The Shakespeare Center Los Angeles’ 23rd annual Simply Shakespeare benefit reading of “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” takes place on September 25 at The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., in Santa Monica.
Sir Paul McCartney and hosts Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson lead a celebrity cast in an evening of impromptu Shakespeare and song. The program begins at 8, with the post-performance reception with cast at 9:30 p.m.
In 1986, The Shakespeare Center, then operating as Shakespeare Festival/LA, presented its first Summer Festival, with performances of “Twelfth Night” in Pershing Square. The audience included friends, a few earnest theatergoers and the homeless residents of the Square.
In 1993, the organization expanded to include outreach programs such as Will Power to Youth, an academic enrichment program that combines hands-on artistic experience with paid job training, specifically created to provide arts education to at-risk youth.
Last summer, the center expanded once again with an outreach program with the Veterans Administration. Eighteen professional, union-contracted performances of “As You Like It” were presented outdoors in the Japanese Garden at the West L.A. campus. SCLA hired 26 military veterans to work in all aspects of the production, including acting, technical director, sound engineer, wardrobe assistant, props master, venue crew, ushers, parking attendants and site-specific marketing. In addition, SCLA provided 2,492 free ticketsto veterans, active military, families and guests.
This summer, the company presented its second production, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” at the V.A. in a limited run in July.
For tickets to Simply Shakespeare ($1,500), contact Levy, Pazanti & Associates at (310) 201-5033 or shakespearecenter.org.
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