BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ESU - ECPv6.8.3//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.esuus.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for ESU REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260423T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T235959 DTSTAMP:20260627T103016 CREATED:20251202T180103Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251204T212902Z UID:9904-1776902400-1777161599@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:2026 Annual General Meeting DESCRIPTION:The English-Speaking Union welcomes its members to NYC for the 2026 ESU Annual Conference. The conference\, under the theme “United by Language\, Inspired by Liberty.” The conference program will include the ESU 2026 Annual General Meeting\, social events such as receptions and meals\, breakout sessions\, panel discussions\, and local tours. We invite you to participate in the camaraderie and help us advance our programs that support teachers\, students\, and recent immigrants. \nHIGHLIGHTS \nRevolution in Old New York: Soldiers\, Spies & Statesmen of the American Revolution Walking Tour:\nTrace the footsteps of revolution through Manhattan’s past and present.\nLunch on historic Stone Street or Fraunces Tavern\nOne of New York City’s oldest surviving streets\, originally paved in 1658.\nand\nArt of the Gilded Age at The Met Museum Guided Tour\nUncover the brilliance and forgotten voices of the Gilded Age at The Met. \nOur Conference venue will be at the ESU House\, 144 East 39th Street\, and the Shelbourne-Sonesta Hotel\, 303 Lexington Avenue\, New York\, NY 10016. We have a special hotel room at The Shelbourne Sonesta Hotel\, which will be available Thursday night through Saturday night. Hotel prices do not include taxes or additional fees\, and prices are valid through March 23\, 2026. We will have a special opportunity to see the USA finals for the International Public Speaking Competition. Space is limited\, first-come-first-served. \n$650 \nPrint Registration Form \n \n \n \n \n\n \n Register Here URL:https://www.esuus.org/event/2026-annual-general-meeting/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AGM-Header-v2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260427T235959 DTSTAMP:20260627T103016 CREATED:20260129T165919Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260311T140037Z UID:10244-1777075200-1777334399@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:2026 ESU National Shakespeare Competition Weekend DESCRIPTION:The ESU National Shakespeare Competition returns to New York City for an unforgettable weekend of fun\, education\, and performance. From Saturday\, April 25 to Monday\, April 27\, students\, parents\, teachers\, and ESU members will gather for three exciting days in the Big Apple.Competition Weekend features a full lineup of activities\, including a New York City double-decker bus tour\, acting masterclasses led by theater professionals\, teacher professional development workshops\, and a Broadway performance. The weekend culminates on Monday\, April 27\, with the National Finals of the ESU National Shakespeare Competition at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi Newhouse Theater\, where the nation’s top student performers take the stage.Join us for a weekend that brings Shakespeare to life! URL:https://www.esuus.org/event/2026-esu-national-shakespeare-competition-weekend/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DSC_0743-1-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260513T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260513T180000 DTSTAMP:20260627T103016 CREATED:20260507T175313Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T180036Z UID:11028-1778691600-1778695200@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Exploring Elizabeth I In Her Own Words DESCRIPTION:The New York City Branch of the English Speaking Union invites you to join us on May 13\, 2026 at 5PM EDTESU National Board Member Mary Coleman Way in Conversation with Tamara Meneghini onElizabeth I: In Her Own WordsA critically acclaimed one-woman play\, by Carole Levin\, in collaboration with Tamara Meneghini and Sabin Epstein\, which combines her own letters and speeches\, the poetry of Shakespeare\, and music of the period to reveal a complex woman and ruler reflecting on her life and reign. The play\, which has performed to sold out shows at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival\, explores her inner thoughts\, fears\, loves\, and triumphs\, from the the Spanish Armada to her relationships with her cousin\, Mary\, Queen of Scots; her mother\, Anne Boleyn; and her sister\, Mary Tudor. Challenging perceptions of the “Virgin Queen”\, Elizabeth I: In Her Own Words tackles the topic of her suitors Robert Dudley and the Earl of Essex. The program will include excerpts from the performance.REGISTER HEREAbout Tammy MeneghiniTammy Meneghini is the co-creator\, collaborating writer\, producer\, and plays the role of Elizabeth I inElizabeth I: In Her Own Words\, a full-length solo play.  She has toured the play to various theatres and venues in the United States\, as well as being featured at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024\, receiving 4 and 5-star reviews to sold out audiences.  She is an accomplished actor and director\, based in Colorado\, where she works frequently onstage and off.  Currently\, she is in the BETC (Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company) production of Mary Jane\, by Amy Herzog.  She is one of the founders of the Rocky Mountain Artists Safety Alliance and collaborated with regional theatre companies to create the Community Standards for Theatre for the Colorado Theatre Community. She is on the faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder\, where she teaches courses in acting\, movement\, voice\, musical theatre\, and the annual senior showcase of work in NYC.  Her work on the Elizabeth Project continues to grow and play to receptive audiences far and wide.  For more information\, please visit:www.tamarameneghini.com About Mary Coleman WayMary Coleman Way has made a lasting impact on the theater community by dedicating more than a decade to leading Southwest Shakespeare Company\, where she is now Vice President of the Board of Directors. A multifaceted artist\, she is a member of the League of Professional Theater Women\, an NEA adjudicator\, and a frequent participant in classical theater auditions and ESU\, Kennedy Center\, and HSMT competitions. She is also a writer for film\, stage\, and television\, a director\, composer\, and administrator.  Mary’s commitment to the arts is furthered through her active involvement on the Boards of Arizona Citizens for the Arts\, Southwest Shakespeare Company\, and the National Board of the English Speaking Union. Beyond Shakespeare\, Mary\, alongside her husband\, founded Fit Via Vi\, a film production company that has expanded to include Broadway and TV\, earning several Tony and Oscar nominations. Most recently\, the company produced Redwood\, the highly acclaimed Broadway musical starring Idina Menzel\, Sugarcane\, a 2025 Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary\, and ARCO\, a 2026 Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature Film. \nHappy Hour Cocktail                                                                                                Queen Elizabeth loved a good beer. So take out a Blue Moon with a refreshing slice of lemon or lime\, and enjoy! Cheers! URL:https://www.esuus.org/event/happy-hour-exploring-elizabeth-i-in-her-own-words/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/unnamed-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260603T180000 DTSTAMP:20260627T103016 CREATED:20260406T213247Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T180544Z UID:10892-1780506000-1780509600@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: The History of Shakespearean Theatre in Hawaii DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, June 3\, 2026 • 5:00 PM ET\nSponsored by the ESU Hawaii and Seattle Branches\n \nDid you know that Edwin Booth\, brother of John Wilkes Booth (President Lincoln’s assassin)\, performed Shakespeare plays in the Kingdom of Hawaii in the 1850s? And he wasn’t alone. The Hawaiian Kingdom hosted many actors who came to the fabled islands to perform Shakespeare. Our guest speaker\, Professor Mark Lawhorn\, will speak on the history of Shakespearean theatre in Hawaii. He put together a detailed display on this topic for the exhibit of Shakespeare’s First Folio at Kapi’olani Community College in 2016.\n \nThis ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Hawaii and Seattle Branches. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required. \nREGISTER HERE \nAbout Mark Lawhorn\, PhD\n\nMark Lawhorn is Professor of English at Kapi’olani Community College\, Honolulu\, Hawaii. In 2016\, he spearheaded the acquisition of a copy of the First Folio as part of the national tour of First Folios in all 50 States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. Kapi’olani Community College was the only community college selected to host a copy of the treasured collection during its tour. Lawhorn is the President of the ESU Hawaii Branch and is a member of ESU’s National Board of Directors. URL:https://www.esuus.org/event/the-history-of-shakespearean-theatre-in-hawaii/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Picture1-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260624T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260624T180000 DTSTAMP:20260627T103016 CREATED:20260422T200941Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260624T161046Z UID:10950-1782320400-1782324000@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: "America: Made in Virginia" DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, June 24\, 2026 • 5:00 PM ET\nSponsored by the ESU Richmond\, VA Branch\n \nWith the Commander of the American Forces from Virginia\, four of the first five Presidents from Virginia\, the authors of the Declaration of Independence\, the Bill of Rights\, and the Constitution from Virginia\, an early Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from Virginia\, multiple signers of the Declaration of Independence from Virginia and\, indeed\, the very land on which Washington D.C. stands from Virginia\, it is safe to say that Virginia was indispensable in the creation of our country.  Ellen LeCompte\, President of the ESU Richmond VA Branch\, will share the people\, places\, and things that Virginia contributed to successfully establishing our democracy.\n \nThis ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the Richmond\, VA Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free to attend\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link. \nREGISTER HERE \nAbout Ellen LeCompte\n \nEllen LeCompte is president of the ESU Richmond Branch\, a former Regional Chair\, and an ESU SSE alumna. She is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and is a proud Virginian and an acknowledged expert on the UK listed by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of their top Advisors in the United States. She has co-authored two books on the late Queen Elizabeth II’s historic relationship between Virginia and Great Britain. In 2025\, Ellen was honored by King Charles III to be made a Dame of the Order of St John\, one of Britain’s oldest chivalric orders dating back to the 12th century.\n  \nCocktail\nIt should be a Mint Julep served in a pewter Jefferson Cup—preferably made with Bourbon from George Washington’s distillery at Mount Vernon!\n \nIngredients\n8 mint leaves\n1/4-ounce simple syrup*\n2 ounces bourbon\nGarnish: mint sprig\nGarnish: Angostura bitters (optional)\nSteps\nIn a silver or pewter cup or rocks glass\, lightly muddle the mint leaves in the simple syrup.\nAdd the bourbon then pack the glass tightly with crushed ice.\nStir until the cup is frosted on the outside.\nTop with more crushed ice to form an ice dome and garnish with a mint sprig and a few drops of bitters (optional).\n*Simple Syrup Ingredients\n1/2 cup granulated sugar\n1/2 cup water\nPrepare Simple Syrup\nAdd the sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat.\nStir until sugar is dissolved.\nLet cool\, then pour into a glass jar and seal tightly with a lid.\nSimple syrup will keep\, refrigerated\, for about one month. URL:https://www.esuus.org/event/happy-hour-america-made-in-virginia/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/America-Made-in-Virginia-Vers.-2-FB-Event.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260712T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260716T235959 DTSTAMP:20260627T103016 CREATED:20260514T173909Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260601T160532Z UID:11118-1783814400-1784246399@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:ESU 2026 Founder’s Award Gala and National Patron Tour “Ovid and Shakespeare’s Metamorphoses” DESCRIPTION:Dear Friends\, \n\n\n\nThank you again for being part of the truly special week in New York City this past April — a week that brought together the Annual General Conference\, the National Shakespeare Competition\, and\, as its highlight\, the Celebrate Legacy – Inspire the Future reception marking the 25th anniversary of the ESU House and honoring the leadership donors to the first-ever ESU Capacity Building Campaign. We appreciated the support\, enthusiasm and generosity you brought to the evening. Your presence made the event truly memorable\, and we are deeply grateful for your continued commitment to the ESU. \n\n\n\nI am delighted to reiterate the wonderful news I announced that evening: in just one year\, the ESU Capacity Building Campaign has raised over $900\,000\, more than 90% of our $1 million goal\, thanks to you\, our most generous leadership donors. With one year remaining in the Campaign\, we will soon open this effort to the broader ESU community. I have every confidence that they will follow your example and help us exceed our goal. \n\n\n\nWe are profoundly grateful for the generous contributions of so many of you in attendance. Among our leadership supporters is Mr. Donald Best\, who will be the honoree of the 2026 Founder’s Award Gala in London on July 14 at the Oxford–Cambridge Club. \n\n\n\nMr. Donald Best is a distinguished Board member\, devoted steward of our mission\, passionate internationalist and one of the ESU’s most generous donors. His commitment to the ESU of the United States has extended far beyond our national borders: for many years he has championed ESUs around the world and enthusiastically promoted the global fellowship at the heart of our mission. \n\n\n\nHis recognition will be a highlight of an extraordinary week of activities surrounding the Gala. \n\n\n\nUnder the theme of Metamorphoses and guided by Dr. Catherine Loomis\, our program in and around London will feature a series of specially arranged visits to palaces and cultural institutions\, offering behind-the-scenes access and opportunities to meet members of historic families\, distinguished scholars and individuals whose work and insights illuminate the week’s theme. These exceptional experiences\, together with intimate receptions and shared moments with the international ESU community\, will culminate on Tuesday evening\, July 14\, with the Founder’s Award Gala at the Oxford and Cambridge Club honoring our dear friend Donald Best. \n\n\n\nIt promises to be a remarkable week of celebrations\, and I very much hope some of you will join us. Space is limited to 16 participants\, so I encourage you to reserve your place soon by following the link provided. \n\n\n\nREGISTER HERE  \n\n\n\nThank you once again for your support\, your friendship\, and your belief in the ESU’s mission. I look forward to seeing you in London. \n\n\n\nWith warm regards\,Dr. Quinn PeeperChairman\, The English-Speaking Union \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n Online Registration \n PDF Registration Form\n Itinerary\n Participant Agreement\n Hotel Information URL:https://www.esuus.org/event/2026-national-patron-tour/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/quinn-letter.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T180000 DTSTAMP:20260627T103016 CREATED:20260528T180300Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260624T161350Z UID:11198-1784134800-1784138400@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: Halifax Resolves DESCRIPTION:During the 250th Anniversary of the birth of our nation\, many focus on the colonial activities centering around New England. A little-known event occurred in North Carolina in the little village of Halifax that helped turn the tide and create our nation. The Halifax Resolves and the three North Carolina Delegates that attended the Second Congressional Congress were the catalysts that brought us to the founding of the United States of America. \n\n\n\nWe invite all ESU members and guests to be part of ESU’s continuing celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary with this Happy Hour. Brian Burns will describe a historic event that was the first official action for independence from any of the thirteen British colonies in continental North America. \n\n\n\nThis ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Sandhills Pinehurst\, N.C. Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link. \n\n\n\nREGISTER HERE \n\n\n\nAbout Brian Burns \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBrian Burns is a retired Army Officer living in Pinehurst\, NC. He is thePresident of the Sandhills Pinehurst\, N.C. Branch of the ESU. He is also onthe ESU Happy Hour Committee\, and a member of the ESUUS NationalBoard of Directors. An avid military historian\, Brian earned his degrees inUS Military History from Purdue University and the University of Arkansas.With many of the battlefields of the American Revolution and the Civil War within driving distance\, Brian has traveled and visited most up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Although not known for the most famous actions in the American Revolution\, as we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the United States\, he will show how North Carolinaplayed a significant role in the formation of our nation. \n\n\n\nCocktail:Colonial Rum PunchMake ahead: Oleo Saccharum (the colonial secret weapon) Peel strips of lemon zest andtoss with ½ cup of sugar and let rest for 30 minutes. The oils from the peel dissolve intothe sugar\, creating a fragrant\, silky syrup.Prepare:Combine one shot of rum\, ½ cup of citrus juice and one tablespoon of oleo saccharum.Add cold water (or cooled black tea for extra depth – a popular colonial trick). Add alarge ice cube and enjoy. URL:https://www.esuus.org/event/happy-hour-halifax-resolves/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.esuus.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-28-at-12.32.41-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260729T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260729T180000 DTSTAMP:20260627T103016 CREATED:20260625T170306Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260625T170308Z UID:11288-1785344400-1785348000@www.esuus.org SUMMARY:Happy Hour: The Loyalist and the Patriot DESCRIPTION:Step into a gripping dialogue with acclaimed prize-winning historical biographer Flora Fraser and Doug Bradburn\, President and CEO of George Washington’s Mount Vernon\, as they reexamine the American Revolution through a provocative lens. This conversation challenges the familiar narrative of unity and independence. It reveals a nation divided—neighbors\, friends\, even families torn apart by opposing allegiances. Was this truly a revolution\, or America’s first civil war? Through vivid storytelling and historical insight\, Fraser and Bradburn explore the deeply personal conflicts between those who risked everything for independence and those who remained steadfastly loyal to the British Crown.ESU continues celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary with this intriguing Happy Hour. Expect a thought-provoking journey into the complexities of loyalty\, identity\, and the true cost of freedom. \n\n\n\nThis Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU New York City Branch. ESU Happy Hour programs are online\, free\, and open to all members and the public. Registration is required to receive the webinar link.  \n\n\n\nRegister Here \n\n\n\nAbout Flora Fraser \n\n\n\nFlora Fraser is a historical biographer\, based in London\, specializing in archival research on women of the eighteenth century in Europe and in America. Her books include Beloved Emma: The Life of Emma\, Lady Hamilton\, The Unruly Queen: The Life of Queen Caroline\, Princesses: The Daughters of George III\, and Venus of Empire: The Life of Pauline Bonaparte. \n\n\n\nHer recent book\, The Washingtons: George and Martha\, won the 2016 George Washington Book Prize. Her new life of Scottish heroine\, Flora Macdonald is available in the UK as Flora Macdonald ‘Pretty Young Rebel’ (Bloomsbury) and in the US as Flora Macdonald: “Pretty Young Rebel”: Her Life and Story (Knopf).About Douglas Bradburn\, PhD \n\n\n\nDouglas Bradburn is the President and CEO of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Bradburn joined Mount Vernon in 2013 and was the Founding Director of The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. He became the 11th Director of George Washington’s Mount Vernon in 2018. He is an award-winning author and well-known scholar of early American history. Bradburn is the author of The Citizenship Revolution: Politics and the Creation of the American Union\, 1774-1804\, and three anthologies\, including Early Modern Virginia: Reconsidering the Old Dominion. He is the co-founder and editor of the award-winning book series\, Early American Histories\, at the University of Virginia Press\, and the winner of numerous awards\, grants\, and fellowships\, including the yearlong Gilder Lehrman Research Fellowship at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello.Exclusive Patron Membership OfferFor a limited time\, we invite you to enjoy a special benefit available only through this ESU Happy Hour event. Members who upgrade to a National Patron Membership\, and new supporters who join at the National Patron level\, will receive an autographed copy of Flora Fraser’s acclaimed book\, Flora Macdonald: Pretty Young Rebel her life and story\,” a unique keepsake from this exceptional presentation featuring Flora Fraser and Doug Bradburn.Patron Members play a vital role in sustaining the English-Speaking Union’s mission to educate\, inspire\, and connect people through the power of the English language and its rich cultural heritage. Signed copies are limited and will be available while supplies last. We hope you will take this opportunity to become a National Patron Member and help ensure the continued strength and impact of the ESU for years to come.Colonial Rum Punch“One of sour\, two of sweet\, three of strong\, four of weak.”Ingredients:1 part fresh lime juice (the “sour”)2 parts sugar or simple syrup (the “sweet”)3 parts dark rum (the “strong”)4 parts water or weak tea (the “weak”)Optional: grated nutmeg on top (very traditional!)Instructions:Stir the lime juice and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.Add the rum and mix well.Pour in the water or tea and stir again.Taste and adjust—colonial recipes were flexible.Serve over ice (or without if you want to stay historically accurate). URL:https://www.esuus.org/event/happy-hour-the-loyalist-and-the-patriot/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.esuus.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/aug-2026-hh.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR