Photo Flash: Go Inside Opening Night of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's KING LEAR With André De Shields & More
André De Shields heads an all-BIPOC company featuring some of the finest actors out of New York, Chicago and St. Louis.
By: Robert Diamond Jun. 07, 2021
The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's production of William Shakespeare's King Lear, directed by Carl Cofield, opened in Forest Park on June 4 in St. Louis, MO. In the title role is Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award winner André De Shields (Hadestown, The Wiz, Ain't Misbehavin', Play On!, The Full Monty).
Check out photos below!
King Lear is the first major live theatrical event in the country since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Producing Artistic Director Tom Ridgely kicked off the evening's festivities by acknowledging the year we have all lived through and welcomed the audience back on this perfect summer night for the theater's return to live outdoor performance.
He was joined onstage by special guests, Democratic Rep. Cori Bush and St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. Mayor Jones presented Ridgely with a Proclamation naming June 4, 2021 as King Lear/André De Shields Day in the City of St. Louis. Mayor Jones was delighted to be attending the opening night performance of King Lear as she is a big fan of André De Shields, and has enjoyed numerous summer nights at Shakespeare in the Park in previous seasons.
Performances of King Lear, part of The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's 21st summer of free Shakespeare in Forest Park, began June 2 and will continue through June 27, Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00 p.m. to strictly limited capacity crowds.
André De Shields heads an all-BIPOC company featuring some of the finest actors out of New York, Chicago and St. Louis. He is joined by Brian Anthony Wilson ("The Wire," "The Sopranos") as Gloucester, acclaimed Chicago and Shakespearean actor Allen Gilmore as the Fool and St. Louis legend J. Samuel Davis as Kent. The three daughters are played by Nicole King (Cordelia) and Festival favorites Rayme Cornell (Goneril) and Jacqueline Thompson (Regan). Daniel José Molina (Oregon Shakespeare Festival) and Leland Fowler (TFANA) play Gloucester's sons Edgar and Edmund, respectively. The company also includes Jason J. Little (Albany), Carl Overly, Jr. (Cornwall) and Michael Tran (Oswald), as well as an ensemble of actors from The Black Rep's Professional Internship Program: Kentrell Jamison, Theorri London, Brian McKinley, Tyler White and Christina Yancy.
King Lear is considered by many to be Shakespeare's greatest - and most modern - masterpiece. A richly imaginative story of love, loyalty and unfathomable loss, it depicts a family and a nation torn apart and turned against itself by disastrous leadership. After the aging king's plan to divide his kingdom equally among his daughters goes horribly awry, he's cast out into the most famous storm in all of drama. By turns shocking and profound, Lear paints an unforgettable picture of human endurance pushed to the absolute limit by nature, violence and its own vanity.
The creative team for King Lear includes first-time Festival designers Wilson Chin (Scenic Design), Mika Eubanks (Costume Design) and David R. Molina (Music and Sound Design). John Wylie (Lighting Design) returns for his fourteenth season.
Performances in Shakespeare Glen are free and open to the public but for the first time will be limited in size to ensure the safety of staff, artists and audience. Shakespeare Glen and Box Office open at 6:30 p.m. Click here to plan your visit and reserve a pod. Visit www.stlshakes.org for up-to-date information on reserving pods and more.
The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's 2021 season is funded in part by the Missouri Foundation for Health, Bayer Fund, Regional Arts Commission, Arts Midwest, The Trio Foundation of St. Louis, the Missouri Arts Council and The Gertrude and William A. Bernoudy Foundation.
Photo credit: Lia Chang and STL From Above
Opening night of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's KING LEAR in Forest Park, June 4, 2021. Photo by STL From Above
Opening night of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's KING LEAR in Forest Park
Producing Artistic Director Tom Ridgely at the opening night performance of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's production of KING LEAR in Forest Park on June 4, 2021.
Democratic Rep. Cori Bush and St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones at the opening night performance of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's production of KING LEAR in Forest Park on June 4, 2021.
Democratic Rep. Cori Bush, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and Tom Ridgely at the opening night performance of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's production of KING LEAR in Forest Park on June 4, 2021
Andre De Shields holds St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones' Proclamation naming June 4, 2021 as King Lear/Andre De Shields Day in the City of St. Louis.
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones' Proclamation naming June 4, 2021 as King Lear/Andre De Shields Day in the City of St. Louis
Rayme Cornell, Andre De Shields and The Company of KING LEAR.
Tyler White, Andre De Shields, Christina Yancy, Kentrell Jamison, and J. Samuel Davis
Tyler White, Andre De Shields, Christina Yancy, Atum Jones, Kentrell Jamison, Leland Fowler and J. Samuel Davis
Rayme Cornell, Jason J. Little, Andre De Shields, Allen Gilmore and J. Samuel Davis
Michael Tran and Andre De Shields
Brian Anthony Wilson and Andre De Shields
Andre De Shields, Allen Gilmore and Company
J. Samuel Davis and Andre De Shields
J. Samuel Davis, Allen Gilmore and Andre De Shields
Allen Gilmore and Andre De Shields
Andre De Shields and Daniel Jose Molina
Andre De Shields
Andre De Shields and Daniel Jose Molina
Andre De Shields
Brian Anthony Williams and Andre De Shields
KING LEAR curtain call- MIchael Tran, Brian Anthony Wilson, Leland Fowler, Daniel Jose Molina, Nicole King, Andre De Shields, J. Samuel Davis, Allen Gilmore, Jason J. Little, Rayme Cornell, Jacqueline Thompson, Carl Overly, Jr.
KING LEAR curtain call with Andre De Shields, J. Samuel Davis, Allen Gilmore, Jason J. Little, Rayme Cornell
Andre De Shields
Andre De Shields (seated in cream top) and the Company of KING LEAR.
Andre De Shields (seated in cream top) and the Company of KING LEAR.
Andre De Shields, Director Carl Cofield and Allen Gilmore
Seated: Emilee Buchheit, David R. Molina, Andre De Shields, Carl Cofield, Allen Gilmore, Sam Hayes. Standing: Mika Eubanks, Wilson Chin
Carl Cofield, Andre De Shields, Lia Chang, Allen Gilmore. Photo by David R. Molina
Andre De Shields
Andre De Shields
KING LEAR Director Carl Cofield, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Producing Artistic Direct Tom Ridgely and his wife, Jennifer Thompson.
KING LEAR Director Carl Cofield, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Producing Artistic Director Tom Ridgely, and Andre De Shields
Tom Ridgely and Andre De Shields
Brian Anthony Wilson, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival General Manager Susan Rowe Jennings, and Andre De Shields
King Lear and His Daughters - Nicole King, Rayme Cornell, Andre De Shields and Jaqueline Thompson
Nicole King and Andre De Shields
KING LEAR Director Carl Cofield and Andre De Shields
KING LEAR Director Carl Cofield and Andre De Shields
Allen Gilmore and André De Shields. 
Christina Yancy, Brian McKinley, Kentrell Jamison, Carl Cofield, André De Shields, Allen Gilmore, Tyler White, Theorri London and Atum Jones. 
Kentrell Jamison, Tyler White, Theorri London, Director Carl Cofield, Christina Yancy, Brian McKinley.
Allen Gilmore, André De Shields and Brian McKinley. 
André De Shields and Lia Chang
Atum Jones, Daniel Jose Molina, Michael Tran, Brian Anthony Wilson, Allen Gilmore, Brad Sievers. 
Atum Jones, Michael Tran and André De Shields. 
Brian Anthony Wilson, André De Shields and Allen Gilmore. 
Britteny Henry, Brian Anthony Wilson, Allen Gilmore. 
Carl Overly, Jr. and André De Shields. 
Daniel José Molina, André De Shields and Leland Fowler. 
Daniel José Molina and André De Shields. 
Leland Fowler, Daniel José Molina, Michael Tran, Nicole King. 
Lou Ritter, Peter Michalski, Megan Plunkett, Andre De Shields, Rebecca Jaffe, Emily Smith and Abbie Szewczyk. 
Shavante Brogley, Lou Ritter. 
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Marketing and Communications Manager Allie Magee, André De Shields and Associate Producer Colin O'Brien.
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's KING LEAR illustrated guide.
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's KING LEAR poster. 
KING LEAR money. 
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's KING LEAR in Forest Park.
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