Shakespeare's Tragedy King Lear from California Shakespeare Theater
Bruns Amphitheater (100 Gateway Blvd. Orinda, CA 94563)
- Full Price:
- $32.00 - $45.00
- Our Price:
- FREE - $22.50*
* Additional fees apply.
All offers for King Lear have expired.
The last date listed for King Lear was Thursday September 27, 2007 / 7:30pm.
22 Goldstar Member Reviews
man about town
Un-Shakespeared audiences and Shakespeare lovers both will enjoy this play. I knew next to nothing about King Lear, but this lucid production is engaging and volatile, with sensational acting, especially by the solid, finely nuanced Jeff DeMunn as Lear! What a pleasant surprise to see such a strong cast, and superb direction presenting this challenging tragedy about tempestuous family relationships and a father driven mad by his rage.Written on Sep 21 2007
My first time at the Orinda stage was well served by this impressive production. Highly audible, and very comfortable, inspite of the cold night air.
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Hubert C.
Best King Lear production I have seen so far - Cal Shake co is amazing.Written on Sep 28 2007
excellent cast and beautiful set. Thank you.
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Goldstar Member
extremely well acted and staged, with tight ensemble acting. Innovative and effective staging. Sound/lighting effects especially interesting (and deliberately low-tech) I would strongly recommend this production.Written on Sep 21 2007
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Renee S.
We really enjoyed Lear although you have to suspend belief in the 1920's costumes/setting when they commence the sword fights! Easy to hear the dialogue and follow the plot, and excellent acting from all. Advise arriving early to hear the pre-play talk and bundling up as if you're going to the snow and you'll be comfy. We brought blankets to sit on and to wrap around us and were just fine on a chilly evening.Written on Sep 21 2007
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More Information About King Lear
Website
http://www.calshakes.org/v4/ourplays/4/artists.html
Description
Shakespeare’s masterpiece King Lear was first performed at the Court of King James I in 1606. Cal Shakes has previously presented King Lear in 1980, 1991, and 1999.
The Story of King Lear
King Lear has decided to divide the throne of England between his three daughters: Goneril, with her husband the Duke of Albany; Regan, and her husband the Duke of Cornwall; and Cordelia. Before dividing his country, Lear asks each of his daughters to tell him how much she loves him. Goneril and Regan flatter Lear, but Cordelia refuses to put her love into words. Lear disowns her. The Earl of Kent encourages Lear to forgive Cordelia, and is himself banished. The King of France, who has been courting Cordelia, takes her as his wife without a dowry. Meanwhile, the Earl of Gloucester’s illegitimate son Edmund tricks his father into thinking that Edgar, Gloucester’s legitimate heir, has plotted against their father’s life. Edgar, disguising himself as a mad beggar, “Poor Tom,” flees onto the heath. Kent, disguising himself, rejoins Lear, and together with Lear’s Fool, they plan to divide their time between the castles of Goneril and Regan. Goneril requests that Lear dismiss some of his men. Furious, Lear immediately leaves for Gloucester’s castle, where Regan and Cornwall are staying. Oswald, Goneril’s steward, and the disguised Kent arrive first at Gloucester’s castle. Kent attacks Oswald, and Regan orders that Kent be put in the stocks. Lear arrives and demands to know who put Kent in the stocks. Regan admits that she did so, and asks Lear to reduce his train of knights. Goneril arrives, and together, the two sisters demand that their father dismiss all of his men. Lear instead leaves the castle and goes onto the heath, despite the fact that a storm is brewing. Lear’s daughters order the gates to be shut, leaving their father outside. On the heath, Lear, Kent, and the Fool find shelter in a hovel, where they encounter Edgar, disguised as Mad Tom. In the castle, Gloucester tells Edmund that he will help Lear, despite Goneril and Regan’s orders. Gloucester goes onto the heath, and finds Lear. While he is gone, Edmund informs against his father to Cornwall and Regan. Upon returning, Gloucester is stripped of his title—which is given to Edmund—and is charged with treason. Cornwall and Regan blind Gloucester, although a servant attempts to stop them, mortally wounding Cornwall. The blinded Gloucester is sent onto the heath, where he encounters his disguised son Edgar. Cordelia and French forces invade to rescue Lear, landing at Dover. Gloucester, Lear, and Edgar arrive there as well, and Lear and Cordelia are reconciled. Regan, Albany, Goneril, and Edmund join forces to defeat Cordelia. Edmund becomes romantically involved with both Regan and Goneril, conspiring with Goneril to assassinate Albany. In the climactic battle, Cordelia and the French are defeated by the English forces. In the aftermath of the battle many of the characters die. The few survivors are left to rule and try to heal a broken country.
About the Company
Director Lisa Peterson, Cal Shakes Associate Artist, has previously directed for the company All's Well That Ends Well, A Winter's Tale and Love's Labour's Lost. Her upcoming projects include directing The Rainmaker at Arena Stage; Beth Henley's Ridiculous Fraud at McCarter Theatre Center; Water and Power at the Mark Taper Forum; Mother Courage at La Jolla Playhouse; and Major Barbara at the Guthrie. Her numerous directing credits include work with the Huntington Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Center Stage, Berkeley Rep, Hartford Stage, South Coast Rep, Public Theater, Williamstown Theater Festival. She is currently Resident Director at the Mark Taper Forum.
Jeffrey DeMunn (King Lear) is making his California Shakespeare Theater company debut. Following his theatrical training at the Old Vic Theatre, he performed in a Royal Shakespeare Company production in New York of King Lear, followed by several off-Broadway productions including Bent, Modigliani and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His numerous film credits include "Frances," "Ragtime," "The Shawshank Redemption," "The Green Mile," "The Majestic" and "The Mist." His television credits include "Law & Order," "Law & Order SVU," "The West Wing" and "Kojak."
Associate Artists featured will be L. Peter Callender (Duke of Cornwall); James Carpenter (Earl of Gloucester); Julie Eccles (Regan); Anthony Fusco (Lear’s Fool); and Andy Murray (Kent). The cast will also include Andrew Hurteau (Duke of Albany); Erik Lochtefeld (Edgar); Delia MacDougall (Goneril); Sarah Nealis (Cordelia); Joseph O’Malley (First Gentleman); Ravi Kapoor (Edmund); and Liam Vincent (King of France, Oswald).
About the Ticket Supplier: California Shakespeare Theater
The California Shakespeare Theater is committed to being a leading community citizen by nourishing the imaginations of audiences, artists and learners of all ages. We are dedicated to creating boldly imagined and deeply entertaining interpretations of Shakespeare's plays, fresh rediscoveries of important works of World Theater, and new works inspired by classic literature. Through our Artistic Learning programs, we are devoted to providing meaningful and accessible educational opportunities to a diversity of learners throughout the Greater Bay Area.