Lakewood Cultural Center presents the Reduced Shakespeare Company 'All the Great Books [abridged]' on October 25

You've seen them on PBS and heard them on NPR. Now join the madcap men of the Reduced Shakespeare Company as they zip through everything you didn't get around to reading in school with a hilarious 90-minute tour of the world's greatest books from "1984" and "The Aeneid" to "The Wizard of Oz" and "Wuthering Heights."

The Reduced Shakespeare Company began in 1981 as a pass-the-hat act performing a 21-minute version of "Hamlet" at Renaissance fairs outside of Los Angeles and San Francisco where the entertainment slots allow a maximum performance time of 30 minutes. The company developed a fast, funny, and physical performance style to keep their audiences from walking away.

Since that time, the company has "abridged" America, the Bible, sports, Western civilization, Christmas, Hollywood and the bard himself, Shakespeare. "The Complete History of America (abridged)" and "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)" ran for nine record-breaking years at the Criterion Theatre, London West End, with the company's third show, "The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged)," joining the lineup for the final three years of the London run. In November 2013, "The Complete History of Comedy (abridged)" will premiere with a seven-week run at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, with a month-long run at Merrimack Repertory Theatre to follow beginning in April 2014. More information is at www.reducedshakespeare.com.

Tickets are $28 and are available at 303-987-7845, www.Lakewood.org/Tickets or the Lakewood Cultural Center Box Office, 470 S. Allison Parkway (Wadsworth and West Alameda Avenue). Student, senior and group discounts are available. Ample, free parking.

The 2013-2014 Lakewood Cultural Center Presents season is generously supported by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), with appreciation to the citizens of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, 5280 Magazine and the Denver Post Community, improving and enriching the lives of those in our community.