Shakespeare in LA

How are YOU celebrating Shakespeare’s 450th birthday? If you haven’t made plans, check out how some of our local theatre companies are honoring Sir William and join in!
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“…there was a star danced, and under that was I born.”  –Much Ado About Nothing
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On the big day, April 23, be on the lookout for the Salty Shakespeare folks who will be doing a flash mob run-through all over the campus of Whittier College. Be especially observant in the lunchroom where, rumor has it, Polonius will be killed. The dress-run is in preparation for a full flash of what the company affectionately calls “Hamlet’s Greatest Hits” that will take place the next day. www.saltyshakespeare.com

Also on the 23rd, Long Beach Shakespeare Company will celebrate by presenting a night of Shakespeare sonnets, with everyone in attendance receiving a book of the complete sonnets as a free gift. www.lbshakespeare.org

The comedy series Complete Works will premiere all five of its episodes on Hulu on Shakespeare’s birthday, April 23. www.completeworks.tv 

Actor and director Natalie Reiko invites you to help her send a Video Birthday Card by participating in a unique project called 450 for 450, a collection of video clips (monologues, sonnets, scenes and other pieces inspired by Shakespeare) from around the world. “I am hoping to collect 450 videos to celebrate his 450th birthday,” says Reiko. “I think it would be a really fun way to make connections and build a community while showing the universality Shakespeare still has today.” Check out The Digital Stage channel HERE and submit rehearsal clips, performance videos, readings, etc. to Natalie at greatworkinla@gmail.com.

On April 24, A Noise Within celebrates Shakespeare’s birthday with a free community event open to kids of all ages from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. The fun includes a bouncy castle, sword play, costumes, cupcakes, and more. Following the party there will be a performance of Macbeth. Info and tickets at www.anoisewithin.org

Impro Theatre will celebrate on April 25 with a special performance of its currently running production, Shakespeare UnScripted, a post-show discussion, and a champagne reception complete with birthday cake. The curtain will rise at 8pm at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre (upstairs at The Pasadena Playhouse) in Pasadena. www.pasadenaplayhouse.org

Join Independent Shakespeare Co. on April 25 for Romeo and Juliet and stay after the show for the Friday Night Drama Club, which follows all of their Friday evening performances. Have an Apothecary’s Cocktail and get all the inside info about their creative production. Plus, we’re betting they’ll have a few surprises in store as well. www.iscla.org

Britweek is offering a special discount code for 50% off general admission tickets for SHAKESPEARE IN LA readers to its Evening with Shakespeare at the Moss Theatre in Santa Monica on Friday April 25. The star-studded event is co-hosted by Dana Delany and Ioan Gruffudd. Tickets are available HERE. Use the code SLA50.

Shakespeare by the Sea is celebrating by hosting a Shakespeare’s 450th Birthday Tea in the beautiful garden at MaGriffe overlooking the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, April 26 at 2:00 pm. You’ll enjoy performances by your favorite Shakespeare by the Sea actors while you sip tea or champagne and savor scones, sandwiches and decadent desserts. Wear your best tea party hat and be eligible to win two Decadent Dining Tickets for their Opening Toast on June 12. www.shakespearebythesea.org

In San Diego, The Union Project Dance Company will celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday on Saturday, April 26 with a 1:30 pm performance at the Artwalk in San Diego. You can see the full Artwalk schedule HERE.

San Diego Shakespeare Society will celebrate with two free events. On Monday, April 21 join U-T columnist Richard Lederer and other Society members at the new San Diego Main Library where they will be performing excerpts from Shakespeare’s plays and poems from 6:30-7:30 pm in William Shakespeare Under the Dome.

Then on April 23, Dr. William Anthony Nericcio, Professor of English & Comparative Literature, SCSU will present a lecture entitled, William Shakespeare, Birthday Boy, with Siggy: 21st Century Speculations on British Literature in the Age of Prozac and the Ipad. 6:00-7:30 pm at the new San Diego Central Library Auditorium. www.sandiegoshakespearesociety.org

San Diego’s Shakesepeare Pub & Grille is rolling back its prices on April 23 for all of their imported English Draughts. www.shakespearepub.com/event.php

Tony and Olivier Award winner Roger Rees brings his tour-de-force performance of What You Will to The Old Globe for a special benefit performance on Monday, April 28 at 7:00 pm. The historical and sometimes hysterical account of Rees’s stage experiences features some of the funniest moments ever seen live on stage, as well as Shakespeare’s great soliloquies, performed by the man who has played Hamlet more than any other actor in the history of the Royal Shakespeare Company. www.theoldglobe.org