Westfield High School To Stage 'Arcadia' In November

WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield High School Theatre Department will present its fall production of Tom Stoppard’s "Arcadia" with three performances in November at the Westfield High School Auditorium.

Shows are scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 19, at 4 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, Nov. 20 and 21, at 7:30 p.m.

Public ticket sales open Thursday, Nov. 5. Tickets are $14 each and must be purchased online in advance at wpsvpa.booktix.com.

All tickets are reserved seating, and no tickets will be sold at the door. The auditorium is at 550 Dorian Road in Westfield.

Set in Sidley Park, "Arcadia" moves between 1809/1812 and the present day as it explores how the past shapes the present and how human desire challenges order and chaos.

In the early 19th-century storyline, Thomasina Coverly, played by Avery McMeekan, and Septimus Hodge, played by Lynx Mautone, are surrounded by a household that includes Lady Croom, Captain Brice, Ezra Chater, Richard Noakes, Jellaby and Augustus Coverly.

In the present-day storyline, Hannah Jarvis and Bernard Nightingale arrive at the estate to investigate its historical mysteries.

The modern cast also includes Valentine Coverly, Chloë Coverly and Gus Coverly, with Keepers played by Megan Dermody, Emma Hilliard, Nicolas Matias, Isabelle Pagelow and Erin Young.

"Arcadia is widely considered one of the greatest plays of the modern era because it balances brilliant intellectual mystery with deep human warmth and humor," explains WHS Theatre Department Director Daniel Devlin. "It challenges our students to grapple with complex themes - from fractal mathematics and Romantic poetry to the nature of truth - while delivering a witty, deeply moving story that resonates across generations."

The student stage crew will handle set design and construction, props, costume design, hair and makeup, and lighting and sound operation.

The theatre department is an inclusive community that offers students opportunities to develop skills in acting, technical theatre and live performance.

Tickets are only sold online at wpsvpa@booktix.com.

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