As people started trickling into the Players Theatre at CSULB, they sat in seats that were marked with notes. These notes had a character’s name from a designated play that participants would role-play as. After everyone took his or her seat, the reading began.
For the past year selected works of Shakespeare have come to life at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in at Cal State Long Beach, the first season of the “Shakespeare Aloud” series ended on Saturday.
“Shakespeare Aloud” is a free event in which people can come in listen and participate in readings of Shakespeare. The event is provided by “Arts for Life” program that the Carpenter Performing Arts Center.
According to carpernterarts.org, Arts for Life is a “comprehensive education program to provide interactive, wide-ranging, hands-on arts activities for all ages.”
“Shakespeare Aloud”, being one of the many events that are offered, has been taken place once a month on select Saturdays since October of last year according to the website.
The event expects to host a total of 37 Shakespeare plays throughout the course of several season and provides an interactive experience for attendees.
Last Saturday’s reading of “The Taming of the Shrew” brought a crowd of enthusiastic attendees including Flora Loeb.
Loeb is a Long Beach resident and a CSULB alumnus who graduated in 1981. Saturday was one of the few times that she decided to attend this event.
“I came to this one because I like this play,” Loeb said. “I like watching it.”
Loeb may enjoy watching it, but her husband, Jerry Loeb, enjoys reading it.
“I’m delighted to be able to [read],” Jerry Loeb said.
Jerry Loeb also said that he has been to every “Shakespeare Aloud” event, and has read every time he has attended. He also said besides reading plays regularly for “Shakespeare Aloud,” he has done some professional acting at places such as the Long Beach Playhouse.
Other committed attendees include Karen McDonough, who said she only missed two of the Shakespeare Aloud events, but still enjoys reading with others.
“It’s just wonderful for the community people to get together,” McDonough said. “If you love the language [of the plays], you can come and read. There’s no criticism or directing”
McDonough also said that she did some acting as well in musical comedies but is now retired. In regards to the “Shakespeare Aloud” event, she said she is looking forward more of these events in the future.
Although this season is over, the second season is expected to kickoff sometime in September, according to a representative at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center.