Contact Methehistoryenvelope@gmail.com
630-936-6675
1029 Woodrow Ave, Lombard IL 60148
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About MeLauren Christine Szady is an emerging museum professional with experience in several small to mid-size organizations over the course of her career.
She earned a bachelor's degree with honors in Public History from DePaul University and a master's degree in Museum Studies through Johns Hopkins University. The earliest written evidence that Lauren has about her chosen career is from when she was in 3rd grade announcing that she wanted to be a re-enactor when she grew up.... And The History Envelope is just another step on the path to proving her mother wrong-- historical re-enacting (or in this case, interpretation) is a "real" career option! |
Pricing
Lectures are typically $150
Portrayals and Miss Amelia are typically $225
Lauren is willing to work with your organization to find a compromise as to what works best for you. Please contact her with any concerns.
Portrayals and Miss Amelia are typically $225
Lauren is willing to work with your organization to find a compromise as to what works best for you. Please contact her with any concerns.
Why "Envelope"
"Letters are expectation packaged in an envelope"
-Shana Alexander (first female staff writer and columnest for Life Magazine)
-Shana Alexander (first female staff writer and columnest for Life Magazine)
For me, opening up a letter through "snail mail" is much more exciting then receiving an email, its something about the feel of the paper and the delayed excitement of finding out who is sending you something. As a child, I was always the first to run to the mailbox to see what types of letters were there and would always beg my parents to let me open them (even though they were usually bills and I tended to give myself paper cuts...)
"Skin is not only an envelope protecting the inner body, or a membrane that allows exchange between exterior and interior of the body. It also serves as a mingling point between the outer world and the inner self, and between the body and soul."
-Miru Kim (Korean-American artist and photographer)
-Miru Kim (Korean-American artist and photographer)
In the case of "The History Envelope," it has several meanings. The first being the literal meaning that it "envelops" all of the different presentations that I put on--first person interpretations, straight (non-costumed) lectures and what ever other hare-brained ideas I come up with to perform!
The second reason relates to research. As much as I love books, letters (and the envelopes that contain them) seem much more personal to me. For each of my characters I always try to read anything and everything that they wrote themselves because it opens a window into how they think, feel and communicate, which I then can incorporate into my presentations.
A third reason is similar to Miru Kim's Korean philosophies (quoted above). Though Miru is talking about human nature, it can also applied to how we can connect to the past. Almost everyone who came before us have left some sort of written record; some have left things like auto-biographies, which were intended for public consumption in the "outer world" while others have left us personal letters and communications which give us insight into the writer's "inner self." The envelopes that hold these letters and communications act as the skin that protect the writer's intimate thoughts but--when a researcher opens them-- can allow for the exchange of ideas through the intervening years.
The second reason relates to research. As much as I love books, letters (and the envelopes that contain them) seem much more personal to me. For each of my characters I always try to read anything and everything that they wrote themselves because it opens a window into how they think, feel and communicate, which I then can incorporate into my presentations.
A third reason is similar to Miru Kim's Korean philosophies (quoted above). Though Miru is talking about human nature, it can also applied to how we can connect to the past. Almost everyone who came before us have left some sort of written record; some have left things like auto-biographies, which were intended for public consumption in the "outer world" while others have left us personal letters and communications which give us insight into the writer's "inner self." The envelopes that hold these letters and communications act as the skin that protect the writer's intimate thoughts but--when a researcher opens them-- can allow for the exchange of ideas through the intervening years.
