If Shakespeare were still alive , he would be 450 years old on Wednesday, April 23.

Instead, actress Yvonne Hudson is celebrating his life with two separate events on the bard’s birthday.

The first, hosted by Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks, takes place in Oakland, in front of Carnegie Music Hall’s Shakespeare statue at 12:15 p.m. Cookies from Mexican War Sweets will be available for kids, while adults can sing songs led by Hudson as her stage alter-ego, Mrs. Shakespeare; hear her tributes to the Bard; and assist in placing a flower arrangement honoring his memory.

The second event, presented by Hudson's Poets Corner, will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Victorian Chapel at Calvary United Methodist Church, on the North Side. Sonnets will be performed by Hudson and actors Patrick Conner, Elizabeth Farina, Parag Gopal, Michael McGovern, Danielle Powell and Mark Rehn. Shakespeare fans are invited to read sonnets, too — the group aims to have all 154 in the poet’s collection recited by the end of the night. Sign up to share your sonnet of choice or receive a sonnet to read at the event by emailing [email protected].

The daytime event is free; the evening event is pay-what-you-can to benefit Poet’s Corner. Alternately, donations of one pound of non-perishable food items will also be accepted for Northside Food Pantry, continuing the Poet’s Corner tradition of “reading for feeding.”

For more information on either of these events, call 412-512-0589, email [email protected], or visit pittsburghshakespeare.com or calvarypgh.com.