With William Shakespeare theoretically turning 450 this week, the Long Beach Shakespeare Company is girding its loins for celebration. Declaring April as “Shakespeare Month” in Long Beach, the LBSC put together a series of shows to mark the immortal bard’s birthday. This Sunday is the grand finale and features speaker Louis Fantasia, who will discuss a chapter from his book of essays Tragedy in the Age of Oprah. Titled “King Lear or Survivor,” Louis, a onetime NPR theatre critic, examines the reasons why one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays continues to be relatable today, even without fancy upgrades or re-imagining. Lend Fantasia your ear and perhaps you’ll learn something—as Shakespeare once wrote, “ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.”
Sun., April 27, 2 p.m., 2014
