If music is the food of love, there was plenty of it, along with classic words from the Bard at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. Locals like Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks joined legendary singer Sir Paul McCartney for the 23rd Annual Simply Shakespeare Gala. The benefit featured a celebrity reading of the classic “The Two Gentlemen of Verona.”
The cast couldn’t be more varied. It featured famed music man Sir Paul as Sir Eglamour, Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks as Launce, his wife, actress Rita Wilson, took on the part of Lucetta, “Star Trek’s” William Shatner played The Don and The Duke, funnyman Martin Short appeared as Thurio, “Seinfeld’s” Jason Alexander raced off with the part of Speed, Christina Applegate joined in as Silvia as well as Val Kilmer as Panthino and Vito.
But there was more: “Will & Grace” star Eric McCormack as Valentine, Lily Rabe played Julia, Stephen Root appeared as Antonio and Fredo, and Thomas Sadoski as Proteus and Shelton Donenberg as Michael.
“Simply Shakespeare” is one of Los Angeles’ most anticipated annual fundraising events and featured a hilarious and entertaining evening of impromptu Shakespeare and song.
Since 1985, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles (SCLA) has been a vibrant hub of unique programs, performances and events designed to make Shakespeare accessible and engaging to people of all ages and in all parts of the city. SCLA continues to build community through its innovative outreach programs including “Will Power to Youth,” an academic enrichment program that combines hands-on artistic experience with paid job training and arts education for at-risk youth.
SCLA’s “Veterans in Art” program represents an innovation in veterans’ programming that explores how the arts contribute in a meaningful way to the efforts to assist veterans to recover and reintegrate into mainstream life. This summer’s “Shakespeare Under the Stars” professional production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” incorporated a full veteran workforce supporting the production, and continues to offer free tickets to active military, veterans and their families, and care givers.
The company says “we are reaching out to the community.” Actress Rita Wilson adds, “It’s all part of being connected. It’s all part of keeping this vital piece of history alive.”
Says Martin Short, “We have to learn about the arts to appreciate the arts.”