About this episode
Synopsis. As a large crowd of invited guests gather in the ballroom of King Lear’s home in San Francisco’s Fillmore District to hear his much-anticipated announcement regarding his plans for the future of his kingdom, the Earl of Gloucester gossips with Lear’s trusted advisor, Kent, about the King’s shaky health, which is evident in his plans to split the kingdom among his daughters and their husbands, including his unwed daughter, Cordelia, who will choose to marry either the Duke of Burgundy or the King of France this very evening. Gloucester introduces Kent to his illegitimate son, Edmund, who he describes as well-spoken, but not made of the same stuff as his legitimate son, Edgar. Their conversation is interrupted when the King enters with Cordelia and his two eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, each accompanied by their husbands, Albany and Cornwall. In lavish fashion, Lear announces his plans to divide his kingdom equally among his three daughters, provided they try to out-do each other in a contest to say which of them loves him the most. Goneril and Regan oblige him with lofty pronouncements of devotion, for which they are rewarded with vast lands and resources. Cordelia, on the other hand, declines to participate in the contest, saying nothing but that she loves her father as a daughter should, no more nor less. In return, Lear disowns Cordelia and splits the kingdom between his two eldest daughters and their husbands. Kent tries to defend Cordelia and is exiled from the kingdom. The Duke of Burgundy abandons his suit of the now disinherited Cordelia. The King of France, however, sees Cordelia for who she is and asks for her hand in marriage, which Lear accepts, vowing never to see his daughter again. Cordelia says goodbye to her sisters and leaves with the King of France. Goneril and Regan linger afterward to marvel at their fortune, and talk privately about their need to ally themselves against their father if he tries to cling to power. The Play On Podcast series KING LEAR , was translated into modern English verse by MARCUS GARDLEY and directed by ERIC TING. The Play On Podcast Series King Lear is produced by NEXT CHAPTER PODCASTS and is made possible by the generous support of THE HITZ FOUNDATION. Visit N C PODCASTS DOT COM for more about the Play On Podcast Series. Visit PLAY ON SHAKESPEARE DOT ORG for more about Play On Shakespeare. New episodes go live every Friday. Please subscribe, rate & review on your app of choice. Visit ncpodcasts.com/playonpodcast for bonus content including interviews, images and bios of the full cast & creative team. Visit playonshakespeare.org for more about Play On Shakespeare. The Cast is as follows: KEITH DAVID as King Lear GINA DANIELS as Goneril AMY KIM WASCHKE as Regan FRANCESCA FERNANDEZ McKENZIE as Cordelia CHRISTIANA CLARK as the Earl of Kent ALDO BILLINGSLEA as The Fool BERNARD WHITE as the Earl of Gloucester TRAMELL TILLMAN as Edmund DANIEL JOSE MOLINA as Edgar and the Duke of Burgundy LANCE GARDNER as Oswald and The King of France J.D. MOLLISON as the Duke of Albany and the Doctor REX YOUNG as the Duke of Cornwall Casting by THE TELSEY OFFICE: KARYN CASL, CSA, and ADA KARAMANYAN Voice and Text Coach: REBECCA CLARK CAREY Episode scripts were adapted and produced by CATHERINE EATON Original Music, Sound Design, and Sound Mix by LINDSAY JONES Sound engineering by SADAHARU YAGI Additional Engineering by DANIEL BEN-SHIMON Mix Engineer and Dialogue Editor: LARRY WALSH Podcast Mastering by GREG CORTEZ at New Monkey Studio Line Producer: JORDAN MOORE Managing Producer: ROBERT CAPPADONA Senior Producer: MIRIAM LAUBE Executive Producer: MICHAEL GOODFRIEND The Senior Manager of Business Operations and Partnerships at Next Chapter Podcasts is SALLYCADE HOLMES. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices