Veteran and Award-winning Chicago-born and Los Angeles-based Theatre Artist and Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago and Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project Founder, Artistic Director, and Principal Actor Darryl Maximilian Robinson shares information and insights regarding his more than five decades of involvement in The Performing Arts.
Darryl Maximilian Robinson Recalls His 2001 Chicago Black Theatre Alliance / Ira Aldridge Award nomination for Best Direction of A Theatrical Production for Le Roi Jones' ( Imamu Amiri Baraka's ) "The Dutchman" At Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre of Oak Park, Illinois
Get link
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
AN AWARD-WINNING AND NOMINATED PLAY DIRECTOR PROVIDES STAGE NOTES ON A REVIVAL OF A CIVIL RIGHTS ERA DRAMATIC CLASSIC!
One of the great joys of my life and of my nearly five-decade long theatrical career appearing in many places and in many venues with many stages including: St. Louis, Missouri, Syracuse, Indiana, Indianapolis, Indiana,...hell, Clarksville, Indiana, Aspen, Colorado, Vail, Colorado, Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport, Iowa, Louisville, Kentucky, Paget, Bermuda, Chicago, Illinois, Rochester, New York, San Antonio, Texas, East Lansing, Michigan, Portland, Oregon, Osage Beach, Missouri, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Kenosha, Wisconsin, Arrow Rock, Missouri...and Los Angeles, California...was to spend two years of doing plays and presentations of literary arts events...THAT I CARED ABOUT...between November of 1999 and January of 2002 in the donated, intimate, small, storefront confines of The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre of Oak Park, Illinois, which in 2001, was located at 208 West Harrison Street in The Oak Park Arts District.
The very generous donation of this space by owners, Chris and Judy Kleronomos of Ecos Properties, made it possible to showcase multiple, affordable for the playgoer, local, professional live theater in Oak Park's Arts District and possibly arouse more businesses to be attracted and more visitors to come to The Arts District on weekend evenings. And for this highly-appreciated gift to Non-Equity, professional Theatre Artists who perform on, in and around The West Side of Chicago, the generosity of The Kleronomos Family will never be forgotten by ESC's audiences and by the members of The Acting Company.
During The ESC's 2-year run on Oak Park's Harrison Street only one of a group of well-received productions earned A Local Theatre Award Honor.
It was The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival of 1964 Obie Award Winner for Best American Play Le Roi Jones' ( Imamu Amiri Baraka's ) "The Dutchman" for which your humble servant in The Theatre, Darryl Maximilian Robinson, earned a 2001 Chicago Black Theatre Alliance / Ira Aldridge Award nomination for Best Director of A Theatrical Production ( The Lloyd Richards Award ).
ESC WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO OAK PARK'S ECOS PROPERTIES FOR THAT!
22 Years Ago, During The Summer of 2001, With A Quartet of Strong Dramatic Actors, Your Humble Servant In The Theatre, Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago Founder And Director Darryl Maximilian Robinson, Staged A Critically-Praised Revival Of Le Roi Jones' ( Imamu Amiri Baraka's ) "The Dutchman" At The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre of Oak Park And Earned A 2001 Chicago Black Theatre Alliance / Ira Aldridge Award Nomination For Best Direction of A Theatrical Production In The Process!
"In a tiny space with a barebones set and a few props, Excaliber Shakespeare company of Chicago is spinning a powerful tale. At first, seduction seems to be the theme of "The Dutchman" by Le Roi Jones ( also known as Imamu Amiri Baraka ), but it soon becomes apparent what happens on the New York subway in which the play is set is a microcosm of race relations in this country. Four actors rotate roles in this two-character, one-act play. At any given performance, Clay, a somewhat reserved, middle-class black man, might be played by Daniel Morgan Shelley or Derrick Anthony. Lula, a seductive white woman, is played by either Beth Hilton or Marisa Sanders. Mark Macoun handles the nonspeaking role of The Conductor at all performances. Shelley and Sanders proved a powerful combination at a recent performance, under Robinson's fiery direction." -- Myrna Petlicki, The Pioneer Press Oak Leaves, June 7, 2001.
"The Excaliber Shakespeare Company's performance of Le Roi Jones' The Dutchman provides the audience with an hour of insight into madness, passion and death. Marisa Sanders as Lula is convincingly bizarre and Derrick Anthony's seduction as Clay is believable, as is his ensuing rage. Mark Macoun plays the conductor, a sleazy "angel of death" lurking in the shadows, silent but for two words during the performance. The play's set is simple, a New York subway car and platform, but the dialogue is complex, wrought with quick witted commentary and elements of insanity that those familiar with personality disorders will quickly diagnose. Both Sanders and Anthony excel in their roles." -- Eva Zeidner, The Buzz of Oak Park, Illinois, July, 2001.
Without question, one of the most provocative and outspoken African-American voices heard in the 1960s was that of playwright, poet and black nationalist Le Roi Jones ( aka Imamu Amiri Baraka ).
His 1964 play on race relations in America, "The Dutchman," earned him an Obie Award for Best American Play. The powerful work ( with an adapted screenplay by Jones / Baraka ) was presented as a gritty and intense 1967 film starring Al Freeman as Clay and Shirley Knight as Lula.
And, as many of the ideas represented regarding race relations in America then still hold truths for contemporary audiences now, Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago Founder Darryl Maximilian Robinson chose to stage the play in 2001 in the intimate confines of The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre in Oak Park, Il. ( a stone's throw away from Chicago's Urban West Side ).
Mr. Robinson's staging was enhanced by a fine, strong quartet of dramatic actors including: Derrick Anthony and Daniel Morgan Shelley alternating in the role of Clay, and Beth Hilton and Marisa Sanders alternating in the role of Lula. Talented young actor Mark Macoun ( who also served as the production's stage manager ) did fine work as he appeared in the nonspeaking yet symbolic role of The Conductor.
The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago 2001 revival of Jones' / Baraka's The Dutchman earned excellent reviews ( for all cast members ), and for his work in the piece, Darryl Maximilian Robinson received a 2001 Chicago Black Theatre Alliance / Ira Aldridge Award Nomination ( The Lloyd Richards Award ) for Best Direction of A Theatrical Production.
Provided in this article are some Scrapbook Memories of ESC's 2001 Chicago Black Theatre Alliance/ Ira Aldridge Award-nominated, Oak Park, Illinois staging of Le Roi Jones' "The Dutchman" at The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre.
Veteran and award-winning stage actor and play director Darryl Maximilian Robinson, Founder, Artistic Director, Producer and Principal Performer of both the multiracial chamber theatres, The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago and The Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project, provides a new and interesting addition to his series of "street theatre"-style renditions of classic poems and dramatic speeches from great literary masters by presenting an edited version of Duke Prospero's "We Are Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On" Speech from Act IV of William Shakespeare's romantic fantasy "The Tempest" just outside of Gate 11 of the bustling construction site of the highly anticipated new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art at Exposition Park in Los Angeles. The video rendition is greatly assisted by talented and noted fellow actor Danny Belrose, who provides production editing, videography and still photography for Darryl Maxi
Introduction To The Stage Career of Veteran and Award-winning Theatre Artist Darryl Maximilian Robinson Born in Chicago in 1960 and currently celebrating 50 years of involvement in The Performing Arts, Darryl Maximilian Robinson is a veteran and award-winning stage actor, play director, theatre producer and private acting instructor who has appeared onstage or been involved behind-the-scenes in more than 250 theatrical and literary arts productions around the country. He is best known for touring performances as His Most Revered Lordship, Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean, the hero of his original one-man show of Shakespeare and time-travel comedy "A Bit of the Bard" and for his 15 years of work as The Founder, Artistic Director and Producer of the multiracial, non-union professional, classical and contemporary chamber theatre, The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago. Mr. Robinson during the course of his initial training in The Theatre as a teen and early professional
To My Fellow Thespians In The Windy City: On March 25, 2024, The 50th Annual Chicago Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremony Will Be Presented At The Park West Theatre In the Lincoln Park neighborhood of The Windy City. As a pleased and proud 1997 Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citation Award Winner for Outstanding Actor In A Principal Role In A Play for his performance as Sam Semela in the 1997 Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival production of Athol Fugard's powerful anti-apartheid drama "Master Harold And The Boys" presented at the much-missed Heartland Cafe Studio Theatre of Rogers Park, and a happy previous, two-time, Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremony Presenter at the 1998 and 2003 Citation Ceremonies ( in the Actor In A Principal Role Category ) at The Park West Theatre, Your Humble Servant In The Theatre, Darryl Maximilian Robinson, strongly encourages all who work in, perform, support, teach or create Live Theatre in Chicago to attend this celebration.
Comments
Post a Comment