Darryl Maximilian Robinson Shares King Lear Speech Video At LA's Historic Lincoln Heights Library

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - 9:00 AM
to Wednesday, May 22, 2024 - 10:00 AM

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IN HONOR OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE 460TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, VETERAN STAGE ACTOR AND PLAY DIRECTOR DARRYL MAXIMILIAN ROBINSON ENCORES HIS STREET THEATRE VIDEO VERSION OF THE BARD'S ACT TWO KING LEAR SPEECH AT THE HISTORIC LINCOLN HEIGHTS LIBRARY IN LOS ANGELES!

2022 Making The World Happening Award Winner, 1997 Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citation Outstanding Actor Award Winner and 2015 / 2016 Los Angeles Elate Season Ticket Holder Best Actor Award Nominee Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( a 50-season stage veteran noted for his work in regional classical theatre productions ) presents a "Street Theatre" Video Version of the noted Act Two "O Reason Not The Need Speech" while playing the title role of William Shakespeare's "King Lear" upon the steps of the entrance of the historic Lincoln Heights Public Library in Los Angeles ( the second oldest branch library in The City of Angels built in 1916 with the great support of a grant from cultural benefactor and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie ) as part of his Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project series "The Bard's Speeches In Lincoln Heights!."

This video marks Mr. Robinson's third ESCLAAP recorded presentation of a classic speech from the works of The Immortal Bard in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, joining his video renditions of The King's "Saint Crispin's Day Speech" from "Henry V," and Lord Jaques' "Seven Ages of Man Speech" from "As You Like it."

Now celebrating his 50th anniversary as an American Stage Performer, Darryl Maximilian Robinson, who is Founder, Artistic Director and Producer of both the multiracial, non-Equity professional chamber theatre The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago and The Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project, has previously played leading and featured clasical roles with The National Shakespeare Company Tour of New York, The Indianapolis Shakespeare Fesival-In-The-Park, The Chicago Medieval Players Theatre Company and both The King Richard's Faire and Bristol Renaissance Faire of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Practicing proper "Social Distancing," the videography, editing and still photos of this May 17, 2020 video recording are provided by talented and experienced stage, film and television actor and emerging screenwriter Danny Belrose.

A classically-trained African-American theatre performer ( he made his Shakespearean debut as Don John in Director Phillip F. Nardulli's 1980 revival staging of the bard's "Much Ado About Nothing" at The West Wind Theatre of River Forest, IL., created the role of the drunken butler Stephano in the Windy City premiere of Director-Adapter-Composer-Lyricist Doug Post's 1981 Jeff Recommended Illustrated Theatre Productions rock-musical version of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" at The Leo A. Lerner Theatre in Chicago, then played Puck and Philostrate in "A Midsummer's Night's Dream", Oswald and The King of France in King Lear, and Touchstone in "As You Like It" during the 1982 20th Anniversary National Shakespeare Company Tour of New York, later performed the title role in Director Dr. James Barushok's 1984 Stageplayers of Northeastern Illinois University of Chicago revival of the bard's "Othello" and during the summer of 1987 starred for 10 weeks as the villainous Professor Moriarty in Producer-Director-Adapter John Auble's musical version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes" on board The Historic Goldenrod Showboat docked at Laclede's Landing in St. Louis ), Mr. Robinson has spent a career playing stage roles of note few black stage performers have had the chance or opportunity to play.

Of particular interest are his critically-praised portrayals of Sir Thomas More ( with Darryl Maximilian Robinson becoming the first documented professional African-American stage actor to play this acclaimed role ) in Director John Grassilli's 1984 University Players' revival production of Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" at Benton Hall Theatre of The University of Missouri-St. Louis ( UMSL ); The Cowardly Lion in Director Deborah Lynn Wykes' 1984 MUNY / Student Theatre Project Company revival production of the traditional stage musical "The Wizard of Oz" at The New City School in The Gateway City; Master Ford in the 1985 Indianapolis Shakespeare Festival revival staging of William Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" at The Garfield Park Amphitheatre; King Henry II in Director Robinson's 1992 Excaliber Productions, Ltd. multiracial cast revival of James Goldman's :The Lion In Winter" at The Wabash Triangle Café in St. Louis; James Tyrone, Sr. in both Director Robinson's 1993 Excaliber Productions, Ltd. in St. Louis staging and 1997 Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival of Eugene O'Neill's epic family drama "Long Day's Journey Into Night"; mystery writer Andrew Wyke ( opposite the fine and talented actor Sean Nix as Milo Tindle ) in Director Robinson's 2000 Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival staging of Anthony Shaffer's classic thriller "Sleuth" ( the first documented production starring an all-African-American cast ) at The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre in Oak Park, IL; and, most recently, the marvelous dual roles of The Chairman Mr. William Cartwright and The Honorable Mayor Thomas Sapsea of Cloisterham in Director Robert-Eric West's 2018 Saint Sebastian Players of Chicago revival staging of Rupert Holmes' Tony Award-winning Best Musical Whodunit "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" at the lovely, 100-year-old-plus St. Bonaventure Church for which Darryl Maximilian Robinson received a 2019 BroadwayWorld Chicago Award nomination for Best Performer In A Musical or Revue ( Resident Non-Equity ).

Winner of a 2022 Making The World Happening Award for his numerous online theatre-related offerings at Allevents.in during the early years of The Covid-19 pandemic, Darryl Maximilian Robinson's video rendition of King Lear's "O Reason Not The Need Speech" from Act Two of The Immortal Bard's tragedy can currently be viewed online at his YouTube channel.

Darryl Maximilian Robinson has become noted as the very first black actor in American Theatre History to portray on stage a trio of classic dramatic roles including: Sir Thomas More in Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" ( in a 1984 revival presented by The University Players of The University of Missouri-St. Louis and directed by AEA Member John Grassilli at The Benton Hall Theater ); King Henry II in a 1992 multiracial cast revival of James Goldman's "The Lion In Winter " ( directed by Mr. Robinson for his chamber theatre Excaliber Productions, Ltd in St. Louis and staged at The Wabash Triangle Cafe ); and Andrew Wyke ( opposite the talented actor Sean Nix as Milo Tindle ) in a 2000, 30th Anniversary, all-black cast revival of Anthony Shaffer's "Sleuth" presented under Mr. Robinson's direction by his chamber theatre The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago at The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre of Oak Park, Illinois.