Friends of NFM Library kick off events with poets program
The Friends of the North Fort Myers Library started their January activities last week with the popular poets program -Yours Affectionately, John Keats – and will continue with their book sale this week.
The book sale will be held Friday, Jan. 27, and Saturday, Jan. 28. Current Friends of the Library can come Friday for a special preview sale, with the sale open to the public on Saturday.
Yours Affectionately, John Keats is a new presentation by Bill Studdiford, featuring Ian Frost as John Keats. Keats’ letters and poems tell the story of a young man finding himself and his vocation with extraordinary candor.
Studdiford is an American playwright and Frost and English actor. The two have presented their unique programs to venues around the globe.
Gerry Sanzone of Pine Lakes, a long-time Friends’ supporter, brought the dynamic duo to the local library several years ago.
“We (Bill Studdiford and I) worked together at IBM in New York City for many years, and we have remained friends for 50 years,” she said. “They are absolutely fascinating.”
From their first performance – Byron In Love – they enthralled the audience. Friends officials said there is real love of poets by many in the area.
The two reside in Northern Florida, where one has an incredible library for inspiration, and even their own theater within a home.
“We’ve performed everywhere from Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and Greece,” said Frost. “And we get invited back.”
That includes North Fort Myers, where they are greatly welcomed by local poetry lovers.
This particular production has a unique background.
“The curator of the Keats House Museum in London asked me to do a performance of John Keats for the Keats centennial, and I thought, how do you right about a man that died that young from tuberculosis?” said Studdiford.
“He invited me to the museum to read some of Keats’ letters and to my surprise, it was the real letters Keats had written, in his own handwriting. I was amazed at the sense of humor they showed. I knew I would be able to write something about Keats because he had a spectacular sense of humor.”
“You can imagine the goosebumps on the back of the performer’s neck when doing the show at the Keats Museum, where young John Keats lived and fell in love with the girl next door,” said Frost.
The book sale will be held Friday, Jan. 27, Friends Preview – members only 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 28, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Current Friends of the Library can come Friday for a special preview sale, with the sale open to the public on Saturday.
On Friday the public can come and become a member to take advantage of the preview, with only $5 to join. There will be a wide variety of items for sale, including books and CDs. The book sale is the group’s annual fund raising event.
The North Fort Myers Public Library is located at 2001 N. Tamiami Trail NE in North Fort Myers. For more information about a program or to register, call the library at 533-4320.