Shakespeare For All

There's a delightful little theater company once again bringing the magic of Shakespeare to Greater Los Angeles this summer - and doing it, once again, free of charge. Shakespeare By The Sea is the company and this summer's productions are Hamlet and The Comedy of Errors. Their mission is daring and difficult, striving (and succeeding) to bring top-quality productions to anyone and everyone. The group is small and mobile, performing each play of the season in over a dozen outdoor locations from El Segundo to Laguna Niguel. The cast is also the crew, setting up and tearing down their stage for each performance and then moving on.

As far as I'm concerned, this is Shakespeare at its best - as it was meant to be. Performed outdoors, with simple costumes and staging, all for the favor of a tip from those who tarry long enough to enjoy The Bard brought to life. Last night, my family and I settled in with a picnic dinner at Polliwog Park in Manhattan Beach. As the warm summer afternoon gave way to evening, we enjoyed a truly wonderful performance of Hamlet, made all the more so by the spartan production. A few wooden risers, a drape or two of curtain, a small cluster of stage lights and simple costumes all spring forth from a small moving van. Add a cast of truly talented, committed actors and the magic begins! For as Lord Hamlet reminds us, "the play's the thing!" and these actors - professionals all - clearly bring a love for their craft to their performances. Leading them, Mark Joseph tackles what is arguably one of the most difficult roles in all theatre and delivers a powerful, believable Hamlet. I was also particularly impressed with Chris Roberts as Polonius and Jill Cary Martin as Gertrude, the Queen.

Sitting there in the cool evening air, I wondered if Shakespeare himself could have imagined that 400 years after its writing, his masterpiece of trouble in Denmark would still captivate audiences half way around the world, that his words would still move us as they did last night, as they always do.

If you enjoy Shakespeare - or even if you've struggled with it in the past - I invite you to experience the unique productions of SBTS. Go out under the night sky, sit awhile on a blanket with someone special and listen. Listen to the timeless words, brought to life by passionate actors and I believe you will, for a moment, be transformed. And if you are, donate generously to this special company that struggles to keep coming back year after year. I, for one, heartily applaud them - with my hands and my wallet - and will return to Polliwog Park this evening to enjoy the classic The Comedy of Errors. Please join us! But if you can't, check out the rest of their 2006 calendar for other opportunities to be transported.