Shakespeare's Villains Highlight West Hartford Library Program

WEST HARTFORD, CT — No one wants to be the villain in real life, but for some reason, villains are a source of fascination in the literary and creative worlds.

Take Shakespeare's villains.

A West Hartford library is hosting a program by the Capital Classics Theatre Co., which will explore the most infamous villains in Shakespeare’s plays for the ninth season of its popular Shakespeare Book Club.

All are welcome for this free, eight-month discussion series.

Starting in October, these online events will be held on Zoom on the first Monday of each month from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., through its partnership with the Noah Webster Library in West Hartford.

“Don John said in Much Ado About Nothing, ‘It must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain.’ But some of Shakespeare’s greatest villains do not make their intentions so clear,” reflects Capital Classics Co-founder Geoffrey Sheehan.

“I’m excited to focus on some of Shakespeare’s greatest plays by investigating what motivates these classic evildoers and discussing their evil deeds.”

The 2022 – 23 dates and topics of the program include:

• Monday, Oct. 3, Don John in "Much Ado About Nothing."

• Monday, Nov. 7, Edmund in "King Lear."

• Monday, Dec. 5, Angelo in "Measure for Measure."

• Monday, Jan. 2, Iago in "Othello"

• Monday, Feb. 6, Tamora in "Titus Andronicus."

• Monday, March 6, Claudius in "Hamlet."

• Monday, April 3, Richard in "Richard III."

• Monday, May 1, Macbeth in "Macbeth."

All are welcome to join this book club.

Participants have been joining these online discussions from local Connecticut homes to as far away as Arizona and Canada.

Discussions are free of charge and open to fans of all ages and experience levels.

The Shakespeare Book Club is moderated by Geoffrey Sheehan, Capital Classics artistic associate and theatre professor at Housatonic Community College.

Email info@capitalclassics.org or bard@westhartfordlibrary.org to be added to the Shakespeare Book Club invite list. This is how participants can get the monthly event details and the Zoom login information.

Learn more about the Shakespeare Book Club and the Capital Classics Theatre Company at www.CapitalClassics.organd the Noah Webster Library at www.WestHartfordLibrary.org.

People can also visit the library’s webpage for links to read the complete works of Shakespeare online at https://www.westhartfordlibrary.org/programs/librarygroups/shakespeare-book-club.