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SAN DIEGO (February 21, 2019)—The Old Globe regards William Shakespeare as our premiere resident playwright, whose universal themes continue to resonate more than 400 years after his plays were written. For many San Diegans, their ability to understand and appreciate the wonders of the Bard during our Summer Shakespeare Festival has increased exponentially since they joined us for Thinking Shakespeare Live! Part of The Old Globe’s ongoing commitment to serve the public good by hosting programs that make theatre matter to more people, Thinking Shakespeare Live! is consistently one of our most popular offerings, a 90-minute exploration of the language of Shakespeare led by the Globe’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and assisted by three professional classical actors.
Thinking Shakespeare Live! will take place on Saturday, April 6 and Saturday, June 8, both at 11:00 a.m., on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Tickets go on sale to subscribers and donors this Friday, February 22 and to the general public on Friday, March 8, both at 12:00 noon. Tickets are $10.00 – $25.00 and can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.
This special program, based on Edelstein’s book Thinking Shakespeare: A How-To Guide for Student Actors, Directors, and Anyone Else Who Wants to Feel More Comfortable with the Bard, reveals a performer’s approach to Shakespearean language so audiences may easily understand the poetry of the Bard. An ideal introduction to Shakespeare for families and young audiences as well as an exciting new look at the playwright for Bardophiles, Edelstein has performed this across the country, including at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC. The book was re-released last summer in a revised edition by Theatre Communications Group. There will be volumes available for purchase, and Mr. Edelstein will sign copies following the event.
In preparation for The Old Globe’s 2019 Shakespeare Festival (which will include the romantic comedy As You Like It, directed by Jessica Stone, and the love-filled tragedy Romeo and Juliet, directed by Edelstein)—or just to get more enjoyment from his work—Thinking Shakespeare Live! is a fast-paced, funny, and altogether fascinating guide to the language of the Bard. In this lively 90-minute program, Edelstein, called by NPR “one of the country’s leading Shakespeareans,” provides audiences a unique opportunity to learn the methods he imparts to professional actors in the rehearsal room. As Edelstein and three skilled actors demonstrate these techniques live on stage, this entertaining behind-the-scenes look at the creative process offers a primer on the tools used to hear and understand Shakespeare. With humor and insight, it brings audiences into the intoxicating world of the Bard and shows how his masterful poetry can come to life for everyone.
“One of our country’s great Shakespeare theatres, the Globe celebrates the Bard on our Balboa Park stages and also, with our Globe for All Tours and arts engagement programs, in the community,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “We love to help our audiences learn more about this brilliant writer. This live program based on my book Thinking Shakespeare has proven enormously popular with a range of theatregoers, from those who love Shakespeare and have seen his plays many times, to those who are at the beginning of their relationship with him. Thinking Shakespeare Live! opens the door to the rehearsal room and shows how those of us lucky enough to work on Shakespeare for a living go about this work. This fast-paced program is fun for me to do, and I relish the opportunity to share my passion for Shakespeare with all of San Diego.”
For the full press release on Thinking Shakespeare Live!, click here! For the Thinking Shakespeare Live! 2019 press page, click here!
Photo: Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein leads Thinking Shakespeare Live! (2013). Photo by Doug Gates.
SAN DIEGO (February 13; updated February 20, 2019)—The Old Globe announced the cast and creative team for the American premiere of Life After, a rapturously beautiful and stirring new musical withbook, music, and lyrics by Britta Johnson. The Globe’s own Barry Edelstein directs, with choreography by Ann Yee and music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Lynne Shankel. Life After will run March 22 – April 28, 2019 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run March 22–28. Opening night is Friday, March 29 at 8:00 p.m. Life After is produced by special arrangement with Yonge Street Theatricals, Linda Barnett, and Natalie Bartello. Single tickets start at $32.00 and are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.
Grieving the recent loss of her famous father, 16-year-old Alice begins to question the events surrounding his death and sets out to uncover what really happened on the night that changed her family forever. Britta Johnson’s Life After is a bittersweet, witty, and life-affirming new musical that explores the mess and beauty of loss and love. Through the vivid imagination of a young woman looking for the facts, we find a more complicated truth instead. The Old Globe’s Barry Edelstein directs the American premiere of this rapturously beautiful and stirring new musical from a composer the Toronto Star calls “a startlingly talented emerging voice.” BroadwayWorld dubs Life After “musical theatre perfection…exquisite from start to finish.” Johnson and Life After received a total of six coveted Dora Mavor Moore Awards for the Toronto world premiere in September of 2017, including Outstanding New Musical and Outstanding Production in the 2017–2018 season.
The cast includes Bradley Dean (Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen, A Little Night Music, The Last Ship) as Frank Carter, Sophie Hearn (Nickel Mines, Facebook Me, Richard II) as Alice Carter, Charlotte Maltby (Starting Here, Starting Now; Have You Met Miss Jones) as Kate Carter, Livvy Marcus (Hair, Lizzie, The Theory of Relativity) as Hannah, Mamie Parris (Broadway’s Cats, School of Rock – The Musical, Wicked) as Beth Carter, and Dan’yelle Williamson (Broadway’s Memphis, Scandalous, Rocky) as Ms. Hopkins; Ensemble members Ximone Rose (Broadway’s Once on This Island, Beautiful national tour), Mackenzie Warren (Broadway’s Cats; Anything Goes, Pippin national tours), and Carmel Valley native Charlotte Mary Wen (the Globe’s Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, One Day the Musical Off Broadway); Lance Arthur Smith (the Globe’s October Sky) as Frank Carter Understudy; and Encinitas native Emma Stratton (Broadway’s Prince of Broadway; Bullets Over Broadway national tour) as Swing.
The multiple Tony Award–nominated creative team includes Ann Yee (Choreography; London’s Caroline, or Change; Oklahoma! at Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Lynne Shankel (Music Supervision, Arrangements, and Orchestrations; Cry-Baby, Altar Boyz), Neil Patel (Scenic Design; Broadway’s Time and the Conways; India Pale Ale, An Ordinary Muslim; The Lion national tour), Linda Cho (Costume Design; 15 Globe shows include A Thousand Splendid Suns, October Sky, The Comedy of Errors; Broadway’s Anastasia, Tony Award–winning A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Japhy Weideman (Lighting Design; the Globe’s October Sky, Bright Star, Bethany, August: Osage County; Broadway’s Lobby Hero, Dear Evan Hansen), Ken Travis (Sound Design; the Globe’s American Mariachi, Rain, The Last Goodbye; Broadway’s In Transit, Aladdin), internationally acclaimed Sven Ortel (Projection Design; Broadway’s The Little Mermaid, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Wonderland), Chris Kong (Music Director), Tara Rubin Casting/Merri Sugarman, CSA (Casting), and Anjee Nero (Production Stage Manager).
“From the first instant I heard the score of Life After, I was swept away,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Britta Johnson is a major new talent in the contemporary musical theatre, and she’s fashioned a story that is so many things: warm, humane, truthful, and about important things like family and loss and grief and healing. Its characters and their experiences are as moving and meaningful as its glorious, shimmering music. It gives me great joy to direct such a rich and winning work, and to work with a team of collaborators both onstage and off who are the absolute eminences in our field. And it is a distinct pleasure to bring Britta’s unique and thrilling voice to the United States for the first time, and to the Globe’s wonderful audience. This is a special show, and I cannot wait to share it with San Diego.”
For the full press release on Life After, click here! For more details on Life After, click here! To buy tickets to Life After, click here!
Photo: Artwork courtesy of The Old Globe.
SAN DIEGO (February 14, 2019)—As part of The Old Globe’s ongoing commitment to serve the public good by hosting programs that serve all of San Diego County, applications are now available online for the 2019 Pam Farr Summer Shakespeare Studio for high school students. Applications will be accepted through Sunday, March 31. The four-week program is a unique opportunity for rising 9th – 12th graders and recent graduates not only to develop foundational skills for reading, interpreting, and performing Shakespeare’s plays, but also to cultivate their own artistic voice through storytelling and creating original material.
The Old Globe believes that theatre matters. In our effort to make theatre matter to more people, the Pam Farr Summer Shakespeare Studio admits students without regard to their ability to pay, and significant financial aid is available for all students with demonstrated need. Tuition for the four weeks is $725; interviews and group sessions will be scheduled upon receipt of applications for Friday, April 12; Saturday, April 13; Friday, April 19; and Saturday, April 20.
Students will actively participate in an intensive curriculum of acting, movement, music, and writing classes, as well as receive training in voice and speech, stage combat, and text. There will also be regular master classes with Globe artists and staff, many of whom are among the leaders in their fields. Students will deepen their understanding and appreciation of Shakespeare’s writing, and use his work as a model for engaging with their own selves and enriching their knowledge of the Bard.
For more information on the program, photos from past performances, and application instructions, please visit www.theoldglobe.org/2019studio or email Studio@TheOldGlobe.org.
The Studio will run Monday through Friday, July 8 to August 5 and will culminate in the Studio Showcase performance on Monday, August 5 at 7:00 p.m. on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. This final presentation will combine Shakespearean scenes, soliloquies, and sonnets with original material generated by the students.
The Pam Farr Summer Shakespeare Studio is generously supported by Pam Farr and Buford Alexander with additional support from Lead Sponsors Terry Atkinson and Theatre Forward’s Educating Through Theatre Grant. Additional support is provided by Ann Davies Fund for Teaching Artists, The James Irvine Foundation, Qualcomm, and ResMed Foundation. This activity is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Financial support is provided by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture.
For the full press release on the 2019 Pam Farr Summer Shakespeare Studio, click here! For the 2019 Pam Farr Summer Shakespeare Studio press page, click here! For more details on the 2019 Pam Farr Summer Shakespeare Studio, click here!
Photo: Students performing the 2018 Pam Farr Summer Shakespeare Studio. Photo by Rich Soublet II.
SAN DIEGO (February 6, 2019)—The Old Globe’s Annual Meeting was held on Monday, February 4 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Old Globe Board Chair Nicole A. Clay welcomed the members of The Old Globe Board of Directors along with donors, subscribers, and guests, and announced the newly elected Directors serving three-year terms. Globe senior staff members presented highlights of the 2018 fiscal year, and Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and Managing Director Timothy J. Shields spoke about the future of the Globe and its place in the San Diego community. Both a welcome reception prior to the meeting and a celebratory gathering following were catered by The Prado at Balboa Park for the Board of Directors and all attendees.
Clay continues in her second year as 2019 Chair of the Board of Directors. The 2019 Executive Committee will consist of Clay (Chair); Ann Davies (Vice Chair, Nominating Chair); George S. Davis (Audit Chair); Paula Powers (Secretary, Development Chair); Sue Sanderson (Finance Chair); Anthony S. Thornley (Treasurer); Terry Atkinson; Stephanie R. Bulger, Ph.D.; Donald L. Cohn (Past Chair, Ex Officio); Peter J. Cooper; Elaine Bennett Darwin (Past Chair, Ex Officio); Pamela A. Farr; Harold W. Fuson, Jr. (Past Chair, Ex Officio); Evelyn Olson Lamden; Jean Shekhter; Karen Tanz; Sheryl White (Past Chair, Ex Officio); Karin Winner; and Vicki L. Zeiger (Immediate Past Chair, Ex Officio).
Clay also announced that the following candidates identified by the Globe’s Nominating Committee were formally elected to serve a three-year term on the Board of Directors: Sean T. Anthony, Jules Arthur, Mark Delfino, Richard Esgate, Ruben Islas, Jacqueline Lewis, David Jay Ohanian, Scott W. Schmid, and Muffy Walker.
Directors returning for an additional three-year term beginning in 2019 include Mary Beth Adderley; Stephanie R. Bulger, Ph.D.; Donald L. Cohn; Peter J. Cooper; Ann Davies; Jo Ann Kilty; Thomas Melody; Dean H. Thompson; Rhona Thompson; Anthony S. Thornley; Jordine Von Wantoch; and Dr. Reneé Wailes.
Directors currently serving a three-year term during 2019 include Ellise Coit; Silvija Devine; Robert Foxworth (Associate Artist); Jack Galloway; Daphne H. Jameson; Sheila Lipinsky; Keven Lippert; Noelle Norton, Ph.D.; Sandra Redman; Karen L. Sedgwick; Michael Taylor; Evelyn Mack Truitt; Debra Turner; Pamela J. Wagner; and Lynne Wheeler. Kim Neapole is serving a second one-year term as Globe Guilders President.
Board members R. Morgan Busalacchi, Stephen P. Embry (Past Finance Chair), Patricia A. Hodgkin, Ann Steck (in memoriam), and Steven J. Stuckey (Past Audit Chair), whose terms of service concluded in 2018, were honored for their outstanding commitment to The Old Globe.
For the full press release on the 2019 Annual Meeting, click here!
THE OLD GLOBE Presents the 2019 FREE AXIS Performing Art Series! Join the Fun with Dance Parties, Lessons, and Performances
The Series Kicks Off on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. on the GLOBE’S COPLEY PLAZA;
Bring the Family for I LOVE AFRICA Featuring PIWAI in Concertand a Drumming Workshop with NANA OBRAFO YAW ASIEDU
SAN DIEGO (February 5, 2019)—The Old Globe continues to make theatre matter to more people by welcoming everybody to enjoy a season of free performances, arts, crafts, and workshops on the Globe’s Copley Plaza in Balboa Park. Over 16,000 people attended our free AXIS events in 2018 that featured music, dance, original plays from the community, mariachi concerts, jazz for kids, and annual sonnet reading to celebrate the birthday of our resident playwright, William Shakespeare. The 2018 AXIS season also included our first-ever sensory-friendly AXIS event with music and workshops during Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
“San Diego is filled with diverse artistry and cultural traditions that make our curation dynamic and incredibly fun,” shared Director of Arts Engagement Freedome Bradley-Ballentine. “We have so many incredible options to choose from, like our annual Happy Birthday, Mr. Shakespeare!, as well as events featuring the traditions of many in our community and the funniest comics in town; making music together; and just having fun dancing with our neighbors. It brings people together. This is a vital way we make theatre matter all year round.”
The 2019 AXIS series will once again feature more free and fun-filled activities. Outstanding professional and community partner organizations and personalities will teach, speak, play, perform, choreograph, and inspire on the Globe’s Copley Plaza, with many opportunities for the public to participate at each of the events.
On Saturday, February 9 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (prior to the 2:00 p.m. matinee performance of Danai Gurira’s Familiar, directed by Edward Torres), the 2019 AXIS series kicks off with I Love Africa, featuring Zimbabwe-born musician and vocalist Piwai in concert. She will also teach an African-dance workshop, followed by a drumming workshop with Nana Obrafo Yaw Asiedu. This event is for the whole family and will feature artistic activities, games, face painting, and the opportunity to create your own traditional African mask with the support of a Globe Teaching Artist.
AXIS is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation. Financial support is provided by The City of San Diego.
For the full press release on the 2019 FREE AXIS Performing Art Series, click here! For the Arts Engagement AXIS press page, click here! For more details on the I Love Africa event this Saturday, February 9, click here!
SAN DIEGO (January 29, 2019)—The Globe Guilders are pleased to announce Celebrating Couture 2019, their 29th annual fashion show and luncheon, presented by Neiman Marcus, to benefit The Old Globe’s artistic and arts engagement programs and to support the impact the Globe makes in our community and across the nation. Neiman Marcus is producing a special treat this year of a rare exclusive for our audience —they will be privileged to be the first fashionistas to view the West Coast debut of fabulous couturier Marchesa’s 2019 Fall Couture Collection, following the initial show presented at New York Fashion Week.
Vicki Zeiger, past Chair of The Old Globe Board of Directors, is Honorary Chair of this extraordinary and memorable event, joined by Co-Chairs Elizabeth Helming and Jo Ann Kilty, and Kim Neapole, President of the Globe Guilders. Celebrating Couture 2019 will take place on Friday, March 22, 2019*at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, with festivities beginning at 10:00 a.m. *Please note new date, as previous shows took place in August!
Guests will be greeted with a sunlit champagne reception at 10:00 a.m. in the glass-enclosed Vicino Ballroom with the chance to bid on silent auction items. Smartphones will be at the ready for the very popular virtual bidding opportunity through Gesture’s Give Smart mobile application (www.Gesture.com) that was introduced last year, and selfies will be shared at glorious Globe costume displays curated by Resident Design Associate Charlotte Devaux Shields. The live auction and opportunity drawing will begin at 12:00 noon in the Aventine Ballroom, followed by the fabulous Marchesa fashion show and delicious lunch. After the show, Neiman Marcus will present a one-of-a-kind boutique for browsing and shopping in the foyer.
Marchesa’s Fall 2019 collection was inspired by Scandinavian folk art, ranging from Rosemåling—a traditional form of decorative floral- and scroll-motif painting on wood, originating from Norway and Sweden—to the poetic and groundbreaking work of Karin Larsson (1859–1928). Married to painter Carl Larsson, Karin herself was an accomplished artist who, throughout her life, embraced and translated her contemporary culture into vibrant textiles, daring interior choices, bold colors, and beautiful plant and flower motifs. Bright yellow and green accents, and contrasting black and white in a variety of techniques—ranging from delicate threadwork lattice lace to oversized floral prints—mirror the eclectic traditions in hand-painted furniture, while delicate floral motifs reflect on Karin’s attention to detail and use of colors such as red, blue, and orange accents—and combinations of them all—in ornate scroll and floral threadwork embroideries.
The proceeds from Celebrating Couture 2019 will expand the impact the Globe makes in the community and will help make theatre matter to more people. Over 500 supporters of the Globe—including prominent philanthropists, heads of corporations, and representatives of major organizations—are expected to attend this important event benefitting the Globe’s artistic and arts engagement programs.
“The Old Globe and the Globe Guilders are so grateful for the support of and partnership with Neiman Marcus,” said Honorary Chair Zeiger. “Neiman’s offers so much for everyone, no matter the person’s style. I am absolutely delighted to serve as the Honorary Chair of Celebrating Couture 2019.”
For the full press release on the 2019 Globe Guilders Fashion Show, click here! For more details on the 2019 Globe Guilders Fashion Show, click here!
Photo: Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig of Marchesa.
THE OLD GLOBE Announces the Cast and Creative Team for the WEST COAST PREMIERE of NIA VARDALOS's TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS,
Based on the Best-Selling Book by CHERYL STRAYED,
Adapted for the Stage by NIA VARDALOS, Co-Conceived by MARSHALL HEYMAN, THOMAS KAIL, and NIA VARDALOS,
Directed by JAMES VASQUEZ
Performances Will Run February 9 – March 10, 2019
SAN DIEGO (January 15, 2019)—The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of Tiny Beautiful Things, based on the best-selling book by Cheryl Strayed (Torch, Brave Enough, Wild, “Dear Sugar”), adapted for the stage by Academy Award nominee Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Instant Mom). Co-conceived by Marshall Heyman (“Dietland”), Thomas Kail (Hamilton, Fox’s Grease Live!), and Vardalos, and directed by Globe favorite James Vásquez (American Mariachi, Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!), Tiny Beautiful Things will run February 9 – March 10, 2019 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, opening on Thursday, February 14. Tickets are on sale now starting at $30.00 and can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.
Tiny Beautiful Things follows the relationships between an anonymous advice columnist named Sugar and the many real-life readers who pour out their hearts to her. Nia Vardalos adapts Cheryl Strayed’s book into an enrapturing and uplifting play that surges with emotion and is called by Variety “a theatrical hug in turbulent times.” Tiny Beautiful Things is about reaching when you’re stuck, recovering when you’re broken, and finding the courage to ask the questions that are hardest to answer. Tissues recommended. Contains strong language and adult content.
“Tiny Beautiful Things is a moving and gentle play that demonstrates the theatre’s special superpower: empathy,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Cheryl Strayed and her famous ‘Dear Sugar’ advice column showed that all of our unique stories ultimately bind us to each other and to the shared story of the extraordinary adventure of being human. Through love, loss, laughter, through family and friendship, we all yearn for connection and for kindness. This remarkable piece of theatre is by turns funny, sweet, and sad and is a highlight of the Globe’s season, and in James Vásquez’s beautiful production it embodies what the Globe values most: art that offers us a glimpse of grace and compassion. I am so pleased to bring it to San Diego.”
For the full press release on Tiny Beautiful Things, click here! For more details, click here!
THE OLD GLOBE Announces CLASSICAL DIRECTING FELLOWSHIPS
Noted Shakespearean Director and Scholar BARRY EDELSTEIN to Offer a SHAKESPEARE DIRECTING WORKSHOP to a Select Group of Professional Directors
TUESDAY, JANUARY 22 – FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019
SAN DIEGO (January 7, 2019)—The Old Globe is pleased to announce The Old Globe Classical Directing Fellowship, led by the Globe’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, a leading Shakespearean scholar, author, and director. Four directing fellows—Daniel Jáquez, Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, Sam White, and LA Williams—will participate in the pilot session of this new initiative. They will be in residence from Tuesday, January 22 through Friday, January 26, 2019.
As one of the leading Shakespeare theatres in America, the Globe presents four full productions of the Bard’s plays annually, and Shakespeare is central to the theatre’s nationally renowned arts engagement programs. All of this work exemplifies the Globe’s values-driven commitment to making theatre matter to more people, a commitment that expresses the Globe’s view of theatre art as a public good. This commitment and this view require the Globe to think about the future of the American theatre and to train artists whose work will embody the values we champion. We can make a contribution not only to our own work but also to the field at large by expanding the ranks of exciting Shakespeareans ready to make theatre at the Globe’s level of excellence. This Classical Directing Fellowship will broaden our professional artist-training work, now centered on The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, which focuses on actors. This year’s Fellowship will pilot the program, and our hope and expectation is that it will evolve into an ongoing part of the Globe’s artistic life.
The Fellowship will focus on Shakespeare’s text, how it is put together, and how it works in the imaginations and voices of American actors. In master classes, Edelstein will present a series of techniques that the Directing Fellows will then employ in rehearsals with a company of professional actors. The work will culminate in a private presentation on Saturday. After that, all involved will debrief and broaden the conversation to some larger questions about Shakespeare, American culture, and the director’s art and life. Throughout the week, in addition to the artistic work, Directing Fellows will meet with members of the Globe’s staff in many departments, and with representatives of the San Diego theatre community beyond the Globe. They will gain not only a set of specific tools to use in directing Shakespeare, but also a sense of the community in one of America’s most dynamic theatre towns. In exchange, the Globe will have the chance to begin a conversation with a group of gifted artists with so much to offer this theatre.
“I’m very happy to launch this new program and help enrich American Shakespeare,” said Edelstein. “The Globe is one of the country’s great producers of Shakespeare, and, to my great good fortune, I enjoy a reputation as a Shakespeare director, producer, and educator. Artist training has been a huge part of my career, and I’ve benefited from the mentorship and guidance of some wonderful Shakespeareans at many points in my artistic life. I care a great deal about the future of Shakespeare in America, and it seems only right that I do everything I can to provide opportunities to artists who treasure this work as I do. Our first cohort of Fellows—Daniel, Delicia, Sam, and LA—has demonstrated the kind of passion and seriousness that I think merit support and encouragement. I’m beyond delighted to be part of their trajectory in this way, and
For the full press release on the Classical Directing Fellowship, click here! For more details, click here!
SAN DIEGO (January 3; updated January 14, 2019)—The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for Familiar by Tony Award nominee Danai Gurira (Broadway’s Eclipsed, Black Panther, “The Walking Dead”). This funny, warmhearted look at tradition, marriage, and what it means to be an American family will be directed by Edward Torres (the Globe’s Water by the Spoonful and Native Gardens, Canción at Repertorio Español) and will run January 26 – March 3, 2019 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, Old Globe Theatre, Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run January 26–30. Opening night is Thursday, January 31. Tickets start at $30.00 and can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.
Donald and his wife Marvelous have been living the American Dream since emigrating from Zimbabwe nearly three decades ago. They have a beautiful house and impressive careers, and now one of their daughters is getting married! But when the bride insists on a traditional African wedding ceremony, tensions start to rise. Throw in an eccentric aunt from the old country and a bewildered bridegroom, and soon it’s not certain the couple will ever make it down the aisle. The New York Times calls it “an engrossing, fiercely funny comedy–drama that probes with subtlety and smarts.” Contains strong language.
The cast includes Anthony Comis (Off Broadway’s Insignificance, Hulu’s “The Path”) as Brad, Lucas Hall (Broadway’s Farinelli and the King, King Charles III, six Globe shows) as Chris, Danny Johnson (Broadway’s All the Way and The Song of Jacob Zulu) as Donald Chinyaramwira, Ramona Keller (Broadway’s Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Brooklyn, and Caroline, or Change) as Margaret Munyewa, Cherene Snow (Broadway’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Scottsboro Boys, Small Mouth Sounds) as Marvelous Chinyaramwira, Wandachristine (Dividing the Estate at the Globe and on Broadway, The Trip to Bountiful) as Anne, Olivia Washington (Off Broadway’s The Glass Menagerie, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, “Mr. Robot”) as Nyasha, and Zakiya Young (Broadway’s Stick Fly and The Little Mermaid, Off Broadway’s Storyville, Spamilton at CTG) as Tendikayi.
The creative team includes Walt Spangler (Scenic Design), Alejo Vietti (Costume Design), Jason Lyons (Lighting Design), Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (Sound Design), Somi (Composer), Rufaro Gwarada (Cultural Consultant), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Jess Slocum (Production Stage Manager).
“With Familiar, the brilliant actor-author Danai Gurira brings to the Globe a gloriously imagined play about America and family,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Its basic situation—the chaos that surrounds a family wedding—is relatable, immediate, and accessible. But even as she keeps us laughing, Danai asks us to consider some deeper questions about American identity and the way we pass along our culture and customs from one generation to the next. The result is a smart, entertaining, and very moving play that looks at family in a fresh new way. The Globe’s great friend, director Edward Torres, gives the play a sharp and elegant production that kicks off 2019 at our theatre in style. I’m thrilled to ring in the New Year with this wonderful work.”
For the full press release on the cast and creative team of Familiar, click here! For more on Familiar, click here! To buy tickets for Familiar, click here!
Photo: Artwork courtesy of The Old Globe.
SAN DIEGO (December 7, 2018)—The Old Globe has been granted a second three-year cycle of support from The James Irvine Foundation’s New California Arts Fund (NCAF). The grant of $1.9 million represents an increase of $175,000 from the first cycle of support. The funding will power the Globe’s nationally recognized arts engagement programs, which engage diverse communities throughout the San Diego region, and will also fund the development of long-term strategies to continue and expand this work. The first three-year grant enabled the Globe to create a vibrant arts engagement department that has brought engagement to the core of the institution.
“The generous support of The James Irvine Foundation will help us continue the impactful work of the Globe’s arts engagement programs,” said the Globe’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “These programs are changing lives all over San Diego—in homeless shelters, senior centers, military and veterans organizations, correctional facilities, and community organizations that serve to enfranchise populations who’ve traditionally been marginalized.
“NCAF funding has helped us to develop and adopt a new strategic plan focusing on theatre as a public good, and on the creation of public value through our art form. We’ve forged deep, ongoing partnerships with 24 community-based not-for-profits and governmental agencies serving low-income and diverse individuals and families throughout the region. Last year alone, our free, participatory arts engagement programs made theatre matter to over 37,000 people. The Globe is a national leader in this work, and the Irvine Foundation is a fundamental reason why. We are deeply grateful.”
For the full press release on The James Irvine Foundation, click here!
