Shakespeare in LA

LADC stars and celebrities at A Mid-City Night’s Dream gala at Studio 11, Nov 9, 2014 Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Drama Club launches its 10th Anniversary Season on April 15 with a VIP Party at Lyric Theatre & Voila on La Brea. As part of the event, children ages 7-17 from both South L.A and Hollywood will perform opposite Alex Kingston (Dr. Who) and Diedrich Bader (Veep) in comedic excerpts from Shakespeare’s plays. Following the performance, you’ll enjoy music, food, wine and visits from LADC’s young Players for some table-side Shakespeare.

You’ll also be invited to participate in the company’s 10 Seconds of Shakespeare campaign, where you’re given a line of Shakespeare’s text to speak into your phone and post online on their Wall of Fame.

This season of the Los Angeles Drama Club’s bi-annual Shakespeare Youth Festival L.A. runs April 16 – May 5 and coincides with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. The four plays presented during the festival feature families disrupted by internal and external storms and re-united by time and forgiveness. The first to open is The Comedy of Errors on April 16 & 17 at Club Fais Do Do. 

Also opening on April 16 and running through the 24th at The Lyric in Hollywood is a special production of A Winter’s Tale. “This production is embracing a LGBTQ theme, portraying the romantic lead roles as a same-sex couple,” says Blaire Baron Larsen, LADC founder and co-artistic director. “Our teenagers support this idea and Shakespeare certainly would – he never shied away from it in his sonnets or plays.”

The Tempest will then play three weeks at The Lyric, April 23 – May 1, joined by Pericles at Club Fais Do Do on April 30 & May 1.

“Pericles showcases our youngest Mid-City actors who have been excited to be in a play spanning four continents and featuring two shipwrecks,” comments artistic co-director Julia Walker Wyson. “These young actors have been gathering from across the city for 10 years to experience the magnificent language and timeless themes of Shakespeare. It is so gratifying to see new students develop a passion for Shakespeare and theater. You will be amazed at what can be done if you take the limits off of a child.”

The festival is an officially recognized event in BritWeek 2016 and is funded through grants and donations. It is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Event sponsors are: Showtime Networks, Lyric Theatre, Voila and Danielle & Ernie Del.

SHAKESPEARE YOUTH FESTIVAL L.A.
VIP PARTY
Friday, April 15
7:00 pm: Doors open/wine reception
8:00 pm: Show begins
Lyric Theatre & Voila , 520, 524 N. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles
Performances at Club Fais Do-Do are at 5257 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles.
Tickets and more info: www.losangelesdramaclub.com