Audiobooks narrated by Kendra Murray

Measure for Measure is one of darkest of Shakespeare’s comedies. Written in about 1603 and first performed in 1604, it immediately preceded the composition of the major tragedies Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Duke Vincentino, the ruler of Vienna, fears that under his mild sovereignty, the people may have become lazy and lax. He decides to “go over cover” in the disguise of a monk and appoint his deputy, Angelo, who is a reputed paragon of virtue, as temporary ruler. On assuming power, Angelo inaugurates draconian provisions regarding sexual propriety. One of the first victims of this new regime is young Claudio, who has impregnated his lover Juliet, and is accordingly sentenced to death. Claudio’s sister, Isabella, who is preparing to enter religious life, is encouraged to approach Angelo and plead for her brother’s life. Angelo is immediately smitten with the beautiful Isabella and makes her an offer: her brother will be spared if she yields to Angelo’s sexual advances. Isabella indignantly rejects this proposal, but finds herself unable to reveal Angelo’s hypocrisy publicly, as she fears her accusations will lack credence. Fortunately, the Duke, who has not left Vienna, befriends Isabella in his assumed role of friar, and hatches a plan to both save Claudio and to unmask Angelo. Featuring the voices of Denis Daly, Gary D. MacFadden, David Shears, Graham Scott, Josh Innerst, Kendra Murray, Blaise Doran, Simon Paxton, Roberta Jackson, Alexandra Lee Smith, and Alan Weyman. Audio edited by Denis Daly Tunes for songs provided by Alan Weyman. The text used for this performance was kindly provided by playshakespeare.com.

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Alan Weyman, Alexandra Lee Smith, Blaise Doran, David Shears, Denis Daly, Gary Macfadden, Graham Scott, Josh Innerst, Kendra Murray, Roberta Jackson, Simon Paxton (Narrator)

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As You Like It

Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It are usually regarded as Shakespeare’s crowning achievements in the world of mirth and humor. In this group of plays, written during the playwright’s Second Period (1595–1600), the author depicts chiefly the cheerful, energetic side of life. In As You Like It, a wicked Duke expels his virtuous brother, the lawful ruler, from his domains. The banished Duke takes refuge with his followers in the Forest of Arden, where they live as free a life as did Robin Hood and his merry men. They are presently sought out by the Duke’s daughter Rosalind and her cousin Celia, who have been banished by the usurper. Also among the banished is Orlando, a virtuous young man, who is being pursued by his wicked brother Oliver, pursuant to the orders of the usurping duke. Orlando and Rosalind immediately fall in love, and she, disguised as a boy under the name of Ganymede, makes sport with him throughout the play. Eventually all ends happily – with conversions, repentance and revelations of love. Featuring the voices of Linda Barrans, Blaise Doran, Laura Richcreek, Emma Faye, Claudia Anglade, P J Morgan, Gary MacFadden, Denis Daly, Marty Krz, Dara Brown, Trisha Rose, John Burlinson, and Kendra Murray. Audio edited by Denis Daly Tunes for songs provided by Alan Weyman. The text used for this performance was kindly provided by playshakespeare.com. Production copyright 2024 is held by Voices of Today.

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Blaise Doran, Claudia Anglade, Dara Brown, Denis Daly, Emma Faye, Gary Macfadden, John Burlinson, Kendra Murray, Laura E. Richcreek, Linda Barrans, Marty Krz, Pj Morgan, Trisha Rose (Narrator)

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The Comedy of Errors

Mistaken identity (which the Elizabethans called “Error”) is nearly always amusing, whether on the stage or in actual life. The Comedy of Errors is a play in which this situation is developed to the extreme of improbability – but we lose sight of this improbability in the roaring fun which results. Nowadays we should call a play of this type a farce, since most of the fun comes from situations which are improbable and the play depends on these for success, rather than on characterization or dialogue. Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors draws on a much older play, Menaechmi, written by the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (254–184 B.C.). A merchant of Syracuse has twin sons and buys twin servants for them. His wife, with one twin and one servant, is soon separated from him by a shipwreck, and comes to live in Ephesus. When grown, the other son and his slave start out to find their brothers, and the father, some years later, starts out in turn to find them. Once in Ephesus, an amusing series of errors begins. The wife takes the wrong twin for her husband, the master beats the wrong slave, the wrong son disowns his father, the twin at Ephesus is arrested instead of his brother, and the twin slave Dromio of Syracuse is claimed as a husband by a black kitchen girl of Ephesus. The situation gets more and more mixed, until at last the real identity of the strangers from Syracuse is established, and all ends happily. Featuring the voices of Susan Iannucci, Gary MacFadden, David Shears, Dara Brown, Blaise Doran, Aisling Gray, Claudia Anglade, Kendra Murray and P.J. Morgan

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Aisling Gray, Blaise Doran, Claudia Anglade, Dara Brown, David Shears, Gary Macfadden, Kendra Murray, Pj Morgan, Susan Iannucci (Narrator)

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Twelfth Night

As the generating force of its plot, Twelfth Night uses a device which has since become a staple in comedy: gender confusion. Viola and her twin brother Sebastian, are shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria, a country ruled by the melancholy Duke Orsino. The twins are separated and Viola is led to believe that her brother has perished. She disguises herself as a male under the name of Cesario and makes her way to the ducal court, where Orsino employs her as a messenger, to communicate his love to the reclusive lady, Olivia—who is not willing to return his affection. Olivia is also the target of two other romantic schemes. Her pompous steward, Malvolio, has persuaded himself that Olivia has fallen for him but is too diffident to reveal her passion. Her dissipated uncle, Sir Toby Belch, has plans to set up a match for her with Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a feeble-minded squire. Viola/Cesario falls in love with Orsino and Olivia with Cesario, but all of the parties are obliged to hide their feelings. Having survived the shipwreck, Sebastian now appears on the scene and contracts a secret marriage with Olivia, who believes him to be Cesario. In the final act, Viola reveals her true identity … Featuring Emma Faye as Viola, Kendra Murray as Olivia, Cate Barratt as Sir Toby Belch, Alan Weyman as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Lillian Rachel as Malvolio, Marty Krz as Feste and Laura Richcreek as Orsino. Also featuring the voices of Claudia Anglade, Linda Barrans, PJ Morgan, Denis Daly and John Burlinson. Songs arranged by Alan Weyman and Marty Krz Audio edited by Denis Daly Text kindly provided by playshakespeare.com

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Alan Weyman, Cate Barratt, Claudia Anglade, Denis Daly, Emma Faye, Jennie Litt, John Burlinson, Kendra Murray, Laura E. Richcreek, Lillian Rachel, Linda Barrans, Marty Krz, Pj Morgan, Trisha Rose (Narrator)

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Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing appears to have been written about 1599, shortly before As You Like It and Twelfth Night. The action combines two narrative threads: the spirited comedy of the courtship of Benedick and Beatrice, and the sombre tale of confused love between Hero and Claudio. The first is a creation by Shakespeare and the second appears to have been drawn from an Italian source, either by Bandello or Ariosto. The action takes place in Messina. Eponymous lovers Hero and Claudio seem to be ideally matched and nearly everyone is looking forward to their impending marriage. The odd man out is the sinister Don John, brother and former enemy of Don Pedro, Prince of Aragon, but recently restored to the Prince’s favour. Being of a morose and jealous temperament, Don John plots to disrupt the wedding and cause division between the lovers, with the aid of his fellow conspirators, Borachio and Conrade. However, this evil plan is thwarted by an unexpected incursion by the bumbling constables Dogberry and Verges. The young couple are finally reunited, but only after Claudio has first been led to believe that his rejected spouse, Hero, has died of shame and grief. The matching of Beatrice and Benedick, encouraged by some artful chicanery by Hero and Claudio, and marked by many witty and sardonic exchanges of repartee, serves to lighten the texture of the darker elements of the action. Featuring Emma Faye as Hero, Kendra Murray as Beatrice, Dara Brown as Claudio, Lillian Rachel as Benedick, Cate Barratt as Dogberry, and Gary Macfadden as Don John. Also featuring the voices of Catherine Bilson, Ron Altman, Alan Weyman, P J Morgan, Claudio Anglade, John Burlinson and Linda Barrans. Songs arranged by Alan Weyman Audio edited by Denis Daly Text kindly provided by playshakespeare.com

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Alan Weyman, Cate Barratt, Catherine Bilson, Claudia Anglade, Dara Brown, Emma Faye, Gary Macfadden, John Burlinson, Kendra Murray, Lillian Rachel, Linda Barrans, Pj Morgan, Ron Altman (Narrator)

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Alls Well That Ends Well

This play is a dramatization of Boccaccio’s story of Gillette of Narbonne. Only the comic parts were of Shakespeare’s invention; he added the characters of the pusillanimous Parolles, the lofty courtier Lafew, the Clown Lavatch, and the long suffering Countess. He gave new depth and vitality to the leading characters, who are mere outlines in Boccaccio’s tale. The comedy has for its heroine a young woman who loves the haughty Bertram with an unrequited and despised passion, cures the King of France of a dangerous sickness, claims as her reward the right to choose a husband from among the courtiers, chooses Bertram, is repudiated by him, and, after a nocturnal meeting at which she takes the place of another woman whom he believes himself to have seduced, at last overcomes his resistance and is acknowledged as his wife. In Helena, Shakespeare drew a portrait of familiar type of loving and cruelly maltreated womanhood—the woman who suffers everything in inexhaustible tenderness and humility, and never falters in her love until in the end she wins the rebellious heart.

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Aisling Gray, Claudia Anglade, David Shears, Denis Daly, Emma Faye, Gary Macfadden, John Burlinson, Kendra Murray, Linda Barrans, Marty Krz, Pj Morgan (Narrator)

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A Midsummer Night's Dream

Together with The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most magical plays. One night, two parties creep from Athens into the surrounding forest. One party includes sweethearts Lysander and Hermia, fleeing from Athenian law and the disapproval of Hermia’s father to get married. In pursuit is Demetrius, the suitor of Hermia favored by her father, and the doleful Helena, formerly affianced to Demetrius. Six tradesman (the “rude mechanicals”) make up the other party. They hope to present a play at the upcoming nuptials of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and are seeking a private place for rehearsal. Surveying these disparate interlopers are the forest fairies, whose King Oberon and Queen Titania are engaged in a ferocious marital dispute. A magical love potion throws all into disarray. Attachments are disrupted, new ones are formed—but finally, conjugal harmony is established between lovers. In the last act the “rude mechanicals” win their chance to present their clumsy dramatic piece to the amusement and satisfaction of the aristocratic audience.

William Shakespeare (Author), A Full Cast, Blaise Doran, Claudia Anglade, Emma Faye, Gary D. Macfadden, Gary Macfadden, Kendra Murray, Linda Barrans, Mark Crowle-Groves, Marty Krz, Pj Morgan, Tom Saer (Narrator)

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Did Not Finish

Stranded…with my nemesis. AXEL: It’s bad enough an unseasonal blizzard means I’m stuck with my PA’s annoying cat, but to make matters worse, Mia Samson and her poison pen are in my house too. The renowned reviewer has tanked enough books with her dreaded DNF and I need to teach her a lesson. But my enemy is not what I expect and if I’m not careful, I’m in danger of revealing my secret to the one person who can use it against me. MIA: I know people in publishing call me the career-wrecker behind my back. What they don’t know is, I’m writing a novel, and when I’m lucky enough to win a week-long retreat with bestselling Axel Low in quaint Sugar Plain, Nebraska, I’m thrilled. Until I discover being snowed in with the reclusive grump is merely the first trope my life has turned into, and soon I’m sorely tempted to enact enemies to lovers… Which one of us will lose the plot first?

Nicola Marsh (Author), Connor Brown, Kendra Murray (Narrator)

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The Rulebook For Perfect Daddyhood

The Rulebook For Perfect Daddyhood is perfectly funny and absolutely true. It chronicles the things that didn't always go as planned when a dad is supposedly in charge of trying to help raise three children. This unique Daddy doesn't just think outside the box, but he never knew there actually was a box to think outside of. Fortunately, all three daughters survived getting dirty camping in the woods, or digging a small backyard pond, or being escorted by this Daddy around the wonderful town of Garden City, New York every Halloween mainly because Daddy knew all the houses that gave out great Halloween candy, or watching Daddy build giant, brightly painted snow sculptures of frogs, penguins, and Homer Simpson just so he could take their picture next to his artwork. Fortunately, he was married to the Goddess of Mommyhood and she continued to wash them down with a hose each time they got home from one of their adventures. If you or someone you know is a new Daddy, get this book! They will laugh.....and maybe pick up a few tips on how to be a good Daddy.

Robert Alvey (Author), Kendra Murray, Lucy Grace Penza, Ralph Scott (Narrator)

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Halfmoon Ridge

Halfmoon Ridge is a tale of when the one you love is right before your eyes and they still can not see the real you. Not until the family makes some business changes to the dude ranch does the couple really get to know one another. The couple has been working side by side for years, but now as two grown adults, feelings develop between them. Are they practical with an entire family surrounding them and already running a business together? The family gets tired of staying behind the scenes waiting for the couple to figure out their feelings for one another. They decide to subtly step in, allowing the couple to finally focus on what is important in life. TRUE LOVE!

K.A. Blaze (Author), Kendra Murray, Ralph Scott (Narrator)

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Kill Code: Zero Day Trilogy: Book 1

** Silver Medal Winner: Best Mystery / Thriller E-Book, 2020 Independent Publisher Awards (IPPY Awards) ** When a hacker on the run is captured after 10 years, she has no choice but to recover the code she needs to stop an obsessed madman who has been hunting her but it is hidden in the one place she can't hack into, her own mind. Hunted from both sides of the law, Jessa is a hacker in hiding in this chilling action-packed thriller that starts on the first page and never lets up. As secrets and missing memories slowly surface, not everyone will end up on the same side they started on. Years of hiding taught Jessa to trust no one. Left to fend for herself after a violent attack a decade earlier killed her family, she’s resorted to working highly illegal hacking contracts. But when she is captured by the man she thought had vanished, Jessa fears her former ally may have betrayed her. Special Operations Agent Jack never got over the death of the woman he loved while working undercover. Horrified to learn she survived only to endure brutal torture at the hands of a vicious criminal mastermind, he worries he won’t regain her confidence. But with a deadly rival closing in, the determined operative will have to pull out all the stops to protect her from more heartless violence. Backed into a corner, Jessa is forced to place her faith in Jack to help her recover the suppressed memories key to nailing their mutual adversary. But with her deeply ingrained trauma, Jack fears it could cost her what’s left of her sanity when the fine line between justice and vengeance blurs. Will the damaged pair rise above a chasm of torment to take down a ruthless monster? * Explicit Content Warning: Kill Code is a dark suspense containing a past recollection of the torture and assault of an adult female character.

Luna Kayne (Author), Kendra Murray, Ralph Scott (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Kendra Murray