Sir Paul McCartney Performs at the SCLA’s Simply Shakespeare Benefit

Paul McCartney, Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks

The bard never sounded better when a Beatle sang one his works.

That was the case when Sir Paul McCartney took on William Shakespeare at the 23rd annual Simply Shakespeare benefit in Santa Monica.

Paul McCartney, Jason Alexander

Sir Paul led an all-star cast including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Val Kilmer in a reading of the iconic playwright’s “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” at the Broad Stage.

In addition to the lively reading, McCartney performed some of his classic hits, including “Let It Be”, “Yesterday”, “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”, “Good Day Sunshine” and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.

Eric McCormack, Lisa Paulsen

After the performance, fellow cast members such as Jason Alexander, Martin Short, Ben Donenberg and Joel Silver enjoyed a gala in celebration of the evening.

All proceeds from the event support the SCLA and its arts based veterans employment and youth employment programs for inner-city youth, arts education in local schools, and professional union contracted productions at the Japanese Garden on the grounds of the West Los Angeles Veterans Medical Center.

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