Darryl Maximilian Robinson

Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( born in Chicago, Illinois on November 25, 1960 ) is a veteran and award-winning American stage actor, play director, theatre producer and private drama instructor who is best known for touring engagements of his critically-praised, original one-man show of Shakespeare and time-travel comedy A Bit of the Bard ( which debuted in 1987 with his centuries-leaping comedic character creation Sir Richard Drury Kemp-Kean ) and for his 15 years of work as The Founder, Artistic Director and Producer of the multiracial, non-Equity professional chamber theatre The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago ( which was active 1987-2001 ). He has performed in more than 250 live stage productions and literary arts presentations around the country during his 50-year involvement in The Performing Arts and has also appeared numerous times on local television and radio programs including regionally on PBS and National Public Radio. 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. Also of interest is the fact that for a time, in 1983, for the highly-regarded Urban Gateways Arts Organization, Darryl Maximilian Robinson toured to numerous Chicago public and private schools around the Greater Chicagoland area portraying the famed Caribbean island-born, African-American, French and English speaking Frontiersman and Founder of The City of Chicago Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable in playwright Alice Rubio's highly-effective, one-act historical drama "Chicago: A Tale of One City."

Darryl Maximilian Robinson is the winner of multiple local and regional theatre honors including: a 1981 Fort Wayne News-Sentinel Reviewer's Recognition Award as Outstanding Thespian of the Season for his performances in professional summer stock ( including most notably as Fagin in Lionel Bart's Oliver! ) at The Enchanted Hills Playhouse of Syracuse, Indiana; a 1992 Certificate of Honorary Membership Award from The Harpooners of The Sea Unicorn ( The Sherlock Holmes Society of The Greater Western Illinois / St. Louis / St. Charles, Missouri Area ) for his performance of the title role in The 1992 Excaliber Productions' Ltd. staging of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes: The Final Problem! at The Midtown Arts Center of St. Louis; both a 1997 Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citation Award as Outstanding Actor In A Principal Role In A Play and a 1997 Chicago Black Theatre Alliance Award Nomination as Best Leading Actor In A Play for his performance as Sam Semela in The 1997 Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citation Award-nominated best production of Athol Fugard's Master Harold And The Boys ( directed by Mr. Robinson ) at The Heartland Cafe Studio Theatre in The Windy City; a 1998 WKKC Radio Chicago Critic's Corner Fine Arts Award as Outstanding Director Of A Play for his staging of the ESC's 1997 revival of Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot ( in which he appeared as Vladimir ) at The Heartland; a 1999 Chicago Black Theatre Alliance / Ira Aldridge Award Nomination for Best Direction Of An Ensemble for his staging of the ESC's 1999 revival of Athol Fugard's The Blood Knot ( in which he played Zachariah ) at The Heartland; a 2001 Chicago Black Theatre Alliance / Ira Aldridge Award Nomination for Best Direction Of A Theatrical Production for his staging of the ESC's revival of LeRoi Jones' ( Immamu Amiri Baraka's ) The Dutchman at The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre in Oak Park, Il.; a 2013 Los Angeles Marcom Masque Theatre Award Nomination as Best Actor In A Major Supporting Role for his performance as the historic black educator and orator Booker T. Washington in Director Susan Goldman Weisbarth's 2013 Kentwood Players' revival of the Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime at The Westchester Playhouse of Los Angeles; a 2014 Los Angeles Marcom Masque Theatre Award Nomination as Best Actor In A Major Supporting Role for his performance as 1940s radio actor Harry "Jazzbo" Heywood ( a multi-talented on-the-air comedic entertainer who assumes many voices including that of Clarence Oddbody, AS2 ) in the 2013 Kentwood Players' staging of Joe Landry's It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at The Westchester Playhouse; and a 2015 / 2016 Los Angeles ELATE Season Ticket Holder Award Nomination as Best Actor for his performance as the debonair, but aging leading man Ernest in Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tad Mosel's classic, allegorical one-act of Life In The Theatre Impromptu as part of the 2016 Emmanuel Lutheran Actors' Theatre Ensemble - ELATE presentation of an evening of one-acts entitled Just 4 Fun at The Lincoln Stegman Theatre of North Hollywood, CA., among others.

A classically-trained African-American theatre performer ( he made his Shakespearean debut as Don John in Director Phillip F. Nardulli's 1980 revival staging of the bard's Much Ado About Nothing at The West Wind Theatre of River Forest, IL., created the role of the drunken butler Stephano in the Windy City premiere of Director-Adapter-Composer-Lyricist Doug Post's 1981 Jeff Recommended Illustrated Theatre Productions rock-musical version of Shakespeare'sThe Tempest at The Leo A. Lerner Theatre in Chicago, then played Puck and Philostrate in A Midsummer's Night's Dream, Oswald and The King of France in King Lear, and Touchstone in As You Like It during the 1982 20th Anniversary National Shakespeare Company Tour of New York, later performed the title role in Director Dr. James Barushok's 1984 Stageplayers of Northeastern Illinois University of Chicago revival of the bard's Othello and during the summer of 1987 starred for 10 weeks as the villainous Professor Moriarty in Producer-Director-Adapter John Auble's musical version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes on board The Historic Goldenrod Showboat docked at Laclede's Landing in St. Louis ), Mr. Robinson has spent a career playing stage roles of note few black stage performers have had the chance or opportunity to play. Of particular interest are his critically-praised portrayals of Sir Thomas More ( with Mr. Robinson becoming the first documented professional African-American stage actor to play this acclaimed role ) in Director John Grassilli's 1984 University Players' revival production of Robert Bolt's A Man For All Seasons at Benton Hall Theatre of The University of Missouri-St. Louis ( UMSL ); The Cowardly Lion in Director Deborah Lynn Wykes' 1984 MUNY / Student Theatre Project Company revival production of the traditional stage musical The Wizard of Oz at The New City School in The Gateway City; Master Ford in the 1985 Indianapolis Shakespeare Festival revival staging of William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor at The Garfield Park Amphitheatre; King Henry II in Director Robinson's 1992 Excaliber Productions, Ltd. multiracial cast revival of James Goldman's The Lion In Winter at The Wabash Triangle Café in St. Louis; James Tyrone, Sr. in both Director Robinson's 1993 Excaliber Productions, Ltd. in St. Louis staging and 1997 Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival of Eugene O'Neill's epic family drama Long Day's Journey Into Night - the latter of which brought to New Orleans native, now Los Angeles-based performer Ian Vogt a 1998 Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citation Award as Outstanding Actor In A Supporting Role In A Play for his wonderful performance as the younger son Edmund Tyrone; mystery writer Andrew Wyke ( opposite the fine and talented actor Sean Nix as Milo Tindle ) in Director Robinson's 2000 Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival staging of Anthony Shaffer's classic thriller Sleuth ( the first documented production starring an all-African-American cast ) at The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre in Oak Park, IL.; the role of the old Shakespearean actor Henry Albertson in the 2010 Hollywood Fringe Festival 50th anniversary revival production of Tom Jones' and Harvey Schmidt's The Fantasticks presented by The Tribe Productions at The Complex Theatre in LA; the prosecuting District Attorney Flint in The 2017 Emmanuel Lutheran Actors' Theatre Ensemble - ELATE revival of Ayn Rand's Night of January 16th at The Lincoln Stegman Theatre; and, most recently, the marvelous dual roles of The Chairman Mr. William Cartwright and The Honorable Mayor Thomas Sapsea of Cloisterham in Director Robert-Eric West's 2018 Saint Sebastian Players of Chicago revival staging of Rupert Holmes' Tony Award-winning Best Musical Whodunit The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the lovely, 100-year-old-plus St. Bonaventure Church ( for which Darryl Maximilian Robinson received a 2019 BroadwayWorld Chicago Award nomination for Best Performer In A Musical or Revue - Resident Non-Equity ).

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Noted as an adapter and director of his own unique interpretations of A Child's Christmas In Wales and More Tales by Dylan Thomas and The Raven and Six Other Points of Interest by Edgar Allan Poe ( both initially performed with him appearing in the role of The Narrator as dramatic staged readings in 1990 at the wonderful Rudyard Kipling Pub of Louisville, KY. along with his 1991 fully-mounted, large cast staging of Sounds and Scenes by Shakespeare ), Mr. Robinson is also an emerging screenwriter and has copyrighted three unsold, unpublished and original works. A variety of internet articles regarding Mr. Robinson's work in The Theatre can be referenced at abouttheartists.com, flickr.com, Youtube.com ( including clips from his performances as Major-General Stanley in the 2014 San Pedro Theatre Club 135th Anniversary Revival production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance; The Butler John Lawless in the 2011 Glendale Center Theatre 55th Anniversary Revival production of Kyle Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire; a special Sunset Boulevard "street theatre" rendition of Rudyard Kipling's If ; a memorable half-hour interview discussing his more than four decades of work onstage in The Theatre during the second half of the September 19, 2016 RMCONAIR internet arts program The Actor's Choice Episode 2.37 hosted by veteran entertainment reporter and journalist Ron Brewington - a program he recently returned to as a Guest Actor for the December 30, 2019 Episode 5.52 Edition; a fan's copy of his 24-second, comedic cameo, national television debut as Drake in Loiter Squad Episode 1.7, a tongue-in-cheek visit to one of his favorite places, Darryl Maximilian Robinson In His Awards Room, Take Two!, Darryl Maximilian Robinson as The Chairman Mr. William Cartwright & Cast Go Off To The Races! and, most recently while returning to his classical theatre traiining, two different video renditions as The King delivering the immortal bard's "Saint Crispin's Day" Speech from Henry V, one upon the steps to the entrance of The Historic Lincoln Heights Jail, and a second recorded at an indoor, undisclosed location in LA's Lincoln Heights neighborhood as part of his current artistic endeavor The Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project ), theatreblogofdarrylmaximilianrobinson.com, backstage.com, broadwayworld.com and numerous articles at Theatre Wikia of FANDOM.

During a special preview performance on Wednesday Evening March 11, 2020 Darryl Maximilian Robinson made his debut with The Ark Theatre Company of North Hollywood, Ca. in the role of The Announcer in The Dick Tracy Radio Show as part of that group's Old Tyme Radio Hour. On March 23, 2020, Darryl Maximilian Robinson presented and recorded a new "street theatre" rendition of Jaques' "Seven Ages of Man" Speech from William Shakespeare's As You Like It in two takes ( the first vertical, the second horizontal ) both of which include an introduction acknowledging the COVID-19 Pandemic crisis that has resulted in the closing of all the major theatres across the United States. Mr Robinson's rendition of "The Seven Ages of Man " Speech can currently be viewed on You Tube along with his recently released May 17, 2020 "street theatre" video version of the "O Reason Not The Need" Speech while playing the title role in Act Two of William Shakespeare's King Lear upon the steps of The Historic Lincoln Heights Public Library of Los Angeles . On Monday May 3, 2021 at 11:00 AM ( PST ), and at 1:00 PM ( CST ), following talented and experienced fellow guests Film Director, Editor and Actor Dave Edison ( who has worked on television and screen projects from sci-fi series to Christmas specials ) and Actress and Dancer Trish McCall ( who has worked around the country in the theatre and on television with such legends as theatre Director / Producer Woodie King and the late, great Jerry Orbach of 'Law And Order' in New York ), Darryl Maximilian Robinson joined veteran entertainment journalist and host Ron Brewington to discuss public theatre performance, politics, systemic racism, The Covid-19 Pandemic and The Oscars during his third appearance on The Actor's Choice.

On June 7, 2021, exactly one month after making his third appearance on The Actor's Choice, veteran and award-winning stage actor and play director Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( The Founder, Artistic Director and Producer of The Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project ) recorded and released a new "Street Theatre" video rendition of Edgar Allan Poe's classic romantic poem "Annabel Lee" which was shot on the ocean at the famed Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. On Wednesday November 24, 2021, veteran and award-winning stage actor and play director Darryl Maximilian Robinson added a new "street theatre" rendition of a classic literary work as part of the collection of his Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project. Featuring editing and videography by his longtime friend and fellow actor Danny Belrose, Darryl Maximilian Robinson gives a rendition of popular 19th-Century American literary master Edgar Allan Poe's 'El Dorado' before a statue of well-loved 20th-Century Chinese-American screen legend and undisputed martial arts master Bruce Lee in The Chinatown District of Los Angeles. Also featured in this article are pix of Darryl Maximilian Robinson as Mayor George Shinn in the 2022 revival production of Meredith Willson's 'The Music Man' presented at The Fremont Centre Theatre in South Pasadena CA. These fine photos were taken by talented Photographer and Video Editor Eric Michael Hernandez. The wonderful costume design is by Tamarah Ashton. Darryl Maximilian Robinson made his fourth appearance on 'The Actor's Choice', Episode 8.16 on April 18th of 2022 to honor the memory and contributions of the late, great stage and screen legend Sir Sidney Poitier. Darryl Maximilian Robinson's entire visit to the UBNGO Burbank Studio in Hollywood to salute Sir Sidney Poitier on-the-air with Ron Brewington was photographed and videotaped by longtime Excaliber Shakespeare Company Member JL Watt.

On May 9, 2022 Darryl Maximilian Robinson was named a winner of a 'Making The World Happening' Award for his numerous online theatre-related offerings ( during the past two years of the catastrophic Covid-19 pandemic ) at Allevents.in. And greatly assisted by ESC Member and fellow actor Danny Belrose ( serving in his frequent technical capacity of Photographer, Videographer and Editor ), on July 19, 2022, Darryl Maximilian Robinson performed and recorded a new video rendition of Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Conqueror Worm' onstage at the popular Levitt Pavilion of MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, completing a trio of works by the American literary master shot at notable outdoor locations in The Greater LA region. A life-long, working-class actor who has never been afraid to maintain a "Day Gig" in-between legitimate acting assignments ( he has proudly served as an Usher, a Tour Guide, a Security Officer, and even a "Scareactor" who was one of several to appear in the title role of the featured Maze Event The Wolfman: The Curse of Talbot Hall at the Universal Studios Hollywood Historic House of Horrors during the 2011 USH Halloween Horror Nights ), Darryl Maximilian Robinson does currently reside in The Greater Los Angeles Area where he continues to pursue multiple opportunities to practice his craft in The Performing Arts.

Darryl Maximilian Robinson

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