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The Old Globe to Resume Live, In-Person Holiday Performances This Year with the 24th Annual Production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! November 3 – December 31 and the Return of the Dickens Mash-Up and Music-Filled Comedy Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show November 19 – December 26
SAN DIEGO (July 14, 2021) — The Old Globe announced today it will resume live and in-person holiday programming this year with the Globe’s productions of the 24th annual Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and the return of the Dickens mash-up and music-filled comedy Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show. After a pause in the onstage production caused by the pandemic, San Diegans can resume attending the yuletide theatre tradition of The Grinch from November 3 to December 31, with the official opening night on November 7, and Scrooge from November 19 to December 26, with the official opening night on November 23. The cast, creative team, and ticket on-sale date for both productions will be announced at a later date.
“As San Diego continues to glimpse our post-pandemic life, the Globe is happy to announce one more contribution to the new normal: the return of our fabulous holiday programming,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “The 24th year of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!will once again celebrate the spirit of community and togetherness, a spirit that has made this show such a central part of the holidays in our city. And the return of Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show will again bring laughter and kindness to the fore at a moment when both could not be more needed. All of us at the Globe are thrilled to be back in action, and excited to share these beautiful works of theatre with our city.”
For the full press release, click here! For the press page on the Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, click here! For the press page on the Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show, click here!
Photo: Tommy Martinez as Young Max, Edward Watts as The Grinch, and John Treacy Egan as Old Max. Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, book and lyrics by Timothy Mason, music by Mel Marvin, original production conceived and directed by Jack O'Brien, original choreography by John DeLuca, and directed by James Vásquez, 2019. Photo by Jim Cox.
SAN DIEGO (July 6, 2021) — The Old Globe continues its outdoor summer offerings as Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein directs and hosts Thinking Shakespeare LOVE!, a celebration of love in the plays, poems, and songs of Shakespeare. Edelstein will host an evening of excerpts all about the crazy, wonderful, intoxicating spirit of love that suffuses the Bard’s works. Performances will play for two nights only on July 16 and 17 at The Old Globe’s outdoor venue, the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.
Thinking Shakespeare LOVE! will be performed live by the 2021 graduates of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. The cast features Christopher Cruz, Lily Davis, Christopher M. Ramirez, Klarissa Marie Robles, Claire Simba, Joz Vammer, and Jonathan Aaron Wilson. These seven talented, hardworking, and resilient graduates have attended online classes for 15 months of a two-year graduate program. Rehearsals begin today in person with Edelstein and will culminate with an onstage performance of Thinking Shakespeare LOVE! in front of a live audience.
“Shakespeare helped me get through the pandemic, and I owe him a debt of gratitude,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Celebrating his beguiling, beautiful love poetry and the current of love that sweeps through his plays seems a wonderful way to thank him. Also, to continue my Thinking Shakespeare series in this way gives me a chance to thank the class of brilliant actors graduating from The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program for their resilience and optimism over the past 15 months. They will brighten our Festival stage with their abundant talent and make a memorable evening of romance, language, and song, and I look forward to sharing it with our audience.”
Thinking Shakespeare LOVE! will play in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre at The Old Globe in San Diego’s Balboa Park (1363 Old Globe Way). The performance schedule isFriday, July 16 at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 17 at 8:00 p.m. only. Tickets are available at www.TheOldGlobe.org or by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623). Tickets prices start at $20.00.
Thinking Shakespeare LOVE! is supported by Elaine and Dave Darwin.
Major underwriting of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program at The Old Globe is provided by Darlene Marcos Shiley.
Financial support for The Old Globe is provided by The City of San Diego.
The Theodor and Audrey Geisel Fund provides leadership support for The Old Globe’s year-round activities.
For the full press release, click here! For tickets to Thinking Shakespeare LOVE!, click here! For bios and headshots, click here!
SAN DIEGO (June 23, 2021)—The Old Globe is back and ready to party! Celebrate is the theme of the 2021 Globe Gala, held on Saturday, September 25 in support of the theatre’s arts engagement and artistic programs and in salute of all the generous philanthropists who have supported the Globe during its 15 months of closure. Globe Board members Jennifer Greenfield and Sheryl White serve as Co-Chairs, and Darlene Marcos Shiley is the Honorary Gala Chair.
The can’t-miss black-tie event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails by Snake Oil Cocktail Company and hors d’oeuvres on the Globe’s Copley Plaza. At 7:30, guests will be treated to a musical performance by Tony Award–nominated Broadway star Joshua Henry (Carousel, The Scottsboro Boys, the U.S. tour of Hamilton) in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. After the performance, guests will enjoy dinner catered by the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine and dancing to the music of the Cowling Band.
The Old Globe believes that theatre matters, and our commitment is to make it matter to more people. Your attendance at the 2021 Globe Gala will support a vibrant, nationally renowned theatre dedicated to serving the public good through thrilling productions of great classics, provocative new works, and exciting musicals. The Globe reopens this summer with an array of in-person and virtual programming, including the fabulous rock musical Hair, opening in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre on August 15. Our remarkable arts engagement programs are redefining how a professional not-for-profit theatre transforms lives across the community it serves. These programs serve 40,000 children, families, and individuals, ranging from students in Title I schools to homeless communities, from military service members and veterans to incarcerated populations. Help us make theatre matter to more San Diegans—that’s a reason to celebrate!
The 2021 Gala Committee includes Board members Terry Atkinson, Eleanor Y. Charlton, Susan Hoehn, Sandra Redman, and Margarita Wilkinson.
Tickets are $800 (regular seating) and $1,000 (VIP seating) each and include the reception, performance, dinner, and dancing. Tables of 10 are available starting at $8,000. Underwriting levels, which include tickets for the Gala, begin at $5,000 per couple. Valet parking is included in the price of the ticket. See the full list of underwriting and sponsorship opportunities by clicking here. To underwrite or to purchase a table or individual tickets, contact Events Director Haley Meyer at (619) 684-4146 or hmeyer@TheOldGlobe.org.
Our generous vendors include Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, which will cater the elegant four-course dinner and provide dinner wines; Snake Oil Cocktail Company, which will provide specialty cocktails; Katrina O’Donnell from The Sassy Bucket, who will provide lush florals; and the Cowling Band, which will get everyone up on the dance floor. Guests will be captured in photos by Douglas Gates of Gates Photography and Melissa Jacobs; Ace Parking will valet; APR Fine Linen Rentals will provide linens, chargers, specialty tables, and chairs; FourFin Creative is creating the Gala’s graphic design; Trevor Norton and CleverCo will set the scene with lighting and set design; and SEAS will enhance the mood with lighting and sound.
For the full press release, click here! For the press page on the 2021 Globe Gala, click here! For more on the 2021 Globe Gala, click here!
SAN DIEGO, CA (June 11, 2021) – The Old Globe, which reopened earlier this month to live performances after a 14-month shutdown, will present their summer 2021 outdoor concert series AN EVENING WITH… in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. The series will feature the return of Solea Pfeiffer (the Globe’s Almost Famous, national tour of Hamilton), Tony Award nominee Carmen Cusack (Bright Star at the Globe and on Broadway, Broadway’s upcoming Flying Over Sunset), and Eden Espinosa (the Globe’s Rain, Broadway’s Wicked and Rent) to the Globe. These critically acclaimed artists will perform the best of Broadway show tunes and delight audiences with classic and contemporary songs for an extraordinary San Diego experience under the stars.
“The Globe is reopening with the work of three of the great voices in the contemporary American musical theatre, and that’s a huge happiness,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Carmen Cusack, Eden Espinosa, and Solea Pfeiffer are thrilling talents gifted not only with rich and dynamic musicianship but also with emotional reserves that turn songs into deeply engaging human experiences. Each has led world premiere musicals at the Globe, and so our audiences will have the chance to visit with old friends even as they celebrate this new chapter in our post-pandemic world with the talent, professionalism, and charisma that have always been the hallmark of this theatre. I’m grateful to all three of these true stars, and I can’t wait to enjoy the special evenings they are bringing to San Diego.”
Financial support for The Old Globe is provided by The City of San Diego.
The Theodor and Audrey Geisel Fund provides leadership support for The Old Globe’s year-round activities.
For the full press release, click here! For tickets to the outdoor concert series, click here! For bios and headshots, click here!
SAN DIEGO (May 28, 2021)—The Old Globe today announced plans for the long-awaited full reopening of its three theatres in Balboa Park. Audiences will be able to once again gather in the Globe’s outdoor theatre starting June 4 and in the two indoor theatres in September. A full lineup of virtual and in-person theatre, boasting five world premieres, offers something for everyone, from musicals, Shakespeare, and new plays to movies, cabarets, family events, immersive storytelling, and more. This slate of programming, telling stories that range across many cultures and created by a diverse group of major talents, is part of the Globe’s ongoing commitment to make theatre matter to more people, especially now as San Diego begins to return to public spaces and this art form we deeply love.
“With great joy, I’m thrilled to announce The Old Globe is back!” exclaimed Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “We celebrate our return to live performance by thanking the generous San Diego community, which supported us so fulsomely over the past 14 months, by acknowledging the artists, staff, and craftspeople who worked so hard to keep the theatre’s lights on in a dark time, and by remembering the real pain and loss experienced by so many as the pandemic raged on. Our reopening lineup is characterized by all the richness and vitality that audiences have come to expect from the Globe. There’s comedy, drama, and music, classic work and world premieres, and a wide range of theatrical forms, all created by our country’s very finest artists. There’s a deep sense of engagement with our many community constituencies. And there’s a renewed passion behind our commitments to social justice, representation, inclusion, and belonging. The post-COVID Globe is energized, excited, and excellent. It’s also healthy and safe, following all the latest public health guidelines. I cannot wait to see audiences in our venues again, and I am honored to welcome them with a truly sterling slate of programming. See you soon, San Diego!”
The health and safety of all audiences, artists, and staff is the highest priority for The Old Globe. Prior to June 15, seating for all Globe events will be socially distanced regardless of vaccination status. Currently, all patrons, whether they are vaccinated or not, must wear a mask at all times while on The Old Globe’s plaza or in our venues. Masks must cover both your nose and mouth. Gaiters, bandanas, and coverings with exhalation vents are not permitted. A face shield will still require a face mask. For the safety of everyone, guests unable to wear proper face masks will not be admitted onto our plaza or into our venues. You may lower your mask when consuming a beverage or food, but you will be required to put it back on when you are not actively drinking or eating.
For performances and events starting June 15, please visit The Old Globe’s website, which will be updated regularly as we continue to monitor and follow the latest health guidelines from State of California and San Diego County public health officials.
For the full press release, click here! For more bios, headshots, and more details on each event, click here!
For more information and updates on our new programs, click here! To follow The Old Globe on Facebook, click here! To follow The Old Globe Arts Engagement on Facebook, click here!
SAN DIEGO (May 26, 2021)—The Old Globe’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein today announced the appointments of Lamar Perry and Kim Montelibano Heil as Associate Producers. These new positions will be central to the Globe’s artistic producing operation. Heil returns to the Globe, where she previously worked in the Artistic Department and then served as Education Programs Manager, and she joins the recently promoted Perry, who has been at the Globe since 2018. Perry will produce a number of upcoming projects, both digital and live, even as he continues his work in new play development and outreach to Globe-affiliated playwrights and artists around the country. Heil will also produce and support additional sets of shows at the Globe. These appointments will result in a powerful and effective new approach to the way the Globe shepherds artistic work through every phase of the production process across all platforms. Perry has begun work in this new capacity, and Heil will begin on June 1.
”As the Globe resumes live performance, we’ve been examining our internal systems and processes so we can strengthen every aspect of the way we do things,” said Edelstein. “Promoting Lamar to Associate Producer and bringing Kim back to the Globe in that position makes huge sense and will greatly enhance our capacity and our support of the artists who work here. Lamar is a gracious and warm presence, a deep thinker, a resourceful problem solver, and a voice of conscience in our ongoing social justice work. Kim is a leading figure in our local theatre scene and will bring a range of skill sets and a rich sensibility to our artistic operations. I’m proud and pleased to have these talented and passionate theatre makers in key positions at our theatre. They make the Globe better.”
Perry said, “During this moment of shutdown, I’ve committed to using the language of ‘inviting folks to imagination’ as we consider the future of the American theatre, one that exists outside of the harm and violence that our traditional systems have caused. I’m grateful to be surrounded by a team here at The Old Globe that has made space for me to be both unapologetically Black and queer while aiding in our collective reimagination, and I’m honored to accept this promotion to Associate Producer.”
“I’m thrilled to return to The Old Globe, where I began my San Diego theatre career back in 2004,” said Heil. “The Globe has long been an artistic home, where I grew as a theatre worker and was inspired by mentors like Craig Noel, Jack O’Brien, and Jerry Patch. It’s my honor to join the Globe family once again as Associate Producer, and I look forward to collaborating with Barry Edelstein and his incredible staff to make important and transformative theatre for San Diego.”
For the full press release, click here!
SAN DIEGO (May 6, 2021)—The Old Globe today announced the release of its latest podcast, Cocktails with the Canon, an interview-based series hosted by colleagues and friends, the Globe’s Literary Manager and Dramaturg Danielle Mages Amato and Artistic Associate Lamar Perry. Through a series of informal but hard-hitting conversations, Amato and Perry will take audiences on a journey that investigates the “traditional” Western dramatic canon, along with the writers, groups, identities, and aesthetics that have historically been excluded. Over the course of the season, they will welcome to the podcast an acclaimed group of American playwrights to reflect on the forces that have historically shaped—and continue to shape—the American theatrical canon, and to discuss the works they consider canonical within their own communities. The hosts and guests will also dive into personal stories and share their dreams and action plans for the future of the American theatre. Ultimately the podcast hopes to ask the question: how can we expand the canon and create access for all? Listeners will walk away from Cocktails with the Canon feeling like they’ve just left a night at the theatre and a gathering with their community over drinks and food. Cheers!
Cocktails with the Canonwill premiere on Thursday, May 13, and new episodes will become available bi-weekly on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Music, and Podbean. The trailer is currently available and can be streamed and downloaded at those links.
The first episode will feature playwright Lauren Yee, and the podcast will continue with playwrights Dave Harris, Donja R. Love, Ryan Victor Pierce or “Opalanietet”, Whitney White, and Karen Zacarías. Each interview is curated in collaboration with the episode’s playwright to ensure that safe space is facilitated for open and honest conversation that is not a monolithic representation of the various communities and identities these artists hold.
“Even as we look forward to our return to live theatre production, the Globe continues to provide virtual and digital programming in many forms, including this dynamic and fascinating new podcast,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Lamar Perry and Danielle Mages Amato have curated a remarkable series of conversations with some of the most provocative thinkers in the American theatre, and the ideas that ping through this podcast express some very big themes about who the American theatre is for, what work stands center stage, and how rich voices that have been excluded need to be heard loudly. Lamar and Danielle lead this exploration with all the wit, humor, and insight that make them central to the Globe’s artistic life, and to the field at large. I raise my glass to them and their guests, and urge Globe audiences to listen in.”
“This podcast, and the conversations we’ve been having with artists about the idea of ‘canon’ in the theatre right now, have been so powerful and transformative for me,” said Literary Manager and Dramaturg Danielle Mages Amato. “I’m excited to welcome audiences to join us at this table where we’re gathering with friends and colleagues for a series of fun, relevant, eye-opening, necessary, and often challenging conversations about the theatre—where it has been and where we imagine it can go.”
“This series,” said Artistic Associate Lamar Perry, “is an invitation to imagination, something I believe we’re desperately in need of in the American theatre at the moment. I’m particularly mindful of not asking People of the Global Majority to reckon with fixing a system they did not create nor break, but rather to ask: what do you dream of, and who inspired those dreams? No sole person is the proprietor of right when it comes to restorative justice, in my opinion, but I do believe that through collaboration, accountability, and grace we can begin a systemic reimagining. I hope these conversations can contribute to that.”
For the full press release, click here! For more information on Cocktails with the Canon, click here! For bios and headshots of upcoming guest and hosts, click here!
For more information and updates on our new programs, click here! To follow The Old Globe on Facebook, click here! To follow The Old Globe Arts Engagement on Facebook, click here!
SAN DIEGO (March 31, 2021)—The Old Globe is pleased to announce the appointments of four Resident Artists to join the Globe’s artistic staff for a two-year residency. Patricia McGregor (Globe’s What You Are, Globe for All Tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream), David Israel Reynoso (Globe’s The Tempest, Red Velvet, Barefoot in the Park), Delicia Turner Sonnenberg (Globe’s Skeleton Crew, coLAB production of Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley: From Slavery to Modiste), and James Vásquez (Globe’s American Mariachi, Tiny Beautiful Things, Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!) will provide their artistic insights and counsel to Globe leadership. Each of these successful San Diego artists has a celebrated history of collaboration with The Old Globe. The artists will start at the Globe on April 1, 2021.
These four individuals will make a significant impact on the artistic life of The Old Globe as they contribute their voices, artistry, and perspectives to every area of the theatre’s artistic operations. They will be involved in the process of how plays are selected for production, helping to democratize the process of selecting plays and to center BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) works and artists in the life of The Old Globe. Resident Artists will attend Globe artistic staff meetings; read plays under consideration and share their opinions of them; weigh in on creative teams being assembled for productions that are under serious consideration; offer ideas for additional material to consider in the Globe’s programming; and introduce playwrights, directors, and designers to the Globe; and they are invited to submit projects on which they are primary creatives.
“It gives me enormous pleasure to welcome these four extraordinary artists into the very center of the Globe’s artistic life,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Patricia, Delicia, James, and David are already important figures at this theatre, and their superb work has graced our stages many times. But now they will help me and the Globe’s artistic staff set our future course. In particular they will help us honor the commitments we’ve published in our Social Justice Roadmap, aimed at making the Globe and its work more inclusive, equitable, and accessible to San Diego’s—and the nation’s—BIPOC theatre makers. I know that they will enrich the Globe immeasurably. Their arrival here is an important moment, and I look forward to celebrating them in an ongoing partnership, collaboration, and, above all, friendship.”
The Old Globe’s Resident Artist Program was made possible in part by Theatre Forward and the Bank of America ACTivate Awards.
Financial support for The Old Globe is provided by The City of San Diego.
The Theodor and Audrey Geisel Fund provides leadership support for The Old Globe’s year-round activities.
For the full press release, click here! For complete bios and headshots for the Resident Artists, click here! For more information and updates on our new online theatre programs, click here!
SAN DIEGO (March 16, 2021)—The Old Globe is proud to announce it has earned the highest ratings from two independent organizations that evaluate not-for-profit charities for financial health, accountability, and transparency. The Globe has received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator as well as the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. These ratings are an assurance that gifts made to The Old Globe are put to maximum use to create artistic and arts engagement opportunities that enrich lives in communities across San Diego County. Our loyal family of donors can be confident that their vital contributions will help The Old Globe make theatre matter to more people.
Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities, uses ratings to provide clear, objective, and reliable assessments of both the financial health and the accountability and transparency of charities. The Old Globe’s four-star rating indicates that the organization “exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in our cause,” and shows donors “how efficiently [the Globe] will use their support today, how well it has sustained its programs and services over time, and their level of commitment to good governance, best practices, and openness with information.” By utilizing Charity Navigator ratings, donors can learn how a not-for-profit like the Globe compares with 160,000 charities throughout the country. To view The Old Globe’s profile on Charity Navigator, click here.
GuideStar is the world's first and largest source of not-for-profit information, with data on 2.4 million current and formerly IRS-recognized not-for-profits. To reach the Platinum level, The Old Globe was required to provide “in-depth financial information; qualitative information about goals, strategies, and capabilities; and quantitative information about results and progress toward our mission.” By taking the time to provide this information, the Globe has “demonstrated its commitment to transparency and to giving donors and funders meaningful data to evaluate the organization.” To view The Old Globe’s profile on GuideStar, click here.
“The Old Globe is pleased that these two services have placed us among the very highest-rated charities in the region and in the nation,” said The Old Globe’s Audrey S. Geisel Managing Director Timothy Shields. “This recognition serves to assure donors that their contributions are appropriately used by the Globe in pursuit of our mission to serve the public good throughout our community.”
For the full press release, click here!
For more information and updates on our new programs, click here! To follow The Old Globe on Facebook, click here! To follow The Old Globe Arts Engagement on Facebook, click here!
SAN DIEGO (March 8, 2021)— The Old Globe is proud to announce the return of Globe Learning, our professional development program for theatre practitioners. Due to COVID-19, Globe Learning was placed on hiatus for the 2020 season. As it makes its return for 2021, the program will now offer free-of-charge professional development opportunities to theatre practitioners and educators in the San Diego area.
“To once again offer Globe Learning makes us feel excited and like we are getting closer to meeting in person,” stated Associate Artistic Director and Director of Arts Engagement Freedome Bradley-Ballentine. “The best way to create a talented local artist pool is to support the artists in our community through jobs and professional development. Globe Learning benefits artists by providing tools, sharpening skills, and offering communities a venue to connect and network. I want to highlight that Globe Learning is also consistent with the commitments to equity and inclusion articulated in our Social Justice Roadmap, so we are making this program as widely accessible as possible.”
Globe Learning provides professional development opportunities for our local theatre community of actors, directors, teaching artists, and educators, connecting them with visiting artists from our season, strengthening the community network of theatre makers, and supporting and advancing participant skills in theatre making, engagement, and performance.
Join us for these workshops, where you will learn from experts in the field, connect with colleagues, and gain practical knowledge to expand your theatre-making skills, all in a shared virtual space. All of these events are free and will be privately hosted on Zoom. Participants must register through our website www.theoldglobe.org/arts-engagement/globe-learning. Class size is limited.
These professional-development workshops are supported by The Ann Davies Fund for Teaching Artists, The James Irvine Foundation, and Qualcomm. Digital programs at The Old Globe are supported by the Peggy and Robert Matthews Foundation.
Financial support for The Old Globe is provided by The City of San Diego.
The Theodor and Audrey Geisel Fund provides leadership support for The Old Globe’s year-round activities.
For the full press release, click here! For more information on Globe Learning, click here! For more information and updates on our new online theatre programs, click here!
SAN DIEGO (March 4, 2021)—The Old Globe is pleased to announce the four-member cohort for the 2021 Classical Directing Fellowship, a program of the Karen and Stuart Tanz Fellowships at The Old Globe, led by the Globe’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, a leading Shakespearean teacher, author, and director. Meg DeBoard (assistant directed at the Globe; M.F.A. from University of Essex; Spring Awakening and Failure: A Love Story in San Diego), Yolanda Marie Franklin (Executive Artistic Director of Common Ground Theatre; Craig Noel Award winner for The Ballad of Emmett Till), Awoye Timpo (The Public Theater’s The Loophole, Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play), and Edward Torres (the Globe’s Familiar, Native Gardens, Water by the Spoonful; world premiere of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity) will participate in the second edition of Shakespeare directing workshops. This year’s workshop will be held virtually from Monday, March 8 to Friday, March 12, 2021. Bios for Edelstein and the four participating directors can be found at www.TheOldGlobe.org/Press-Room.
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 is in pursuit of 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 requires 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 help 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 help form the future of classical theatre in America.
The fellowship focuses on Shakespeare’s text, how it is put together, and how it works in the imaginations and voices of American actors. In these seminars, Edelstein will present a series of techniques that the fellows will then employ in online rehearsals with a company of professional actors. The work will culminate in a private online presentation on Friday. After that, all involved will debrief and broaden the conversation to larger questions about Shakespeare, American culture, and the director’s art and life. Throughout the week, in addition to the artistic work, fellows will meet with members of the Globe’s staff in many departments to deepen knowledge of how a classically oriented theatre brings plays to life.
“COVID-19 forced us to postpone our Classical Directing Fellowship last year, and I am truly delighted that we’ve found a way to gather these four talented directors virtually and resume this exciting work,” said Barry Edelstein. “The Globe’s work on Shakespeare is central, as is our commitment to artist training, and this intensive week’s deep dive into Shakespeare’s text and how it works combines both. Meg, Yolanda, Awoye, and Eddie are deeply gifted, and I know our week together will be full of discovery, growth, and great art.”
This Classical Directing Fellowship continues to broaden our professional artist-training work, which initially centered on The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, which focuses on actors. The 2019 fellowship pilot program cohort included four diverse directors from San Diego and across the U.S.: Daniel Jáquez, Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, Sam White, and LA Williams.
Thanks to the generosity of Karen and Stuart Tanz, who have made a significant 10-year pledge to the annual fund of The Old Globe, the program is part of the Karen and Stuart Tanz Fellowships at The Old Globe.
Financial support for The Old Globe is provided by The City of San Diego.
The Theodor and Audrey Geisel Fund provides leadership support for The Old Globe’s year-round activities.
For the full press release, click here! For the 2021 Classical Directing Fellowship press page, click here! For more information and updates on our new programs, click here! To follow The Old Globe on Facebook, click here! To follow The Old Globe Arts Engagement on Facebook, click here!
Photo: 2021 Classical Directing Fellowship Participants.
SAN DIEGO (February 19, 2021)—The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for Hamlet: On the Radio, in a partnership with KPBS. The Globe’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein is transforming his smash-hit 2017 production of William Shakespeare’s exhilarating tragedy into an audio-only revival. The 2017 production at the Globe was the most successful in the theatre’s history, and all of the principal cast members return to voice their roles in one of the greatest plays ever written. Many of the ensemble also return, along with two new cast members, to round out the company.
Hamlet: On the Radio will air in two parts. The first pairing will premiereon KPBS 89.5 FM on Shakespeare’s birthday, Friday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m. with the second half airing on Saturday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m. Additional airings are scheduled on Sunday, May 2 at 2:00 p.m. (both parts airing consecutively); Friday, June 18 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, June 19 at 7:00 p.m. (one part each day); and Sunday, June 27 at 2:00 p.m. (both parts airing consecutively). All times are Pacific Standard Time (PT). The performance can be heard for free on KPBS Radio 89.5 FM, on the KPBS app and website, and on smart speakers.
On Monday, June 28, after the KPBS broadcasts, the audio production will be available to stream on the Globe’s YouTube channel as well as through the theatre’s Spotify and Apple podcast channels.
Hamlet tells the story of the young Prince of Denmark, who comes home from college to find his father dead, his mother remarried to his uncle, and a spine-chilling apparition roaming the palace grounds. It’s a revenge thriller, ghost story, psychological drama, political epic, and family saga, all packed in one, with unforgettable characters, theatrical masterstrokes, and world-famous lines. This new radio production of the Bard’s masterpiece will transport you straight to Denmark’s haunted Elsinore castle with a cast featuring some of the nation’s finest classical actors.
“It’s a joy to be creating art during this agonizing shutdown that’s hit us all so hard, and it’s a special privilege that the work the Globe is making centers on this astonishing play,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Grantham Coleman and the cast of our hugely successful 2017 production are in top form, and the radio medium allows them to work with an intimacy and spontaneity that’s truly thrilling. We’re grateful to our friends at KPBS for continuing our fruitful collaboration, and we’re pleased to surround the production with a dazzling range of additional programming that offers context, insights, and imaginative connections with Shakespeare and his masterpiece.”
For the full press release, click here! For more information on Hamlet: On the Radio, click here! For more information and updates on our new online theatre programs, click here!
SAN DIEGO (January 19, 2021)—As the world catches glimpses of a return to normalcy and dares to imagine a time when we can once again gather together in our theatre spaces, The Old Globe will produce a hybrid of digital and in-person offerings that encompasses a broad range of thrilling theatre created by a diverse group of major talents. The Globe’s upcoming offerings will include three world premieres (two of which are Globe-commissioned); the return of Shakespeare online, on the radio, and in our outdoor theatre; and two revivals of American classics. Additionally the Globe will continue its popular online Arts Engagement TV programs and will move online for the eighth edition of the Powers New Voices Festival and the Globe’s Classical Directing Fellowship.
“Amid continuing uncertainty, the Globe is redoubling its commitment to making theatre that matters and to serving our community with work in a striking range of forms,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Across many virtual platforms and then, when it’s safe, in person, we’re readying one of the most exciting lineups we’ve ever offered, full of local and national talent at the highest level, and rising to the challenges of this moment to create theatre that’s powerful, moving, and entertaining. Shakespeare enjoys pride of place, but alongside him are thrilling artists of this moment whose voices resonate with the cultural breadth and richness of our region. Taken together, this lineup expresses all the accomplishment and dynamism audiences have come to expect from theatre at the Globe. Our energies are pointed toward that happy day when we will reopen our doors and light our stages even more brilliantly. Until then I’m hugely proud to share this bounty of work, especially in these trying times, and certain that there’ll be more wonderful projects to announce as the months pass.”
For the full press release, click here! For more information and updates on our new programs, click here! To follow The Old Globe on Facebook, click here! To follow The Old Globe Arts Engagement on Facebook, click here!
Photo: Hamlet: On the Radio: Grantham Coleman in the title role of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, directed by Barry Edelstein, 2017. Photo by Jim Cox.
SAN DIEGO (December 2, 2020)—The Old Globe announced today new holiday-specific online programming to add to our free ongoing online offerings. Our regular online programs will join in the holiday spirit with special season finale episodes featuring amazing guests and holiday cheer.
“Wow, what a year! This was a year like no other! A year none of us will ever forget,” reflected Associate Artistic Director and Director of Arts Engagement Freedome Bradley-Ballentine. “We want to end it with offerings that celebrate our resiliency and bring us together. If you haven’t had an opportunity to join us, now would be a great time to take part in these fun events. We look forward with cheer to saying goodbye to 2020, and we invite old and new friends to our special season-ending programs!”
Gather Round! is a short-form limited podcast series, co-hosted by Artistic Associate Lamar Perry and Arts Engagement Programs Manager Laura Zablit, that celebrates the holiday traditions and rituals of various San Diego communities during the winter season. Told through conversations with community partners who recall their childhoods, favorite recipes, and the rich history of their lives, Gather Round! makes space for partners to share their stories authentically and in their own languages. Audience members are guided through Christmas, Eid, Hanukkah, and many others as Lamar and Laura offer some light and laughs to the San Diego community.
Gather Round! will be available December 2020 through January 2021 every two weeks on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. More details coming soon!
The Poet’s Tree will end this fall season on Tuesday, December 15 at 5:30 p.m. PT with a holiday special! Stay tuned to our social media channels and website for more details.
The last episode of Word Up!, on Friday, December 18 at 6:00 p.m. PT, will feature Associate Director of Arts Engagement Katie H., a mystery Santa, and past guests from our entire year of digital programming. For this jolly episode, the audience is invited to collaborate in real time to help Katie complete her holiday-inspired play.
As previously announced, our Sensory-Friendly Holiday AXIS event, held for a second consecutive year, is happening online on Sunday, December 20 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PT and will be hosted by Inclusion Specialist Samantha Ginn and Reid Moriarty from Jungle Poppins. This final AXIS event of the year will feature a musical performance from Jungle Poppins; an interactive Grinch-y craft; and the premiere presentation of an original script written and developed by participants in the Globe’s neurodiverse Community Voices workshop.
The finale of the second season of Reflecting Shakespeare TV will end with a holiday offering on Monday, December 21 at 6:30 p.m. PT featuring Teaching Artists from The Old Globe Arts Engagement Department reflecting on the spirit of the holiday season with the help of the Bard and some very special guests.
For the full press release, click here! For more information and updates on our new online theatre programs, click here! To follow The Old Globe on Facebook, click here! To follow The Old Globe Arts Engagement on Facebook, click here!
(San Diego, March 12, 2020)—Following guidelines released last night by Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health in response to the increasing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19, The Old Globe has announced that it will suspend public performances effective immediately, and, per the guidelines, at least through the end of March.
Two productions now in rehearsal, Little Women and Faceless, will be postponed until further notice.
Further, all community-based programming run by the Globe’s Department of Arts Engagement in partnership with neighborhood non-profit and other organizations will be temporarily suspended, or, where possible, conducted online. And The Old Globe Classical Directing Fellowship, scheduled for next week, will be rescheduled for later this year.
As all other Globe operations continue uninterrupted, we maintain and augment mitigation and containment strategies as recommended by the CDC and WHO, and as directed by all relevant public authorities.
Revised policies regarding ticketing for all subscribers and single ticket buyers will be released in due course.
“The Globe’s commitment to the health and safety of our audiences and artists is paramount, and though these steps are difficult and painful, we are glad to take them,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “We are grateful to Governor Newsom for the clarity of these public health guidelines. The productions whose schedules are affected are extraordinary pieces of theatre, and as this anxious situation unfolds, we will seek ways to be able to share them with our audiences, albeit slightly later than planned. We are grateful to all the artists and craftspeople who are impacted by these upheavals in their professional schedules. They have been flexible and positive, as have our arts engagement community partners, and the directors in our Fellowship. The Old Globe has approached the unfolding coronavirus situation with seriousness and care, and we have not made these decisions lightly. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we wish to assure our supporters and all of San Diego that we will institute every possible measure to ensure the continuing health not only of our many constituencies, but also of this institution.”
