Before I was singing along to "Midnights" (the best Taylor Swift album, in my opinion), I was quoting lines from "Dead Poet's Society." As a big reader and unabashed word nerd, the film left a lasting impression on me as a teen, and even though I am well past my teenage years now, I still find myself captivating and inspired by words of all kinds: poetry, novels, and especially music. You see, I am a proud Swifty and when word of her new album dropped, my inner teenager rejoiced. While "The Tortured Poets Department" is *not* "Dead Poet's Society," I know I'm not the only person who's found an undeniable connection between the two. The film is a pop culture classic, and Ms. Swift is a pop culture phenomenon. And if you, too, find yourself curious to revisit the 1989 movie (not to be confused with the singer's album from 2014), you can do just that at these "Dead Poet's Society" filming locations in Delaware.
"Dead Poet's Society" is a 1989 coming-of-age drama set in 1959 at the fictional boarding school Welton Academy, and tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry.
The film has become something of a cult classic, inspiring students, teachers, and certainly an artist or two with its emotionally affective scenes, myriad quotable lines, and iconic moments.
It seems that Taylor Swift was inspired by this film, with her upcoming album "The Tortured Poets Department" riffing on the 1989 title, whether intentional or not. (Though, if you listen to any of Swift's albums, it's easy to draw parallels between her lyrics and poetry.)
I'm not the only one who's noticed the similarities, with "Dead Poet's Society" immediately trending on social media and Google after the pop star revealed the title of her upcoming album.
And while the titular poets in "Dead Poet's Society" are no longer with us, their words live on in English classes everywhere, as does the fictional world of Welton Academy.
The iconic prep school is actually St. Andrew's School in New Castle County, Delaware. It was established in 1929 and although its student body is small (with just over 300 students), it's one of the largest secondary school campuses in the US, with 2,200 acres of idyllic grounds that are truly camera-worthy.
While St. Andrew's is private, there are other "Dead Poet's Society" filming locations in Delaware that can be visited and experienced; the towns of New Castle and Wilmington were both featured in the film.
The Everett Theatre is easily the most recognizable location and proudly celebrates its role in the film. In the movie, the theatre "played" the role of Hedley Hall, which famously presents "A Midsummer’s Night Dream."
It's perhaps a bit "meta" to attend a theatrical show of the same play featured in a Hollywood classic, but The Everett frequently puts on productions of this Shakespeare classic, and if you're a fan of the movie, it's an experience I definitely recommend.
Who knows... you might even find yourself seated next to a pop star!
For me, it's always fun to explore the connections between art and nature. After all, Mother Nature is the best muse! And if you're into "Midnights" like me, head to Westminster Hall and Burying Ground in Baltimore, Maryland, to pay your respects to Edgar Allen Poe, the master of macabre.
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