Darryl Maximilian Robinson Provides Notes As The First Black Stage Actor To Play King Henry II In James Goldman's 'The Lion In Winter'

Chicago-born and stage-trained African-American actor and play director Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( a winner of a 2022 Making The World Happening Award for his numerous online theatre-related offerings at Allevents.in and a 1997 Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citation Outstanding Actor In A Principal Role In A Play Award Winner for his critically-praised performance as Sam Semela in The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival of Athol Fugard's "Master Harold And The Boys" at The Heartland Cafe Studio Theatre in the Rogers Park neighborhood of The Windy City ) reflects on the 32nd anniversary year of his direction and performance as the very first black actor to play King Henry II in a multiracial cast revival of James Goldman's historical comedy-drama "The Lion In Winter" presented by his Non-Equity professional chamber theatre Excaliber Productions, Ltd. in 1992 at the intimate Wabash Triangle Cafe in St. Louis, Missouri and in 1993 at the lively Red Sea Restaurant of University City, Missouri. The run became known to cast, crew and audience members as "A Little Bit of Broadway on Delmar Boulevard."

DARRYL MAXIMILIAN ROBINSON NOTES 32ND ANNIVERSARY OF DIRECTING AND PLAYING KING HENRY II IN A MULTIRACIAL REVIVAL OF JAMES GOLDMAN'S "THE LION IN WINTER"!

It was in late November of 1992 that African-American, Chicago-born and stage-trained Excaliber Founder and Director Darryl Maximilian Robinson opened, mounted ( and for the very first time in St. Louis and regional theater history ) played King Henry II in a culturally-diverse cast revival of James Goldman's historical comedy-drama "The Lion In Winter".

There have been numerous highly-effective and successful stage and screen renderings of James Goldman's most acclaimed stage play "The Lion In Winter" mounted around the U.S. and Europe during the last five decades.

One that might be of interest is Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago Founder and Joseph Jefferson Citation Award-winning Principal Actor Darryl Maximilian Robinson's 1992, non-Equity professional, multiracial cast rendition of the work presented under the banner of Excaliber Productions Ltd. of Chicago at the intimate and lively Wabash Triangle Cafe in St. Louis Missouri and on the quaint stage of The Red Sea Restaurant of University City, Missouri.

Mr. Robinson ( critically-praised for his 1984 St. Louis stage performances as Sir Thomas More in Director John Grassilli's staging of Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" at The University of Missouri-St. Louis' UMSL Benton Hall Theatre and as The Cowardly Lion in The Theatre Project Company's traditional musical version of "The Wizard of Oz" staged by Director Deborah Lynn Wickes at The New City School ) directed and starred as King Henry II opposite a talented and racially-diverse cast that included Anna Altman and Deborah Phillips alternating in the role of Queen Eleanor, Carey Means ( a future popular animated television and film voice-over performer known to millions of animated tv fans as The Voice of Frylock on Adult Swim's 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' ) and Albert Stephens alternating in the role of Prince Richard the Lionheart, Patrick B. Hensler as Prince Geoffrey, Phillip Alexis Watt as Prince John, Louis A. Wells as King Phillip of France, and Anjula Chan ( who also skillfully designed the 12th-century costumes ) as Princess Alais. Talented technician J. L. Watt provided the effective lighting and sound design as well as served as the revival's production stage manager.

Of all of his creative and artistic endeavors during his five years of producing directing and performing plays for audiences under the Excaliber Productions, Ltd banner in The Gateway City, Darryl Maximilian Robinson considers his work ( as an actor and director ) in James Goldman's "The Lion In Winter" a true career highlight!

"Excaliber Production's presentation of James Goldman's The Lion In Winter comes through without a hitch at The Wabash Triangle Café in University City. Though the play ran a bit long the cast did quite well with a few minor exceptions. Darryl Maximilian Robinson's portrayal of King Henry II is a balanced and finely measured combination of greed deceit and compassion...Darryl Maximilian Robinson's staging and direction ( he is the founder and mainstay of this troupe ) work cleanly through an excellent script. I favor the simple set design of black wooden thrones and benches; it allows the actors to do their work without getting in the way. It's an entertaining show overall one I'd recommend seeing." -- Mark Hamilton Intermission Magazine St. Louis Edition Jan. 1993.

Business was very good for the 1992-1993 Excaliber Productions Ltd. run of "The Lion In Winter."

So good, in fact, when it came time for the show to close ( to open the stage for Producer-Director Robinson's musical adaptation of Noel Coward's classic comedy of divorce "Private Lives" which starred gifted African-American actor/singer Carey Means as Elyot Chase and lovely Asian-American actress/singer Anjula Chan as Amanda Prynne ) the decision was made to extend the run of "Lion" ( with Darryl Maximilian Robinson as King Henry II and solely Anna Altman as Queen Eleanor of the Aquitaine ) through March for Sunday afternoon matinees and Sunday night performances only by moving the show down Delmar Boulevard into University City, Mo. and into the intimate and cozy confines of the popular Red Sea Restaurant.

It would mark the one and only occasion during Darryl Maximilian Robinson's five-year residency in St. Louis as a theatre artist that his multiracial chamber theatre would present two, mainstage season shows simultaneously. And, as some of the cast members of "Lion" were playing principals in "Private Lives," talented actor Louis A. Wells expanded his acting range by taking over the role of the middle son, Prince Geoffrey. And a very talented young actor by the name of Daron Jennings stepped into the role of King Phillip of France with ease.

A gifted stage performer, Daron Jennings had first worked with Excaliber when he played the young and heroic Noemon in 1992 Excaliber Productions, Ltd. St. Louis premiere production of noted Chicago playwright Jeffrey Wayne Helgeson's "Ithaca" ( a dramatic tale of King Ulysses based on 'The Odyssey' by Homer ) and a rocked out Puck in Excaliber's 1992 1960s dance rock musical version of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" ( When Sex Was Still Safe! ) both staged at The Midtown Arts Center of St. Louis.

Knowing his professional work ethic, Mr Robinson was not at all surprised that Daron Jennings did fine work as King Philip of France in "Lion," and later that year, he would be a strong Orlando in Excaliber's "The Men of Arden," a video theatre adaptation of Selected Scenes from the Bard's "As You Like It" broadcast throughout the summer of 1993 on the St. Louis Double Helix Cable Access Television Network.

Excaliber Productions, Ltd. Founder and Director Darryl Maximilian Robinson would have the pleasure of working with Daron Jennings on one final occasion when he starred as William Shakespeare in the late Spring of 1994 Excaliber Productions, Ltd. staging of George Bernard Shaw's delightful one-act "The Dark Lady of The Sonnets," which was also presented on the boards at The Red Sea Restaurant of University City.

Currently, Daron Jennings ( a proud 1996 Graduate with a BFA in Performance from Southwest Missouri State University-Springfield ) is a successful west coast film, television and voice-over actor, and the ESC wishes him congratulations and much continued success.

32 years later, Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( The Founder of both The multiracial chamber theatre The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago and The Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project ) is pleased and proud to have worked with this talented cast and crew and is truly grateful to them for their commitment and contributions to the Excaliber Productions, Ltd. Engagement of James Goldman's wonderful stage play "The Lion In Winter."

And, yes...It was good to be The King!

Now celebrating his 50th anniversary as an American Stage Performer, Darryl Maximilian Robinson has become noted as the very first black actor in American Theatre History to portray on stage a trio of classic dramatic roles including: Sir Thomas More in Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" ( in a 1984 revival presented by The University Players of The University of Missouri-St. Louis and directed by AEA Member John Grassilli at The Benton Hall Theater ); King Henry II in a 1992 multiracial cast revival of James Goldman's "The Lion In Winter" ( directed by Mr. Robinson for his chamber theatre Excaliber Productions, Ltd in St. Louis and staged at The Wabash Triangle Cafe ); and Andrew Wyke ( opposite the talented actor Sean Nix as Milo Tindle ) in a 2000, 30th Anniversary, all-black cast revival of Anthony Shaffer's "Sleuth" presented under Mr. Robinson's direction by his chamber theatre The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago at The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre of Oak Park, Illinois. Most recently, Darryl Maximilian Robinson was named a winner of a 2022 Making The World Happening Award from Allevents.in for his numerous online theatre-related offerings during the early years of The Covid-19 pandemic.