Shakespeare Is King at Roxbury Park

The emotional lines of an actor playing King Lear rose into the night air Thursday at . 

People sat on folding chairs or picnic blankets and watched, rapt with attention, as actor Daniel Tamm sobbed his Shakespearean character’s descent into madness. 

"Howl, howl, howl, howl!" Tamm wailed in the final scene.

About 450 people attended the free production of The Tragedy of King Lear, part of a summer theater series by the company Shakespeare By the Sea.

This is the third consecutive year the event, which tours around Los Angeles, has come to Beverly Hills. The audience was made up of a mix of all ages, including families with young kids. 

“It was very professional and very beautiful,” said Los Angeles resident Matthew Ross, who brought his 8-year-old son David to the show.

Development director Suzanne Dean, who also plays Goneril in the play, contacted the Beverly Hills Parks and Recreation Department about hosting the event. Her husband grew up in Beverly Hills and she became enamored with Roxbury Park after attending a there. 

Of the 21 venues on the tour, Beverly Hills had the lowest level of funding as of May 31 of this year. The city was unable to provide funding to underwrite the performance, said producer and creative director Lisa Coffi. 

“However, I really like the venue so I decided to come anyway,” Coffi said. “I’m hoping to find my angel in the audience.”

Shakespeare By the Sea is funded mainly through corporate grants, foundations and individual donations, Coffi said. Each show costs $6,540 to produce and she is well short of meeting this year's budget goal.

Coffi loves forgoing the headache of ticketing and reservations, but fundraising has become increasingly challenging in the economic downturn, she said. 

“It’s a great community event,” Beverly Hills Recreation Supervisor Patty Acuna said. “Hopefully we can continue with these performances.”

Andrew David James, who played the part of Kent, has worked professionally as an actor since 2001. Of all the companies he has toured with, Shakespeare By the Sea has been one of the best, he said.

“Nobody gets rich doing it,” James said. “You have to really love Shakespeare.”

The actors receive a small stipend, but the real reward is the chance to mingle with audience members and perform before large crowds. They also assemble and take down the stage themselves.

Beverly Hills resident Alex Thorpe, who brought along her children, said this was her first time at a Shakespeare play.

And the free tickets?

“That’s a plus,” she said with a laugh.

Thousand Oaks resident Lenny Feigenbaum has seen Shakespeare By the Sea productions in Glendale and Beverly Hills. 

“It’s great,” Feigenbaum said, adding that he plans to give the company a donation. “It’s something the city should support.”

The Summer Shakespeare Series runs until Aug. 13 in open-air venues around Los Angeles. 

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