- Shows and Tickets
- Plan Your Visit
- Other Programming
- Support Us
- Arts Engagement
- Get Involved
- MFA Program
- About The Globe
- News and Media
SAN DIEGO (June 20, 2017)—The Old Globe will once again share some of its favorite Shakespearean cinema as a complement to its stage productions with the return of Free Monday Night Film Screenings, presented in conjunction with the 2017 Summer Shakespeare Festival. Curated by the Globe’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and introduced by Edelstein and KPBS’s “Cinema Junkie” Beth Accomando, the films include Julie Taymor’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream on June 26, Peter Brook’s King Lear on July 17, Al Pacino’s Looking for Richard on August 7, and Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet on August 28. Admission is free. Seating for each film is first-come, first-served and by general admission. The line begins one hour before each screening.
Join us outdoors for the first film, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, on Monday, June 26 at 8:15 p.m. in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. From the mind of award-winning director Julie Taymor (The Lion King on Broadway, Frida, Titus) comes a Shakespeare adaptation like none other. Rich with Taymor’s trademark creativity, this immersive and darkly poetic cinematic experience brings to life the play’s iconic fairies and the unsuspecting young lovers they meddle with. Filmed at Taymor’s sold-out stage production with cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto and music by Academy Award-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal, the feats of visual imagination are ingenious and plentiful, but beating at the center of the film is an emotionally moving take on the deeper human aspects of Shakespeare’s beloved tale.
The epic King Lear follows on Monday, July 17 at 7:00 p.m., indoors on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Now considered one of the greatest stage productions of Shakespeare ever, Peter Brook’s direction of King Lear for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1962 was hugely influential in reinterpreting Shakespeare as a fresh, urgent, and modern voice. Following a successful world tour and Brook’s own increasing interest in filmmaking, the production was made into a movie in 1971, filming in a bleak and frozen Danish landscape. King Lear (Paul Scofield), elderly and ready to retire from the throne, decides to split his kingdom among his three daughters according to who best declaims her love for him. When his daughter Cordelia refuses to flatter her father’s ego with devotion, Lear angrily gives the lion’s share of his power to her sisters, Goneril and Regan. They soon abuse this trust, and Lear finds himself drifting into madness as his former empire falls apart, with little time left to right his wrongs.
Explore the mind of the artists as Al Pacino goes Looking for Richard on Monday, August 7, at 7:00 p.m., in the Old Globe Theatre. A workshop of Shakespeare’s Richard III inspires actor/director Al Pacino’s award-winning documentary. Though a noteworthy cast of stage actors and Hollywood stars (including Kevin Spacey, Winona Ryder, and Alec Baldwin) gathers to work on the play, Looking for Richard does not present a straightforward filmed version of the scheming, deformed king’s rise and fall. Instead, Pacino turns the cameras on the rehearsal process and his own exploration of Shakespeare’s history and meaning. Scenes in full costume alternate with readings in street clothes, while interviews gather the opinions on the Bard of everyone from renowned scholars and Shakespearean actors to random New Yorkers.
Late summer skies will provide the perfect setting in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre on Monday, August 28 at 8:00 p.m. as Romeo + Juliet is updated by visionary director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge, The Great Gatsby). Shakespeare’s classic romantic tragedy is updated to a postmodern Verona Beach where guns replace swords and bored youths are easily spurred toward violence. Longtime rivals in religion and business, the Montagues and the Capulets form rival gangs whose animosities spill into the streets. Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) is aloof toward the goings-on of his Montague cousins, but after he meets Juliet (Claire Danes), a Capulet, at a party one fateful night, his heart and his allegiance are pushed to the breaking point.
“This summer the Globe is once again delighted to offer San Diegans the joy of great Shakespeare in many forms, part of our ongoing commitment to make theatre matter to more people,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “In addition to our exemplary Summer Shakespeare Festival, we will present free screenings of four exceptional Shakespeare films. These highly accessible works feature striking directorial visions of the Bard’s plays. I love all four of them. Both Julie Taymor’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Peter Brook’s King Lear originated as stage productions before moving to the screen; they offer thrilling opportunities to see some of the best productions of these two plays ever mounted. Looking for Richard follows Al Pacino—film star and great American Shakespearean—on an unforgettable backstage look at how actors and directors find their way into the heart of the Bard. And finally, Baz Luhrmann brings an entirely new generation to Shakespeare with his visionary update on Romeo and Juliet, perfect for a summer night outside at the Globe.”
For the full press release on film screenings, click here! For more details and future film screenings, click here!
Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.
SAN DIEGO (June 16, 2017)—The Old Globe today announced the full cast for Guys and Dolls, a musical fable of Broadway. Based on a story and characters of Damon Runyon, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, Guys and Dolls will be directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, returning to the Globe after the great successes of Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, which he directed, and Bright Star, which he choreographed. This classic musical, the first production of the Globe’s 2017 Summer Season, will run July 2 – August 13, 2017, with opening night on Friday, July 7, presented in association with Asolo Repertory Theatre. Tickets to Guys and Dolls are on sale now. Single tickets begin at $40, and can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE [234-5623], or by visiting the box office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.
Guys and Dolls tops Entertainment Weekly’s list of the Greatest Musicals of All Time, and for good reason: it’s everything we love in musical theatre. Now fast-rising director/choreographer Josh Rhodes returns to the Globe to direct our first-ever production of this Broadway masterpiece. Nathan Detroit needs some serious dough to keep his “oldest established permanent floating crap game” going. He’s also got his hands full with his marriage-minded girlfriend Adelaide. But when Nathan makes a bet with high-roller Sky Masterson, his problems appear to be solved. Based on Damon Runyon’s famous tales of small-time hoods and showgirls, Guys and Dolls is filled with some of the most wonderful showtunes ever, including “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” and the irrepressible anthem “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” Guys and Dolls will put a spring in your step and a smile on your face and remind you how much fun it is to see a top-notch Globe revival of a classic American musical!
The original production of Guys and Dolls received what might be the most unanimously ecstatic reviews in Broadway history and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The 1992 revival received four more Tonys, including Best Revival. In 1951, the year after it opened, it received a record-breaking $1 million for the motion picture rights and was made into a beloved film starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra. The classic songs, which have become part of our national heritage, also include “Adelaide’s Lament,” “Sue Me,” “A Bushel and a Peck,” “If I Were a Bell,” “Fugue for Tinhorns,” “More I Cannot Wish You,” “Take Back Your Mink,” and many more.
“Guys and Dolls holds a special place in the hearts of everyone who loves musical theatre,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Song for song, scene for scene, moment for moment, it’s a perfect of example of what a musical can be. For all of us at the Globe, the chance to share with our audiences a shiny and spectacular new revival of this bona fide classic is a rare treat. With J. Bernard Calloway and Terence Archie in the leads, supported by a wildly talented ensemble that includes numerous San Diego talents, the company is first-rate. Add to that the chance to have Josh Rhodes back in our building to dazzle with his wit and invention, and it’s frankly an embarrassment of riches. We are beyond thrilled to have this amazing show at the center of our 2017 Summer Season.”
For more details on the cast and creative team for Guys and Dolls, click here! For tickets to Guys and Dolls, click here!
Photo Credit: (from left) Terence Archie appears as Sky Masterson, Veronica J. Kuehn appears as Miss Adelaide, director and choreographer Josh Rhodes, Audrey Cardwell appears as Sarah Brown, and J. Bernard Calloway appears as Nathan Detroit. Guys and Dolls, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, runs July 2 - August 13, 2017 at The Old Globe. Photo by Jim Cox.
SAN DIEGO (May 30, 2017)—The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team of the first offering in the 2017 Summer Shakespeare Festival: William Shakespeare’s epic King Richard II, helmed by award-winning director Erica Schmidt (Off Broadway’s A Month in the Country, All the Fine Boys, Humor Abuse) in her Globe debut. The play will run June 11 – July 15, 2017, in the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. Previews run June 11 – 17. Opening night is Sunday, June 18 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $30 and are on sale now to the general public.
The Old Globe’s summer season kicks off with one of the greatest of Shakespeare’s towering cycle of history plays. Convinced of his divine right to rule, King Richard acts recklessly and provides the canny Henry Bolingbroke an opening to seize the crown. Filled with magnificent verse and memorable characters, the exciting and dramatic King Richard II is a moving and insightful portrait of how the forces of history collide and combust to shape a nation’s political landscape.
As previously announced, Tony Award winner Robert Sean Leonard will take on the title role of King Richard II. Globe audiences will remember him from his memorable roles as Henry Higgins in Pygmalion in 2011 and Edgar in Jack O’Brien’s King Lear in 1993 opposite Hal Holbrook. Leonard is probably best known for playing Dr. James Wilson for eight seasons on the hit television series “House” and for playing Neil Perry in Dead Poets Society, his film debut. He also has over a dozen Broadway credits, including The Invention of Love, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, The Music Man, Arcadia, and this season’s Sunday in the Park with George.
Joining him in the cast are John Ahlin (Broadway’s Waiting for Godot, Journey’s End, Macbeth) as Earl of Northumberland; Jake Horowitz (King Lear, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, David Cromer’s Our Town Off Broadway) as Duke of Aumerle; Old Globe Associate Artist Charles Janasz (32 productions at The Old Globe, most recently 2013 Shakespeare Festival) as John of Gaunt and Gardener; Patrick Kerr (Globe’s Love’s Labor’s Lost and Twelfth Night, “Frasier,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) as Duke of York; Tory Kittles (“Colony,” “True Detective,” “Sons of Anarchy”) as Henry Bolingbroke; Ian Lassiter (The Cherry Orchard and War Horse on Broadway) as Thomas Mowbray, Welsh Captain, and Keeper; Lizabeth Mackay (Globe’s Faith Healer, Broadway’s Crimes of the Heart) as Duchess of York and Servingwoman; James Joseph O’Neill (a dozen Globe credits, include Macbeth last year) as Bishop of Carlisle; and San Diego local Connor Sullivan (Globe’s Sense and Sensibility, The Metromaniacs) as Lord Willoughby.
The cast also includes students in The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program: Amara James Aja as Bushy and Sir Stephen Scroop; Samuel Max Avishay as Harry Percy; Nora Carroll as Queen Isabel; Renardo Charles Jr. as Lord Ross; Ajinkya Desai as House of Norfolk Herald; Talley Beth Gale as Lady 1 and Servingwoman; Daniel Ian Joeck as Bagot and Earl of Salisbury; Lorenzo Landini as Green and Duke of Surrey; Jose Martinez as House of Hereford Herald; Christina A. Okolo as House of Norfolk Herald and Servingwoman; Suzelle Palacios as Lady 2, Groom, and Servingwoman; Larica Schnell as House of Hereford Herald, Gardener, and Servingwoman; and Samantha Sutliff as Duchess of Gloucester, Gardener, and Servingwoman.
The creative team of King Richard II includes two-time Tony Award winner John Lee Beatty (Scenic Design), Andrea Lauer (Costume Design), Stephen Strawbridge (Lighting Design), Sten Severson (Sound Design), Ursula Meyer (Voice and Text Coach), Jim Carnahan, CSA (Casting), and Anjee Nero (Production Stage Manager).
“It’s been five years since we’ve produced one of Shakespeare’s history plays in our renowned Summer Festival, and I’m thrilled to put King Richard II, one of my favorites, center stage,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “It’s a rich and exciting work, full of great poetry and pageantry, and it asks pointed and resonant questions about patriotism, leadership, and how politics shape a nation’s destiny. Robert Sean Leonard, one of the most gifted actors of his generation, is perfect for the title role, a potent monarch with the soul of a poet, and Erica Schmidt’s smart and vibrant production will make for a wonderful night in the theatre.
For more details on King Richard II, click here! To buy tickets, click here!
Photo Credit: Robert Sean Leonard. Photo by Jim Cox.
SAN DIEGO (May 12, 2017)—The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team of the Globe-commissioned world premiere adaptation of The Imaginary Invalid written by Molière and reinvented by the acclaimed theatre group Fiasco Theater. Fiasco last delighted Globe audiences with their inventive reimagining of Into the Woods in 2014. This new take on the hilarious classic tale is directed by Fiasco Co-Artistic Directors Jessie Austrian and Noah Brody.
In addition, The Imaginary Invalid has been extended one week by popular demand! The production will now run May 27 – July 2, 2017in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Thursday, June 1 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $29, on sale now, 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.
The acclaimed artists of Fiasco Theater are back! Fiasco delighted Globe audiences with their reinvented Into the Woods, and now they take on one of the greatest comedy writers of all time: Molière. In the outrageously funny masterpiece The Imaginary Invalid, the hypochondriac Argan wants his daughter to marry a doctor so he can save on his medical bills. But she’s in love with someone else. Soon the whole household joins in her madcap scheme to save true love and give Argan’s doctors a dose of their own medicine. This Globe-commissioned world premiere adaptation will have you in stitches. The New York Times called Fiasco “a force to reckon with in American theater.”
The cast of The Imaginary Invalid includes Fiasco company members Jessie Austrian (Broadway’s The Importance of Being Earnest and Lend Me a Tenor) as Béline, Noah Brody (Henry V directed by Oskar Eustis, All the Great Books (Abridged) directed by Rachel Chavkin) as Dr. Diafoirus and Dr. Purgon, Paul L. Coffey (The Taming of the Shrew Off Broadway, Asking for Trouble 2016 at Ensemble Studio Theatre) as M. de Bonnefoi, Thomas Diafoirus, and Béralde, Andy Grotelueschen (Cyrano de Bergerac on Broadway, Balm in Gilead with Michael Shannon) as Argan, and Emily Young (Broadway’s Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Off Broadway’s The Servant of Two Masters) as Toinette, as well as Kevin Hafso-Koppman (Globe’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile, current student in The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program) as Cléante and M. Fleurant, and Jane Pfitsch (Cabaret, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and Company on Broadway, 27 Dresses) as Angélique,
The creative team also includes Takeshi Kata (Scenic Design), Emily Rebholz (Costume Design), Russell H. Champa (Lighting Design), Melanie Chen (Sound Design), Fiasco Theater Co-Artistic Director Ben Steinfeld (Original Music and Music Director), Stephen Buescher (Movement), Jess Slocum (Production Stage Manager), and Pamela Salling (Stage Manager).
“I’m thrilled to welcome back to San Diego the brilliant, fun, and ever-inventive Fiasco Theater,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, “and I’m hugely happy that they are ushering Molière back to our stage after an absence of over a decade. This play is funny and also, in its way, harrowing: it’s not just an uproarious satire of professional medicine and the crazy patients who recklessly center their lives around it, but it’s also a deeply sympathetic look at obsession and its consequences. Fiasco will go at it with their usual thrilling gusto and make a funny and memorable evening for San Diego audiences.”
For more details on the cast and creative team for The Imaginary Invalid, click here! For tickets to The Imaginary Invalid, click here!
Photo Credit: Artwork courtesy of The Old Globe.
SAN DIEGO (May 9, 2017)—Performances begin this Saturday, May 13 at The Old Globe for the West Coast premiere of The Old Man and The Old Moon by acclaimed theatre troupe PigPen Theatre Co. Directed by PigPen Theatre Co. and Stuart Carden in their Globe debuts, this intriguing and inventive tale full of music and puppetryruns through June 18 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Thursday, May 18 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $29, on sale now, 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 is a story of time and tides and quests, the sort of fable on which mythologies and religions are founded,” says Ben Brantley of The New York Times. Now, after delighting audiences in New York, Chicago, and Boston, The Old Man and The Old Moon makes its West Coast premiere. The Old Man tends to The Old Moon, refilling the light that spills out every night. When his wife unexpectedly leaves home, The Old Man abandons his post and plunges the world into darkness. His eventful journey across land, air, and sea to find her reminds them—and us—of the unwavering power of love. Discover why BroadwayWorld dubbed the production “a glorious fusion of music and theatrics,” and TheaterMania called it “extraordinarily imaginative—a rare example of true theatre magic!”
The cast of The Old Man and The Old Moon is comprised of the outstanding ensemble of PigPen Theatre Co.: Alex Falberg (The Old Woman), Ben Ferguson (Callahan),Curtis Gillen (Llewelyn), Ryan Melia (The Old Man),Matt Nuernberger (Matheson), Arya Shahi (Cookie), andDan Weschler (Mabelu).
The creative team includes Lydia Fine (Scenic, Costume, and Puppet Design), Bart Cortright (Lighting Design), Mikhail Fiksel (Sound Design), and Libby Unsworth (Production Stage Manager).
“This show, and the marvelous artists of PigPen Theatre Co., bring sheer magic to our stage,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “PigPen’s signature combination of music, shadowplay, puppetry, and thrilling physical acting is unique. These hip and talented wizards have fused their many gifts into a play that’s a great joy for audiences of all ages. I can’t wait to bring my own five-year-old and nine-year-old, and I can’t wait to watch our adult audiences unleash their inner children before this charming, funny, and incredibly sweet show. I’m delighted to have it here.”
For more details on The Old Man and The Old Moon, click here! To buy tickets, click here!
Photo Credit: The cast of The Old Man and The Old Moon from PigPen Theatre Co. Photo by Thomas Kaine.
SAN DIEGO (May 5, 2017)—The Old Globe today announced its 2017–2018 Season, which will kick off with the world premiere musical Benny & Joon, with book by Kirsten Guenther, music by Nolan Gasser, and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein. Based on the beloved 1993 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture written by Barry Berman and Lesley McNeil, this delightfully offbeat romantic comedy follows auto mechanic Benny and his eccentric sister Joon, whose lives are turned upside down by new housemate Sam and his off-kilter take on the world. Directed by Jack Cummings III, Benny & Joon will run September 7 – October 22, 2017.
“Our 2017–2018 Season is as varied and exciting as any I’ve had the privilege to present,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “The lineup includes everything that makes The Old Globe one of this country’s preeminent theatres: Broadway-caliber musical theatre, sumptuously produced classics, and powerful and innovative world premieres, all created by artists who are working at the very top-rank of the contemporary American and international theatre. It’s also a diverse season, in every sense. There are comedies and dramas, familiar and also brand-new forms. And it represents a broad range of cultural perspectives, modeling on our stages the pluralistic America in which we live. This season of work embodies the values of transformation, inclusion, and excellence that are central to the Globe’s mission. Each show provides a sparkling, fun, engaging, and vibrant evening of great theatre, offering something for every San Diegan. I can’t wait to bring this bounty and variety to our audience.
To read the full press release on the 2017-2018 Season, click here! For more details, click here!
Photo Credit: A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Ursula Rani Sarma, book by Khaled Hosseini, directed by Carey Perloff, and co-produced by American Conservatory Theater, runs May 12 – June 17, 2018 at The Old Globe. Photo by Kevin Berne.
SAN DIEGO (May 4, 2017)—The Old Globe is deeply saddened to announce the passing of prominent businesswoman, civic leader, philanthropist, and Old Globe Board member Kathryn Crippen Hattox, who died April 29 at her Point Loma home after a brief illness, during which she was surrounded by her family. A lifelong San Diegan, she both witnessed and contributed to the city’s transformation from a quiet Navy town to the vibrant cultural metropolis of today. Friends remark of her that she was a person who lived life to the fullest every day.
She is survived by her husband, John S. Hattox, MD, and her daughters, Sue Blessey, Margaret Maas, and Sylvia Maas. She has three grandchildren, Quentin Cobb, Tay Blessey, Erroll Maas, and a great grandchild, Lily Cobb. Her son, Alex Maas, and her former spouses, Harry Maas, MD and Ken Crippen, MD, predeceased her.
“Kathy Hattox helped shape the cultural vibrancy of our city, and her passing leaves behind an emptiness that will be hard to fill,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Her generosity to The Old Globe over decades transformed this institution. Whenever we meet in our hall that bears her name, we celebrate her impact. She loved theatre and loved talking about this art and how it gets made, and she took great pride in the fact that San Diego is a national force in this field. Kathy was on the committee that hired me, and she took pains to make sure that my family and I settled in happily to our new hometown. I will always cherish our close friendship, and I will hold her up as the ideal of a philanthropist and civic volunteer. I will miss her warmth, good cheer, and abiding faith in theatre art, as will everyone at the Globe. We all extend to John and her family our most sincere condolences.”
“Kathy’s intellect, her love of the theatre, and her love of this community helped to guide the Globe for many years,” said Old Globe Board of Directors Chair Vicki L. Zeiger. “I looked to her as a former board chair for support and was inspired by her strength, knowledge, and generosity. I will personally miss her very much.
For more details, click here!
Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.
SAN DIEGO (April 20, 2017)—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!, 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. Following successful showings in the past several seasons and a special Folio Edition last summer, The Old Globe will offer a reprise on Saturday, May 20 at 11:00 a.m.
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, Thinking Shakespeare Live! will take place on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Tickets are currently available for subscribers and donors and go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 28 at 12:00 noon. Tickets are $15.00 for the general public and $10.00 for subscribers, donors, students, and groups. 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.
“San Diego’s Shakespeare audience is devoted to the Bard, and the Globe, one of the country’s great Shakespeare theatres, always looks for innovative ways to serve it,” said Edelstein. “We created Thinking Shakespeare Live! to help our audience have fun while making new connections to Shakespeare, and we are pleased to bring it back this summer and make it a regular part of our program.”
Coinciding with The Old Globe’s 2017 Shakespeare Festival, Thinking Shakespeare Live! is a fast-paced, funny, and altogether fascinating guide to the language of the Bard. In this lively 90-minute program, Barry 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, Thinking Shakespeare Live! brings audiences into the intoxicating world of the Bard and shows how his masterful poetry can come to life for everyone.
The three professional actors who will take part in the presentation will be announced shortly.
For more details on the Thinking Shakespeare Live!, click here! For the ticket page, click here!
Photo Credit: Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein leads Thinking Shakespeare Live! (2013). Photo by Doug Gates.
SAN DIEGO (April 10, 2017)—The Old Globe would like to invite friends, Romans, countrymen—all of San Diego, in fact—to join us in celebrating our resident playwright William Shakespeare’s birthday with Happy Birthday, Mr. Shakespeare! on Saturday, April 22, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., on the Globe’s campus in Balboa Park. The Bard’s birthday—his 453rd!—is a fitting and festive reason to recognize his countless contributions to arts and culture around the world. This exciting day of family activities is free and open to the public as part of the Globe’s ongoing commitment to programs that serve all of San Diego County. Don your best doublet and ruff—or come as you are. And did we mention cake?!
Birthday games and activities, emceed by local artist Nadia Guevara, will run the gamut of eras from Elizabethan to today. The celebration will feature live music from local artist DJ Redlite, backing up sonnet karaoke, led by the illustrious students in The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. Challengers welcome—bring your own sonnet or monologue—or choose one of ours! And the talented Arts Engagement team will be on hand to help out with the fun, as will members of the San Diego Shakespeare Society.
The doors to our indoor theatres will be wide open for you to explore, with a fabulous costume exhibit in the Globe lobby and informative docents on hand to answer questions. Shakespeare-themed activities on Copley Plaza will include a life-sized board game, and in the Craig Noel Garden, little ones can create their own Shakespearean puppets and perform in an interactive puppet theatre show with the San Diego Guild of Puppetry. Grab a photo of your friends in the stocks or as the original Queen Mum, Elizabeth I. It will be a festive day suitable for the whole family, plus cake served at 12:00 noon. Yum!
“‘It is my birthday,’ says Cleopatra in Act III of the great play Shakespeare wrote about her, and though the line may not be one of the Bard’s most famous, it’s still fitting for this particular day,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Shakespeare is the lifeblood of The Old Globe, and the Globe is central to San Diego, so we couldn’t let his 453rd go by without a bang. We’ve planned a day of fun for the whole family: music, costumes, performances, games, and food. I know it’s going to be a blast, and I look forward to welcoming the whole city to join us.”
Happy Birthday, Mr. Shakespeare! is supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation.
For more details on Happy Birthday, Mr. Shakespeare!, click here! To visit the event page, click here!
Photo Credit: Artwork courtesy of The Old Globe.
SAN DIEGO (March 31, 2017)—We are happy to announce that The Old Globe and Children’s Theatre Company, in partnership with The Old Vic, will present Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, based on the book The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, adapted for the stage by David Greig, with music and lyrics by Charlie Fink, directed by Max Webster. Originally produced at The Old Vic theatre in London, where it was directed by Webster, Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax includes puppet design by Finn Caldwell and Nick Barnes, famous for their Tony Award-winning War Horse puppetry design, and choreography by Drew McOnie. Performances run July 3 – August 12, part of the Globe’s 2018 Summer Season, on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Children’s Theatre Company, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, will present Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax as part of their 2017–2018 season, with performances April 17 – June 10, 2018.
The silky soft tufts of the Truffula trees are the perfect stuffs to knit the perfect Thneeds. But the first chop, chop of the perilous ax begins the powerful tale of The Lorax. When the last tree of the forest falls, was it worth losing paradise for nothing at all? The most beloved environmental tale of all time, The Lorax will have you singing in Seussian rhymes!
“It is wonderful that just after the recent world premiere of Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches The Musical at Children’s Theatre Company, we are announcing that our other most recent work, The Lorax, will make its U.S. debut in a co-production by The Old Globe and Children’s Theatre Company,” stated Susan Brandt, President of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. “San Diego’s The Old Globe initiated its hugely popular holiday production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! in 1998—this year marks its 20th annual foray into delighting local family audiences, including sensory-friendly performances for children on the autism spectrum and their families as well as other families with special needs. Dr. Seuss Enterprises places a high value on these long-standing relationships with the Globe and CTC to bring works to the stage that respect and honor our young people’s intelligence. This work is important, and we are thrilled to have great partnerships with The Old Globe, CTC, and The Old Vic in London, who share this vision.”
“Having Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax at The Old Globe is exciting in a slew of ways, but two stand out,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “First, the story itself is charming, fun, and timely, and this theatrical adaptation of it is just a thrill to watch. It’s a sophisticated, grown-up telling of a masterful tale for young people, a charming and winning piece of theatre that truly offers something for everyone. The second wonderful thing about The Lorax in our season is that it continues our relationship with San Diego’s own Dr. Seuss. This relationship spans two decades in which the Grinch has brought his unique wit and heart to our audiences. Now The Lorax joins him as a member of the Globe family. I can’t wait.”
For more details on the cast and creative team for Dr. Seuss's The Lorax, click here! For more show information on Dr. Seuss's The Lorax, click here!
Photo: The cast of Dr. Seuss's The Lorax at The Old Vic, 2015. Dr. Seuss's The Lorax runs July 3 – August 13, 2018 at The Old Globe. Photo by Manuel Harlan.
Part of NATIONAL JEWISH THEATER FOUNDATION – HOLOCAUST THEATER INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE – REMEMBRANCE READINGS 2017 in Honor of ELIE WIESEL
SAN DIEGO (March 29, 2017)—The Old Globe is proud to participate in the National Jewish Theater Foundation – Holocaust Theater International Initiative – Remembrance Readings 2017 in Honor of Elie Wiesel. The Globe will present a reading of Anda’s Love by Joshua Sobol, directed by The Old Globe Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, featuring Globe favorites Tovah Feldshuh (Golda’s Balcony) and Natacha Roi (The Winter’s Tale), with Talley Beth Gale (M.F.A. student in The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program) reading stage directions. Translated from the Hebrew by Roland Rees and Sobol, adapted for American audiences by Edelstein, the reading will take place on Monday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m., on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Tickets are currently available for subscribers and donors, on sale to the general public on Tuesday, April 11 at 12:00 noon, and are $15.00 for the general public and $10.00 for subscribers, donors, students, and groups. 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.
From Israel’s most prominent living playwright comes the first English-language reading of a moving drama about the ongoing legacy of the Holocaust. 2002: As violence continues to shatter lives in Israel and the Occupied Territories, Petra, a German war correspondent still reeling from a recent tragedy, visits Anda in her Tel Aviv flat. The two strangers talk into the night over coffee and cognac and discover a surprising and deep bond between them, dating back to World War II.
"The Globe is honored to commemorate a tragedy by joining our sister theatres around the country in this special series of Holocaust Remembrance Day Readings," said Globe Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. "We believe that the theatre has a unique ability to help us comprehend events and experiences that defy understanding, and with anti-Semitic and other hate crimes on the rise worldwide, such comprehension is needed more than ever. Joshua Sobol is not only one of the world’s great playwrights, but his is one of the world’s most powerful voices of conscience. It is an honor to have his work on our stage, especially as interpreted by our friends the great Tovah Feldshuh and Natacha Roi. We look forward to sharing Anda’s Love with the community."
National Jewish Theater Foundation – Holocaust Theater International Initiative at University of Miami Miller Center Remembrance Readings is composed of simultaneous events drawing upon the power of theatre to honor Holocaust victims and survivors. This effort will stimulate an appreciation of how the art of theatre can and must be used as a tool to deepen the understanding of the Holocaust and its lessons in contemporary society.
For more details on Anda's Love, click here! To see the calendar, click here!
Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.
SAN DIEGO (March 17, 2017)—The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team of Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau. The Globe is the first regional theatre in the country to mount the play, which was presented here as a reading in the 2014 Powers New Voices Festival before an acclaimed Off Broadway run. San Diego director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg makes her Globe debut to helm the award-winning drama, whichis presented in association with San Diego’s MOXIE Theatre, where Turner Sonnenberg is Founding Artistic Director. Skeleton Crew runs April 8 – May 7, 2017 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Thursday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $29, on sale now, 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.
Times are tough in 2008 Detroit, but there’s still one working auto plant. The long hours and demanding shifts have turned the line workers into a family. The firm, compassionate Faye holds them together, and she’s only months away from retiring with her full pension. But when she discovers that management has a new plan, she’s torn between self-preservation and allegiance to her coworkers. Ben Brantley of The New York Times called Skeleton Crew “a deeply moral and deeply American play ... squarely in the tradition of Arthur Miller.”
The cast is led by Tonye Patano (Globe’s The Last Goodbye,Craig Noel Award winner for La Jolla Playhouse’s Ruined, “Weeds”) as Faye and also includes Amari Cheatom (On the Levee at Lincoln Center Theater, Django Unchained) as Dez, Brian Marable (Morisseau’s Detroit ’67 at Baltimore Center Stage and Detroit Public Theatre) as Reggie, and Rachel Nicks (The Good Negro at The Public Theater, War at LCT3, “Nurse Jackie”) as Shanita.
The creative team includes Tim Mackabee (Scenic Design), Jennifer Brawn Gittings (Costume Design), Sherrice Mojgani (Lighting Design), Lindsay Jones (Sound Design), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Peter Van Dyke (Production Stage Manager).
“Skeleton Crew knocked me out when I heard it in our reading festival in 2014, and I knew our audience needed the chance to see a full production,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Dominique Morisseau’s play is a remarkable achievement. Rich with complex moral questions and full of joy and vibrancy, it celebrates working Americans even as it brings enormous compassion to the struggles they face in a changed economy. It could not be more timely, and in the inventive and highly imaginative hands of Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, it is sure to be a highlight of the Globe’s season.”
For more details on the cast and creative team for Skeleton Crew, click here! For tickets to Skeleton Crew, click here!
Clockwise from top left: Amari Cheatom, Brian Marable, Tonye Patano, and Rachel Nicks. Photos courtesy of The Old Globe.
