VIDEO: Darryl Maximilian Robinson Shares A KING LEAR Speech At LA's Historic Lincoln Heights Library

It was exactly one year ago at this time, when the theatres were closed throughout the greater Los Angeles area as a result of the surging Covid-19 Pandemic, that a lone, veteran Shakespearean actor, ventured out into the streets of the Lincoln Heights neighborhood in The City of Angels to present and record a speech from the works of the immortal bard that he believed reflected the times we were living through.

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 47-season stage veteran noted for his work in regional classical theatre productions ) presented 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!."

Watch Darryl Maximilian Robinson's rendition of King Lear's Act Two "O Reason Not The Need" speech below!

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." 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'sThe 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 Mr. 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 ).

To post a comment, you must register and login.