Darryl Maximilian Robinson Presents His One-Man "A Bit of the Bard" Notes & Photos

 

 

 

 

It would be exactly 37 years ago this May ( indeed, May 9, 1987 ) that Chicago-born and stage-trained Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago and Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project Founder Darryl Maximilian Robinson entered upon a small nightclub / restaurant stage in Eagle-Vail, Colorado and presented an hour-long, one-man show of several famed speeches from the works of William Shakespeare as told by his time-traveling, comedic character creation His Most Revered Lordship, Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean on a bill entitled "A BIT OF THE BARD."

Darryl Maximilian Robinson, who had previously played leading and featured classical theatre roles with THE NATIONAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY TOUR OF NEW YORK, THE STAGEPLAYERS OF NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, THE INDIANAPOLIS SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL-IN-THE-PARK and THE KING RICHARD'S FAIRE OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, was not entirely sure that his solo flight in Shakespeare's works would be well-received or particularly successful.

 

But once audiences, theatre presenters and literary arts educators became highly-receptive to it, for more than 14 years ( 1987 -2001 ) Mr. Robinson would tour the show to colleges, high schools, libraries, festivals, restaurants, pubs and EVEN PRIVATE LIVING ROOMS!...if the price was right!

 

 

 

In acknowledgement of the show that for many years funded the operation of his multi-racial, non-Equity professional classical and contemporary chamber theatre EXCALIBER PRODUCTIONS, LTD. ( in St. Louis, Missouri and Louisville, Kentucky ) and THE EXCALIBER SHAKESPEARE COMPANY OF CHICAGO, highlighted here are photos, reviews and articles on DARRYL MAXIMILIAN ROBINSON AS SIR RICHARD DRURY KEMP-KEAN IN A BIT OF THE BARD.

 

 

 

 

 

Regarding Co-writer, Adapter, Director and Performer Darryl Maximilian Robinson's Original One-Man Show of Shakespeare and Time-Travel Comedy A Bit of the Bard.

 

 

 

A critically-praised solo theatre performance work and highly-amusing bit of fictionalized fluff, A Bit of the Bard concerns the wild and wonderfully wacky misadventures of His Most Revered Lordship, Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean, a 17th-century Shakespearean actor and completely unwilling time-traveler.

 

 

 

 

 

In the year of Our Lord, 1660, when serving and touring Europe as a royal good-will ambassador ( for his very distant and "eager-to-get-rid-of-him!" cousin, King Malcolm of Scotland ), Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean, a black, African, English, Scottish Lord, and noted Shakespearean actor, is summoned by Their Majesties, King Stephan and Queen Caroline of Denmark, to give a command performance in the title role of the immortal bard William Shakespeare's Henry V.

 

During the play, His Lordship is struck "by a bleeding bolt of lightning!", and propelled 327 years into the future, arriving embedded "up to his buttocks in snow!" in the side of a mountain in modern America's Vail, Colorado in 1987 ( at The Height of The Reagan Administration! ).

 

While sharing a series of comic tales of his now-contemporary experiences in this "strange new world" ( including being mistaken as a dead-ringer, look-a-like of African diplomat, His Excellency, Ambassador Omar Barutu of Senegal ), His Lordship does what he does best - he acts - performing some of the funniest and most moving speeches from the plays of William Shakespeare.

 

 

 

 

Sir Richard regales his audience with selections from: As You Like It, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Othello, King Lear, The Taming of The Shrew, and A Midsummer Night's Dream, among others, all while serving a running commentary of the social, cultural, and political issues of America's modern age and nursing an ever-flowing bottle of champagne!

 

 

 

Does His Most Revered Lordship, Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean ever return to his own time and place of the 17th-century? To quote the late, great Fats Waller: "One never knows, do one?".

 

 

 

A Bit of the Bard, co-written, adapted, directed and performed by Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( The Founder of the multiracial chamber theatres, Excaliber Productions, Ltd. in Chicago, St. Louis and Louisville, Ky. and The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago ) in the role of His Lordship, Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean, had its World Premiere Saturday May 9, 1987 at Ruby's Dinner Theatre ( aka Ruby's Bar & Grill ) in Eagle-Vail, Colorado ( in The Heart of The Rockies ). It was originally produced by Steve and Elly Jelacic, with Jeffrey Lee Tucker serving as Production Coordinator and Cat Brandt acting as Graphics Designer and Promotional Assistant.

 

 

 

 

Further touring engagements quickly occurred in St. Louis, Missouri, Louisville, Kentucky and Chicago, Illinois, providing Mr. Robinson the inspiration to start Excaliber Productions, Ltd., and later, The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago!

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://chicagoreader.com/arts...

 

A 2001 Shakespeare's Birthday Week Stage Production Flashback!:

 

Appearing As His Lordship, Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean And Presenting "A Bit of the Bard:2001" At The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre of Oak Park, Illinois!

 

Theatre Lovers and Supporters,

 

From March through May of 2001, your humble servant in The Theatre, Darryl Maximilian Robinson, presented multiple performances of his original one-man show of Shakespeare and time-travel comedy "A Bit of the Bard: 2001" in the intimate and comfortable confines of The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre of Oak Park, Illinois. It would be his last formal, public engagement of the work that launched his multiracial chamber theater, The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago.

 

Here are a few news items promoting this event:

 

Calendar

 

By Cara Jepsen

 

The Chicago Reader

Feburary 22, 2001

 

MARCH

1 THURSDAY Darryl Maximilian Robinson's one-man show A Bit of the Bard had its original run in 1987, when its Reagan-era commentary was more timely. The premise is still fresh, though--Robinson's character, 17th-century actor Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean, gets struck by lightning and catapulted 327 years into the future, landing in contemporary Washington, D.C. He gets a job serving as the double for the Senegalese ambassador, and whenever things get rough he pulls out the Shakespeare. Robinson's new, improved version of the Jeff-winning show includes swipes at the Clintons and the Bushes elder and younger. A Bit of the Bard: 2001 opens tonight at 7:30 and runs through April 22 in its "Chicago area farewell engagement" at the Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre, 208 Harrison in Oak Park. Tickets are $15, $12 for students and seniors. Call 773-533-0285.

 

https://www.chicagoreader.com/...

 

The Chicago Tribune Stage Suburbs Section March 9, 2001

 

By H. Lee Murphy. Special to the Tribune

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

 

March 9, 2001

 

- In Oak Park, Darryl Maximilian Robinson is performing his one-man show, "A Bit of the Bard: 2001," at the Studio Theatre in the Harrison Street Galleries through April 22. It follows the misadventures of Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean, a 17th Century leading man who is struck by a bolt of lightning during a performance of Shakespeare's "Henry V" and is mysteriously transported to modern-day America, where he finds new work as an actor.

 

Robinson, who conceived the show, intersperses selections from Shakespeare's greatest plays with commentary on the American political condition. "A Bit of the Bard" was originally performed at the Red Lion Pub in Chicago back in 1987 and has been revived numerous times since by Robinson, who is the artistic director of the Excaliber Shakespeare Company. The Studio Theatre is at 208 W. Harrison St., Oak Park. Call 773-533-0285.

 

https://www.chicagotribune.com...

 

It was a fine and well-received run and The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre of Oak Park was a good place to conclude a 14-year series of Shakespearean performances.

 

https://chicagoreader.com/arts...

 

 

https://www.alignable.com/los-angeles-ca/the-excaliber-shakespeare-company-los-angeles-archival-project/darryl-maximilian-robinson-recalls-his-one-man-show-a-bit-of-the-bard-may-2024

 

 

Now celebrating his 50th anniversary as an American Stage Performer, 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.

 

 

 

Most recently, Darryl Maximilian Robinson was named a winner of a 2022 Making The World Happening Award from Allevents.in for his numerous online theatre-related offerings during the early years of The Covid-19 pandemic.

 

 

 

 

 

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