Lear - Cal Shakes

Cal Shakes BART Shuttle is Down

Are you at the Orinda Bart Station – need a ride to the Bruns?
Reach out to us at 510-548-9666 for a ride!

We hope to see you at the Bruns soon!

Affected tickets holders will be contacted via email or can reach out to boxoffice@calshakes.org or call us at 510-548-9666.

We hope to see you at the Bruns soon!

“Cal Shakes’ bilingual Romeo y Juliet reveals new discoveries in Shakespeare.”

— Lily Janiak, San Francisco Chronicle

“Cal Shakes has outdone itself.”

— Emily S. Mendel, Berkeleyside

“Cal Shakes’ bold ‘Romeo y Juliet’ takes an ancient story new places.”

— Karen D'Souza, The Mercury News

Theatrius

“The adaption by Karen Zacarías magically weaves Spanish into Shakespeare’s dialogue, forging a new poetry with the lyrical Spanish rhythms… Cal Shakes astonishes with verve, life, and color. Don’t miss it.”

— Barry David Horwitz and Jordan Freed, Theatrius

RUN TIME: Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes including intermission

GROVE TALKS: 45 mins pre-show in the Grove Talk Grove

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS: Proof of vaccination or negative PCR or Antigen test and ID required. Masks are encouraged when indoors at the Bruns. Masking is not required in the amphitheater.

GROUNDS: Open 2 hours before the show; the cafe is serving food and drinks.

BART SHUTTLE: Running 2 hours before the show and half an hour afterwards to and from Orinda BART; look for the silver accessible mini van (which means that we can transport 4 people and 1 wheelchair at one time). We thank you in advance for your understanding and your patience!

DRESS: check the weather before you go! It gets very cold at night. Lots of layers, coats, and blankets are recommended!

CONTENT WARNING: This performance includes heightened depictions of violence acts, including abuse, murder, and mutilation. If you need to step away during the performance, house staff will assist you when you are ready to return.

Sept 7 - Oct 2, 2022

Lear
by Marcus Gardley
a world-premiere translation and adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear
co-directed by Eric Ting & Dawn Monique Williams
music by Marcus Shelby

Returning to Cal Shakes after his acclaimed production of black odyssey, Obie-winning playwright, Marcus Gardley brings his world premiere production of Lear — a deconstruction of the classic story of power, betrayal, and madness — to the Bruns Memorial Amphitheater.

Set in the Bay Area, this world-premiere translation and adaptation of Shakespeare’s Classic pays homage to the Bay Area in sight and sound. Lear will feature a live jazz musical accompaniment led by the prolific SF-Based musician and composer, Marcus Shelby.

#LearIsComing to Cal Shakes.

Proof of vaccination or a negative PCR or Antigen test result is required to attend.
Read about all our COVID-19 Protocols before you attend.

Learn more about our Shared Light Initiative.
2022 FAQ

cast

JAMES A. WILLIAMS*

Lear

MICHAEL J. ASBERRY*

Gloucester

VELINA BROWN*

Black Queen

DOV HASSAN*

Cornwall

SAM JACKSON*

Cordelia/The Comic

LEONTYNE MBELE-MBONG*

Goneril

CATHLEEN RIDDLEY*

Kent

KENNY SCOTT

Albany

JOMAR TAGATAC*

Edmund

DANE TROY*

Edgar

EMMA VAN LARE*

Regan

Meet the Cast

*Member of Actor's Equity Association, the union for Professional Actors & Stage Managers in the United States

Creative

MARCUS GARDLEY

Adaptor/Playwright

ERIC TING

(Co-Director)

DAWN MONIQUE WILLIAMS

(Co-Director)

Tanya Orellana

(Scenic Designer) Tanya (she/her) designs performance spaces for theatre, opera and immersive experiences. Originally from San Francisco’s Mission District, she has been a core member of the award-winning ensemble Campo Santo since 2008, participating in their intimate new work process, conceptualizing and designing sets alongside the writing process. Her design collaborations include: The Industry’s Sweet Land, a world premiere immersive opera directed by Yuval Sharon and Cannupa Hanska Luger at L.A. State Historic Park, the Mexico premiere of Angels in America directed by Martín Acosta at Teatro Juan Ruiz de Alarcón (Mexico City), and ACT’s Fefu and Her Friends directed by Pam MacKinnon. She holds a MFA in Scenic Design from CalArts and is the 2016 recipient of the Princess Grace Fabergé Theatre Award. She is a member of WingSpace Theatrical Design and an organizing member of La Gente: The Latinx Theatre Design Network.

LUX HAAC

(Costume Designer)

SCOTT BOLMAN

(Lighting Designer)

EVERETT ELTON BRADMAN

(Sound Designer)

DAVE MAIER

(Fight Director) Dave (he/him/his) is a prolific fight director with over three hundred production credits. He has been the resident fight director at Cal Shakes since 2006 and has received several awards for his efforts, including the TBA for Outstanding Fight Choreography for the Cal Shakes production of Quixote Nuevo. His work has been seen at many bay area theaters including SF Opera, ACT, Berkeley Rep, Berkeley Playhouse, Center Rep, Marin Theatre Co., Magic Theatre, SF Playhouse, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, Shotgun Players, African American Shakespeare Co., and Oakland Theatre Project. Dave is recognized as a Master Fight Director and Senior Instructor with Dueling Arts International, and has taught combat related courses at Stanford University, UC Santa Cruz, St. Mary’s College of California, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Studio ACT, Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, and national workshops for Dueling Arts International

PHILIPPA KELLY

(Resident Dramaturg) Dr. Philippa Kelly (she/her) is Resident Dramaturg for California Shakespeare Theater (Cal Shakes). Philippa moved to the Bay from Australia in 2002. She has been awarded fellowships from the Fulbright, Rockefeller, and Commonwealth Awards, and grants from the California Arts Council, the National Endowment of the Humanities, the Walter and Elise Haas Foundation, and the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas. Philippa has published 11 books, 48 internationally peer-reviewed articles, and 52 playbill articles. Her Arden book, The King and I, is closest to her heart, illuminating King Lear through the lens of Australia’s history of outcasting. Philippa is Chair and Professor of English at the California Jazz Conservatory, Professor of Theatre at San Jose State University, and currently Visiting Professor of Theatre at St. Mary’s College of California.

MARCUS SHELBY

(Music Director/ Composer)

WESLEY APFEL*

(Stage Manager)

LISA ANNE PORTER (Vocal/Text Coach)

(Vocal/Text Coach)

CHRISTINA HOGAN*

(Assistant Stage Manager)

JEUNÉE SIMON

(Intimacy Director)

CHERELLE D. GUYTON, MBA

(Hair/Wig and Makeup Designer)

photos

presenting partners

Season partner

season underwriters

Student Discovery Underwriters

This production is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

CAST & CREATIVE

SPONSORS

PHOTOS