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Shakespeare In The Park Draws Raves From Thornwood Resident

CORRECTION: The final performance will take place Thursday, July 17, not Friday, July 18. We regret this error. 

Sarah and Dan Wigodsky bring their children Nadav (left), 9, Alon (second from right), 9 and Deena (not pictured), 9 to watch Shakespeare in the Park.

Sarah and Dan Wigodsky bring their children Nadav (left), 9, Alon (second from right), 9 and Deena (not pictured), 9 to watch Shakespeare in the Park.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly
More than one hundred turned out to watch Shakespeare in the Park in White Plains.

More than one hundred turned out to watch Shakespeare in the Park in White Plains.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly
Candace and Adam Caswell and their daughter Ava, 4, watch Shakespeare in the Park.

Candace and Adam Caswell and their daughter Ava, 4, watch Shakespeare in the Park.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly
Gladys Velz (left), of White Plains, and her sister Gloria Price, of Thornwood, enjoy Shakespeare in the Park.

Gladys Velz (left), of White Plains, and her sister Gloria Price, of Thornwood, enjoy Shakespeare in the Park.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Families set their blankets, some with little picnics, at Tenure Park Wednesday for the second of a three-night Shakespeare in the Park series, which is free and the first to take place in White Plains.

Before the production of a modernized Twelfth Night kicked off, Mayor Thomas Roach addressed the crowd of more than one hundred. He said he has wanted to bring Shakespeare in the Park to White Plains for a while.

“This is something that I’ve dreamed of for a long time, ever since I first came to this park and saw this set up and this pitch, for this field I thought this was perfect,” he said.

Eliza LaRock, 14, came to Tenure Park with her mother to watch the show, which her school, the School of the Holy Child in Rye, did a production of during her eighth grade year.

“It was kind of similar to this, so, yeah, I think it’s cool,” she said, adding that a lot of the more risqué scenes were cut for her middle school production.

Gloria Price of Thornwood, and her sister Gladys Velz of White Plains had been talking about going to an outdoor play like this for a while and were pleasantly surprised to find one in White Plains. However, they did not expect the modern adaptation with modern wardrobe, favoring the garb of Shakespeare’s time instead.

The outdoor production, which the city hopes to make a summer tradition, is presented by the city recreation and parks department and sponsored by ArtsWestchester, Peckham Industries, Stop & Shop, New York Presbyterian Hospital and the White Plains Public Library.

Curatin Call has staged outdoor performances of Shakespeare for the last decade.

“Curtain Call is thrilled to be bringing our annual Shakespeare on the Green production to downtown White Plains,” Lou Ursone, executive director of Curtain Call, said in a statement. “We've had a great following in Stamford for 11 years. Since we've had many performers from Westchester involved with our productions, this was a perfect fit. And Twelfth Night is such a delightful comedy. It's perfect for a summer night on the lawn.”

The final performance is Thursday at 7 p.m. in Turnure Park on 26 Lake St. In the event of rain the performance will be held in the Eastview Middle School.

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