Members of the Chalk Repertory Theater will be performing "Lady Windermere's Fan" Saturday, July 27, on the grounds of the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library.
The Chalk Repertory Theatre will be performing "Lady Windermere’s Fan" — Wilde’s tale of youthful marriage and indiscretion — on Saturdays and Sundays at 6 p.m. from July 27 through Aug. 18. 
"Lady Windermere’s Fan" is set at the titular character’s coming-of-age birthday ball, just as she is alerted to rumors of her husband's infidelity. As the comedy of manners unfolds, audience members will see how Lady Windermere deals with the consequences of learning this information and how she navigates the gossip to unravel an intricate web of lies.
"‘Lady Windermere’ is part of our Arts on the Grounds initiative," said Veronica Wilson, community liaison at the Clark, which is home to esteemed collections of English literature and history from 1640 to 1800, fine printing and the world’s most comprehensive collection of the works of Oscar Wilde. "It’s a concerted effort to engage local audiences and showcase the library's holdings."
The Clark is located about 13 miles from UCLA’s Westwood campus in the city’s historic West Adams neighborhood. Barbara Fuchs, director of the UCLA Center for 17th and 18th Century Studies, conceived of Arts on the Grounds, the first and most visible part of a larger strategy to engage the diverse communities of residents who live near the library. The other performances scheduled for this series will include modern interpretations of classical texts, bilingual productions and adaptations of Spanish plays, and family-friendly shows.
All of them will be staged on the library’s five acres of beautiful gardens and public spaces. Gates will open at 5 p.m., one hour before show time, for pre-show picnicking in the gardens. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs and food in nonbreakable containers.
"Lady Windermere’s Fan" is set at the titular character’s coming-of-age birthday ball, just as she is alerted to rumors of her husband's infidelity. As the comedy of manners unfolds, audience members will see how Lady Windermere deals with the consequences of learning this information and how she navigates the gossip to unravel an intricate web of lies.Directed by Chalk Rep founding member Jennifer Chang, "Lady Windermere's Fan" features a multicultural cast with characters who may feel reminiscent of the icons of today's social elite, adding contemporary relevance to the play's questions of status and loyalty.
Tickets are $20 general admission, $10 for students/seniors/service members and $15 neighborhood discount. They can be purchased online at www.chalkrep.com or by calling 323-379-9583. The William Andrews Clark Memorial Library is located at 2520 Cimarron St., Los Angeles, CA 90018. There is free on-site parking.
The Arts on the Grounds series kicked off in June with "Golden Tongues" and concludes Sept. 7-8 with a weekend of performances of "The Dwarf," an adaptation of Pär Lagerkvist's Nobel Prize-winning novel, by the Counter-Balance Theater.
