West Hartford Public Library and the Capital Classics Theatre Company team up to bring you the Shakespeare Book Club. Join Capital Classics Artistic Associate and Professor of Theatre Geoffrey Sheehan in discussions of Shakespeare’s great works of theatrical literature.
The Shakespeare Book Club is now virtual! To join or for other inquiries, email bard@westhartfordlibrary.org
2022-2023 Season at WHPL
Theme: Shakespeare’s Villains
“It must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain.”
Don John, Much Ado About Nothing
Discuss Shakespeare’s greatest villains from some of Shakespeare’s greatest plays by investigating what motivates these classic evildoers, and seeing the evil that they do!
First Monday Each Month at 6:30PM
The Capital Classics Theatre Company will focus on Shakespeare’s Villains for the ninth semester of its popular Shakespeare Book Club. All are welcome for this free, 9-month discussion series. Currently, we are hosting the series on Zoom. Each session will combine group discussions and readings by Book Club participants from that month’s play.
| THE DATE | THE PLAY | THE VILLAIN |
| The Bastards: | ||
| October 3, 2022 | Much Ado About Nothing | Don John |
| November 7, 2022 | King Lear | Edmund |
| The Trusted: | ||
| December 5, 2022 | Measure for Measure | Angelo |
| January 2, 2023 – Cancelled | Othello | Iago |
| The Vengeful: | ||
| February 6, 2023 | Othello Titus Andronicus | Iago Tamora |
| The Ambitious: | ||
| March 6, 2023 | Hamlet | Claudius |
| April 3, 2023 | Richard III | Richard |
| May 1, 2023 | Macbeth | Macbeth |
Capital Classics Mission Statement: Capital Classics, a non-Equity professional theatre company, was founded in 1991 to enrich the cultural environment of Greater Hartford through the theatre arts. We are committed to providing classical entertainment that is affordable, accessible, and engaging; serving the community with cultural and educational programming; and providing job opportunities and training to Connecticut’s professional theatre artists.
Geoffrey Sheehan is currently a professor of Theatre Arts at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport where he also serves as the Theatre Arts Program Coordinator. Prior to his work at HCC, Geoffrey taught theatre in many Connecticut schools and youth programs. Geoffrey is also the co-founder and Artistic Associate with Capital Classics Theatre Company, home of the Greater Hartford Shakespeare Festival produced every summer on the campus of the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, CT. Geoffrey received his B.FA. in Drama from UCONN and his M.A.L.S. in Theatre from Wesleyan University.
To watch video recordings of Capital Classics Theatre Company Summer Sessions from 2020, watch the playlist through YouTube below.
1. The Taming of the Shrew
2. Queen Margaret
3. Athol Fugard’s “Victory”
4. The Scenes We Thought We Knew: Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet
5. As You Like It
6. Calling Mom: Breathing, Enunciating, and Projecting for the Stage