For This Famous Shrew, a Shrewd Choice of Venue

The Scene: A Valentine’s Day reading of “The Taming of the Shrew” with multitudinous well-known actors, staged in the men’s suit department at Giorgio Armani on Rodeo Drive--which actually doesn’t make a bad theatrical venue. The Sunday evening fund-raiser for the Shakespeare Festival/LA free summer Shakespeare programs was dedicated to the memory of the late Ethel Narvid, the festival’s founding chair.

The Site Connection: The Shakespeare folks said si to the Armani concept because “The Taming of the Shrew” takes place in Italy.

The Love Connection: Many people were saying that Valentine’s Day touches a deeper chord in the ‘90s, partly because of a return to traditionalism and commitment. “We kind of skipped that during the ‘80s,” said Alma Fitch, chairman of Shakespeare/LA’s board.

Who Was There: Among the actors participating in the reading were Jobeth Williams (Katharina), Kelsey Grammer (Petruchio), Angela Bassett, Charles Durning, Michael Jeter, Tim Matheson and Paul Winfield. Guests included Mayor Tom Bradley, Frank Sherwood, Les and Sandy Gold, Terry and Dennis Stanfill, Pamela Robinson and Fred Specktor, Gil Friesen, Larry Spungin, Jim Watterson, Shakespeare/LA artistic director Ben Donenberg and Armani’s Doug McCullough, Wanda McDaniel and Al Ruddy.

Overheard: “Valentine’s Day is about desperation--people feel like such failures at love they need an excuse to reach out for someone.”

Quoted: “I don’t wear anything but Giorgio Armani. I even named my son Armani,” said Jimmy Morris, a Shakespeare/LA board member and real estate developer.

Chow: Risotto, penne, gnocchi, Malibu greens and biscotti, all courtesy of Patina. What, you were expecting Yorkshire pudding?

Dress Code: Street clothes for the stars; tuxedos and their equivalents for the audience.