an older girl said sternly. “We can’t sell them so there’s no point, eh?”

The boy Jo shrugged but did as she said.

Instead he started juggling apples from the basket right next to her wagon. The youngest gathered around him like they’d seen this before, and it seems they had. Every few passes, he’d toss an apple to one child, who’s catch and bite into it, smiling.

Kit was so entranced, she didn’t notice the other boy until it was too late. There he was, crouched down in front of her wagon, looking right at her.

“Coooo, mates,” he called out. “Lookee what I found.”

He reached in to grab her arm and she shrank back, afraid. The older girl, the one who’d told Jo to put the books back, grabbed Jo’s shoulder and pulled him back.

“You’re scaring her, Jo,” she said, her voice stern again. “Stop it or I’ll box your ears.”

She grabbed his ear and twisted it as she spoke and he howled.

“I wasn’t doin’ anyfing!” he said.

Jo ran off and the girl crouched down instead.

“Look here,” she said, “we’re safe, mostly, and you look all alone. Come out now, let me see you.”

There didn’t seem much choice. She couldn’t stay as she was much longer. Kit slid across the frozen ground, out from under the wagon, and stood up.

“Are you thieves, then?” she asked the girl, trying to sound casual about the question, like she knew all about thieves and London and everything.

The girl looked around the market at the children combing through the stalls and smiled.

“Maybe sometimes,” she said. “We’re the ones the fine ladies and gents call urchins, don’t you know. The kids no one cares about.”

Kit nodded, her eyes wide. In her life, right now, that’s what she was. A kid no one cared about.

The girl put a hand on her shoulder, this time kindly.

“You better come along with us,” she said. “We watch out for each other. We know places to find food and safe places to stay and a few ways to get by.”

The girl turned and started to walk away. The kids were at the far end of the market now, disappearing into the fog.

The girl turned back and waved. “Come along!” she said.

So Kit did. She guessed she was a urchin now. Time to find out how that worked, and whether she could get by too in the big dirty city that was London.

***

What was it like to be a child in Victoria's England? Become an urchin and find out!

The Urchins in Dickens' London is a game that combines elements of the SL hunt, free form (and optional) role play, and an invitation to create (and share) your story.

Begin by getting a copy of the Urchins hud, available at the Dickens Project landing point. Inside the package, you'll find instructions on how to get started.

You can also find more on the special Urchins Webpages on the Seanchai Library Website. THE DICKENS PROJECT, produced by Seanchai Library, is open on LEA Region 7 through December 30th. with plenty of events, stories, things to explore and engage. Information on all features are available at the landing point

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA7/128/131/22

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THE DICKENS PROJECT 2018 Edition Returns to LEA 7

The Dickens Project celebrates its sixth year in Second Life with a return to Linden Endowment for the Arts Region 7, where the annual celebration of Charles Dickens' seminal work first was realized in full region form a year ago.  Offering four weeks of exploration, storytelling, music, dance, a new "Urchins in Dickens London" experience, this Second Life holiday tradition will be open to residents November 30th, through December 30th. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA7/129/127/22

"What's new this year? There is no short answer to that," said Caledonia Skytower, "In almost every conceivable way, the Project has flourished in the full region format. This year was a team effort - our first real foray into collaborative build creation.  We learned a lot, and we are confident people will enjoy the results."  Skytower, along with long time Dickens creator Aoife Lorefield, Gloriana Maertens, and Dagmar Kohime worked together to transform prims and textures in a regionscape that evokes the spirit of Dickens' beloved work.  

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The Dickens Project Wraps Up A Popular 2017 Edition

Image courtesy of Wildstar Beaumont

Seanchai Library is ready to celebrate.  The 2017 Edition of The Dickens Project has been an unprecedented success, and Closing Day Events on Saturday, December 30th will reflect that accomplishment.

To Date there have been 2900 visits to LEA 7 since the doors opened November 25th, and over 33% of them returned for multiple visits and events.  As the previous 10-14 days of Dickens expanded to 36 days, more people than ever were touched by The Dickens Project's vision of providing the opportunity to "walk in the steps of Ebenezer Scrooge."

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CAROL WEEK Comes to its Eventful Conclusion at The Dickens Project this Weekend

The 2017 Edition of The Dickens Project, which opened November 25th, has already presented over 25 hours of live events, and welcomed hundreds of visitors.  There is more to come. This year's Project is being hosted on Linden Endowment for the Arts Region 7

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA7/114/149/21

December 15-17 marks the climax of "Carol Week," where Charles Dickens' beloved humanistic novella, "A Christmas Carol", is featured in a number of presentations and adaptations.  Carol Week traditionally concludes with The Big Read - a session where the entire text of Scrooge's journey of redemption are presented in a single session, live, by a talented cast of storytellers reading in relay style.  This year, the Big Read will be presented in voice as well as on stream, so that the greatest number of residents can enjoy the holiday classic in Dickens Square on LEA 7.

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​A Very Misfit Christmas 2017 at The Dickens Project - LEA 7 Friday December 15th 7 pm SL

​Misfit Dance & Performance Art

​                presents

​A Very Misfit Christmas 2017

​                   ~ A Showcase of Holiday Theater Dance Art

2 special performances at 

 at The Dickens Project - LEA 7

Friday December 15th  7 pm SL  - Showtime!    Pre-Show music & fun starts at 6:30 pm SL

Saturday  December 16th at 12 Noon SL - Showtime!  Pre-Show music & fun starts at 11:30 am SL

Please arrive early to guarantee your seat and to allow our animations and sets to pre-load in your viewer.

THIS is seriously your big ticket holiday show in Second Life for 2017!  

​Misfit Dance & Performance Art pulls out all the stops with this full production variety dance production!

Come join the fun  for the 2nd Annual  " A Very Misfit Christmas" full stage production!  

Think Broadway in SL and of course ~ Expect the unExpected

Amazing music, sets, costumes, special effects and of course --- dancing!

This years show includes a few favorites from last year and a few brand new additions - so fun!

​

*************

A Very Misfit Christmas 2017 - PlayBill

*************

Misfit's Toys

River DayDream

Ho-Ho

Home for the Holidays

Elfs Off the Shelf

Mele Kalikimaka

Hum BahBug    * a scene re-enactment from " A Christmas Carol " *

Misfit Wishes -    * a living Holiday Card Finale*

Contact JenzZa Misfit for further information

Teleport Link to The Dickens Project LEA 7

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA7/118/148/21

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The Dickens Project in SL Expands in 2017 Edition

The Dickens Project will celebrate its fifth year in Second Life on Linden Endowment for the Arts Region 7 in an expanded edition of the annual event that features "something for almost everyone." Staged on a full region this year for the very first time, the traditional 10 day event that began in 2012 as a celebration of the Dickens Centennial will be open to residents for five weeks, beginning November 25th and closing December 30th, on LEA 7 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA7/114/149/21

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THE DICKENS PROJECT SL 2016: Opens December 10th

Water Haven, Second Life – The 2016 Edition of Seanchai Library's annual celebration of English Team Diabetes in Second Life. This year's Project is sponsored by Kultivate Magazine and will take place on Kultivate's headquarter region, Water Haven.

literary giant Charles Dickens, The Dickens Project (SL), will open in Second Life on Saturday, December 10th with over 20 hours of live events of all kinds, spanning eight days, to benefit

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Water%20Haven/126/139/26

The Dickens Project is in its fourth year, featuring live presentations of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol along with other works by the author. The different staves (i.e. chapters) of Charles Dickens' "ghostly little book" will be presented at different times of day during the week, December 12-16, to make the live readings accessible to residents from all over the globe.

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THE DICKENS PROJECT: A Contemporary "Fezziwig's Ball"

"In came a fiddler with a music-book, and went up to the lofty desk, and made an orchestra of it, and tuned like fifty stomach-aches. In came Mrs. Fezziwig, one vast substantial smile. In came the three Miss Fezziwigs, beaming and lovable. In came the six young followers whose hearts they broke . . . In they all came, one after another; some shyly, some boldly, some gracefully, some awkwardly, some pushing, some pulling; in they all came, any how and every how!"  (from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol")

Fezziwig's Ball is coming to Second Life!  But don't worry, you do not need to dust off your Victorian dance steps.  Dress in Dickensian finery, if you desire it, but be prepared to rock out with two contemporary musicians in from opposite sides of the Atlantic "pond" in Dickens Project Plaza Saturday, December 19th beginning at Noon SLT

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The Countdown to THE DICKENS PROJECT has Begun!

The 2015 Edition of  festival known as The Dickens Project is set to open in Second Life on Saturday, December 12th with over 15 hours of live events of all kinds to benefit The Community Virtual Library. The Dickens Project will take place in the Community Virtual Library’s exhibit space in it's home on the Bradley University Sim. 

Seanchai Library is producing the festival, opening on December 12^th and featuring Dickens’ A Christmas Carol; presenting the different staves (i.e. chapters) of the novella at different times to make the live readings accessible to residents from all over the globe. Other events will include Dickens Trivia, selections from other works of the author's vast canon, caroling by the Raglan Shire Tinie Carolers, and Fezziwig's Ball which begins at Noon on Saturday, December 19th.

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The Dickens Project Returns for a Second Year

It was just a year ago that StoryFest Events SL created The Dickens Project in celebration of the Bicentennial of Charles Dickens’ birth.  For 13 days in December of 2012 over 30 hours of live voice performances from the works of Charles Dickens were presented.  The performances focused on A Christmas Carol, but including other works from the author’s vast canon as well. The Project featured an interactive streetscape environment which served as a frame work for the performances.  “It is still really about the words,” said producer Caledonia Skytower.  The Project was a success, drawing audiences of all sizes and from all around the grid for the various presentations.

On Friday, December 13^th The Dickens Project will open for a second year, this time on Cookie courtesy of Thinkerer Melville.  Opening weekend performances will feature the Avatar Repertory Theater, Klannex Northmead, and Ms. Skytower herself.  As the Project moves into its first week it will follow the successful model of last year, presenting one section of A Christmas Carol each day, live in voice, featuring the talents of Kayden Oconnell, Ixmal Supermarine, Dubhna Rhiadra, and Corwyn Allen among others.  Residents of Second Life can enjoy the text of Dickens’ classic Christmas Ghost Story in part, or in full, at any number of convenient times. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cookie/64/36/32 

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"MORE DICKENS! MORE DICKENS!" ~ The Dickens Project Opens December 14th

It’s December, and for many people in the English speaking world that means Dickens – Charles Dickens.  The Nineteenth Century author wrote Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Great Expectations among  nearly two dozen other novels, a bushel of short stories, and a passel of non-fiction.  Of course, he is also the author of A Christmas Carol, which will be seen on stages and screens, both large and small, all over the world this month.  2012 also happens to be the 200^th anniversary of his birth, which is being celebrated in Second Life © as well as in the Real World.

There have been many tributes to the author in the metaverse this year.  Friday, December 14^th sees the opening of The Dickens Project on Info Island in the Community Virtual Library Estate.  What makes this tribute different? 

The Dickens Project is a celebration of the works of Charles Dickens through live voice presentations of the author’s words primarily, but not exclusively, A Christmas Carol. 

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StoryFest Events Announces "The Dickens Project"

StoryFest Events, producers of the annual events StoryFest, BOOFest, and Bard On the Virtual Beach, have announced their newest production: The Dickens Project.  This new project is the most ambitious event yet, celebrating the Dickens Bicentenary Year 2012, will be produced as a beta project this year with the possibility of an expanded project in 2013.  

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