Westfield Memorial Library Hosts Hudson Shakespeare Company, July 16

On Thursday, July 16 at 7:00 pm, the Westfield Memorial Library will present, “The Murder of Arden of Faversham” performed by the Hudson Shakespeare Company. The library is located at 550 East Broad Street.

A black comedy that is essentially “Desperate Housewives” meets Shakespeare, “The Murder of Arden of Faversham” is the story of Thomas Arden, a wealthy and ruthless landowner whose wife Alice is having an affair with a low-life called Mosby. She finds her marriage boring and Mosby exciting, so the two decide to kill Arden and take all of his money. They hire a couple of inept crooks who talk a big game, but can’t seem to get the job done. Each scheme to kill Arden gets more over the top, and winds up with a surprise ending. While not written entirely by Shakespeare, this play contains some possible scenes by Shakespeare and is part of what’s known as the “Shakespeare Apocrypha.”
“Hamlet” will be presented on Wednesday, August 5 at 7:00 pm. “Hamlet,” full of remorse and soliloquy, is one of the most traditional of Shakespeare’s dramas, but in a unique spin, the setting is Victorian England.

Founded in 1992, the Hudson Shakespeare Company continues to strive toward bringing the classics and contemporary theater to a myriad of locations and venues in New Jersey and the greater Tri-State area. Through their programs, they seek to create innovative and comfortable atmospheres for all personnel, from on stage to back stage, and to provide broad cultural and artistic exposure to audiences. At the same time, they pride themselves on a long tradition of giving first time directors, actors and technicians their “first crack” at the theater.

Due to the popularity of free, live theater at the library, audience members must register for these events. They are open to Westfield Memorial Library cardholders only; MURAL cardholders may register for first play beginning July 9, space permitting, and may register for second on July 29, space permitting. (MURAL cardholders belong to libraries that are part of the Middlesex Union Reciprocal Agreement Libraries. Check with your library to see if your library participates.) To register for the program, visit the library’s website at www.wmlnj.org, click on the Online Calendar, or call 908.789.4090 option 0.

Founded in 1879, the Westfield Memorial Library—the community’s destination for discovery and ideas—engages minds, entertains spirits and facilitates lifelong learning for people of all ages. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and closed on Sunday for the summer.

For more information call 908.789.4090, visit the library’s website at www.wmlnj.org, and sign up for the monthly e-newsletter “Library Loop,” or stop by the library at 550 East Broad Street for a copy of the award-winning quarterly newsletter “Take Note.”

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