THE OLD GLOBE AND UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO SHILEY GRADUATE THEATRE PROGRAM PRESENTS SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO AND JULIET

Saturday, November 11 – Sunday, November 19 at The Old Globe

SAN DIEGO (October 18, 2017)—The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program presentation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Directed by San Diego favorite and Globe veteran Delicia Turner Sonnenberg (Skeleton Crew), the classic romantic tragedy will run November 11 – November 19, 2017 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Saturday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to Romeo and Juliet are now on sale and can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office.

The Montague and Capulet families are at war. When Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet by chance, the two lovers defy their entire world to be together. Acclaimed San Diego director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg’s audacious modern production goes beyond sentimental stereotypes to reveal the raw and powerful love story that ignites an inferno in a dangerously divided community.

“The Old Globe and USD Shiley Graduate Theatre Program is one of our country’s leading professional actor training conservatories, and I’m as proud of the work the Globe does in nurturing the next generation of American actors as I am of anything else in this institution’s life,” said Old Globe Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “First-rate talent thrives in this program, talent that will shape American entertainment in the future. In Romeo and Juliet, a Shakespearean favorite, that talent will be on dazzling display, as will the directing skill of our good friend Delicia Turner Sonnenberg. I look forward to sharing this glimpse of our best emerging talent with San Diego’s audiences.”

The cast features Carlos Angel-Barajas (Benvolio, First Watchman), Samuel Max Avishay (Prince, Chorus), Yadira Correa (Lady Capulet), Daniel Ian Joeck (Capulet), Jose Martinez (Romeo), Renard Charles Pringle Jr. (Friar Lawrence, Montague Servant, Masker), Larica Schnell (Juliet), Jersten Seraile (Gregory, Paris), Samantha Sutliff (Nurse, Sampson, Second Watchman), Morgan Taylor (Tybalt, Apothecary, Third Watchman), Wenona Truong (Lady Montague, Party Guest, Balthasar, Friar John), Jared Van Heel (Montague, Servant, Peter), and Eric Weiman (Mercutio, Abram, Page).

Thecreative team includes Brian Redfern (Scenic Design), Elisa Benzoni (Costume Design), Sherrice Mojgani (Lighting Design), Melanie Chen Cole (Sound Design), Jan Gist (Vocal Coach), Brian Byrnes (Movement Coach), Amanda Peñaloza-Banks (Choreographer), Abraham Stoll (Dramaturg), and Nicole Ries (Production Stage Manager).

A joint venture of The Old Globe and the University of San Diego, the master of fine arts in acting program nationally recruits seven students each year to participate in an intensive two-year, year-round course of graduate study in classical theatre. Private funding for the program has been contributed through a generous endowment established by Donald and Darlene Shiley. Additional support for the program is provided by The Dorothy Brown Endowment Fund and the Louis Yager Cantwell Foundation. Financial support is provided by The City of San Diego. For additional information, visit www.globemfa.org.

For more details on the cast of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program's Romeo and Juliet, click here! For more information on The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program's Romeo and Juliet, click here!

Artwork courtesy of The Old Globe.

Casting Is Announced as GLOBE FOR ALL Brings Free Shakespeare into the San Diego Community with the Delightful Romantic Comedy TWELFTH NIGHT, OCTOBER 31 Through NOVEMBER 19, 2017, Directed by JERRY RUIZ, with a Cross-Cultural Twist!

Your Coverage Is Invited ~ Join Us at One of the Available Community Venues!

The GLOBE FOR ALL TOUR, Presented at 17 Community Partner Venues, Culminates with Low-Cost Public Performances on Sunday, November 19 in the Globe’s Rehearsal Spaces in Balboa Park’s Historic House of Charm

SAN DIEGO (September 26, 2017)—The Old Globe invites your participation and coverage as Globe for All celebrates four years of making theatre matter to more people! This talented company of professional actors will tour Shakespeare’s beloved comedy Twelfth Night throughout San Diego County to a wide variety of economically, geographically, and culturally diverse communities. The free Globe for All Tour begins Tuesday, October 31 and will visit 17 community partner venues new and old, from Oceanside to the South Bay, from Linda Vista to the Imperial Valley. Director Jerry Ruiz—who has directed premieres at Second Stage, Primary Stages, Rattlestick, Denver Center, Clubbed Thumb, and TheaterWorks—brings a twist: the production integrates words and phrases in Spanish into this complex tale of mistaken identity and true love.

Twelfth Night reimagines Illyria as a sunny, modern-day Southern California getaway for the rich and fabulous and their entourages. Crashing onto this luxurious scene is Viola, a Mexican immigrant who comes into the U.S. via the Pacific, but who is tragically separated from her twin brother Sebastian in the process. Determined to start a new life, she disguises herself as a young man and goes to work for Orsino—who is hopelessly in love with the wealthy heiress Olivia—and quickly falls in love with him herself. As Viola unintentionally gets herself and everyone around her twisted into knots, she addresses the audience in asides and soliloquies in her native tongue, adding a bicultural twist to Shakespeare’s great romantic comedy about people divided from their true selves, in one form or another.

The cast features Amara James Aja* (Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Orsino), Amanda Arbues (Olivia), Lorenzo Landini* (Sebastian, Curio), and Jennifer Paredes (Viola) as the young misguided lovers; as well as Ajinkya Desai* (Malvolio, Officer), Kevin Hafso Koppman*(Feste, Captain), Christina Okolo* (Antonia, Valentine), Suzelle Palacios* (Maria, Priest), and Mike Sears (Sir Toby Belch).
*Indicates a graduate of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program.

The creative staff includes Kristen Flores (Scenic Design), Jaymee Ngernwichit (Costume Design), Ariel Levine (Original Music), and Jess Slocum (Production Stage Manager).

“That Globe for All is in its fourth year is a cause for real celebration,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “This wonderful program shares the glories of The Old Globe, free of charge, with our neighbors throughout the county who may not regularly participate in our programming in Balboa Park, and it helps make theatre matter to their communities. We mark this year with a production of Twelfth Night, one of Shakespeare’s most perfect plays. It has everything: gorgeous poetry, romance, great characters, and comedy that’s fall-down funny. A superb professional cast under the direction of the gifted Jerry Ruiz will charm and delight audiences and continue a conversation between the Globe and San Diego that is enriching, exciting, and fun.”

Community partners new and old will delight at the up-close and personal production. It will be seen at A Reason to Survive; California State Prison, Centinela; Chaldean Middle-Eastern Social Services/San Diego County Library – El Cajon Branch Library; El Corazon Senior Center°; Father Joe’s Villages; Fourth District Senior Resource Center; Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility; Naval Base San Diego; San Diego Military Family Collaborative°/SAY San Diego Serra Real Connections Healthy Start Program; San Diego Rescue Mission; South Bay Community Services/Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood; Veterans Village of San Diego; Lemon Grove Academy/Lemon Grove Historical Society/Lemon Grove Branch Library; and San Diego Public Library branches including the Central Library, City Heights/Weingart Branch Library & Performance Annex, and Otay Mesa-Nestor Branch Library°. The tour will culminate in two low-cost public performances on Sunday, November 19 in the Globe’s Festival Rehearsal Room, part of Balboa Park’s historic House of Charm.
°Indicates new community partner and venue for the 2017 tour.

Each community partner organization is offered a Bard Basics workshop to become familiarized with Twelfth Night. These workshops are designed to enhance the understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare’s work. Taught by professional Globe Teaching Artists, participants are introduced to Shakespeare, his work, and the common themes and ideas of the play. Each Globe for All Tour performance also begins with an introductory pre-show warmup led by Teaching Artists Damon Shearer, Tara Ricasa, Blake McCarty, and James Pillar, and ends with a casual talk-back.

Globe for All presents free professional theatre to diverse, multigenerational audiences in locations around San Diego County, with a cast of nine professional actors and five production staff members. Over the past three years, Globe for All has continued to extend its reach, performing in military bases, homeless shelters, senior and correctional facilities, recreation centers, libraries, and other community venues. It has made theatre matter to more than 4,800 audience members, many of whom, for whatever reason, do not enjoy regular access to the professional performing arts. With production values scaled to non-theatrical venues such as gymnasiums, cafeterias, and multipurpose rooms, the tour gives audiences an intimate, up-close, and visceral experience of live performance and fosters a shared sense of community between performer and spectator.

For more details on the cast of Globe for All's Twelfth Night, click here! For more information on Twelfth Night, click here!

Artwork courtesy of The Old Globe.

Complete Cast and Creative Team Announced for the First Show of THE OLD GLOBE’s 2017–2018 SEASON: WORLD PREMIERE Musical, BENNY & JOON, Directed by JACK CUMMINGS III, Based on the Delightfully Offbeat 1993 MGM Film

Performances Run SEPTEMBER 7 – OCTOBER 22, 2017, with Opening Night on Friday, September 15

SAN DIEGO (August 9, 2017)—The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the first show of its 2017–2018 Season, 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, Benny & Joon is directed by Jack Cummings III, Artistic Director of New York’s Transport Group. It will run September 7 – October 22, 2017, on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Previews run September 7 – 14, with opening night on Friday, September 15 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $36 and go on sale to the general public on Friday, August 18 at 12:00 noon.

Benny & Joon is a delightful world premiere musical based on the beloved offbeat ’90s romantic comedy movie. As Joon’s sole caretaker, auto mechanic Benny makes sure his eccentric sister lives a comfortable, safe, and predictable life. But when Sam shows up, his off-kilter take on the world—full of classic films, Buster Keaton, and an oddball approach to domestic life—turns everything upside down. With unforgettable characters and a beguiling and tuneful score, Benny & Joon explores what happens when we step out of our comfort zones and take a leap toward love.

The cast features Andrew Samonsky (Broadway’s South Pacific, Scandalous)as Benny, Hannah Elless (Bright Star at the Globe and on Broadway) as Joon, and Bryce Pinkham (Tony Award nominee for Broadway’s A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder)as Sam, along with Colin Hanlon (Broadway’s Falsettos, In Transit) as Mike, January LaVoy (Enron on Broadway, Coraline Off Broadway) as Ruthie, Paolo Montalban (Globe’s Allegiance, ABC’s Cinderella with Brandy) as Larry, Natalie Toro (Broadway’s A Tale of Two Cities, Les Misérables) as Dr. Cruz and Mrs. Smail, and Jason SweetTooth Williams (Disney’s Freaky Friday at La Jolla Playhouse) as Waldo and Video Store Owner. Completing the cast as Understudies are San Diego local Katie Whalley Banville (Globe’s A Doll’s House, Playhouse’s Freaky Friday and Escape to Margaritaville) and Jake Millgard (Globe/USD Shiley M.F.A. graduate, Globe’s Guys and Dolls).

The creative team includes Scott Rink (Choreographer), Dane Laffrey (Scenic and Costume Design), R. Lee Kennedy (Lighting Design), Kai Harada (Sound Design), Michael Starobin (Orchestrations), J. Oconer Navarro (Music Director), Howie Cherpakov, CSA (Casting), Anjee Nero (Production Stage Manager), and Amanda Salmons (Stage Manager).

"I'm truly excited to open the Globe's 2017/18 season with this special new musical, Benny & Joon," said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein.  "A world premiere based on the delightfully offbeat 1993 MGM film, Benny & Joon centers on something rare in the musical theatre: the bond between siblings.  The love between the brother and sister of the title is deep, moving, and real, and it gives this musical a gentleness and sweetness that I find completely captivating.  Its creators Kirsten Guenther, Nolan Gasser and Mindi Dickstein have brought to the Globe a memorable and unique show, and my friend Jack Cummings III, who has carved out a unique space in the American theatre with the very human, people-driven stories he tells, brings Benny & Joon a beautiful spontaneity and frehsness. The show's score--rich, complex, melodic, and fun--won me over instantly when I first heard it, and I am happy to share this bright new work with San Diego audiences."

For more details on the cast of Benny & Joon, click here! For more information on Benny & Joon, click here!

Artwork courtesy of The Old Globe.

GLOBE GUILDERS Host Annual Couture Fashion Show to Raise Funds for THE OLD GLOBE: CELEBRATING COUTURE 2017, Presented by Globe Guilders and Neiman Marcus, Featuring Fall Collections from Top Fashion Designers

SAN DIEGO (August 7, 2017)—The Globe Guilders are pleased to announce their annual fashion show and luncheon, Celebrating Couture 2017, presented by Neiman Marcus,to benefit The Old Globe’s artistic and arts engagement programs. Once again this year, Neiman Marcus is producing The Art of Fashion, an exclusively curated show featuring the Fall collections, including both couture and prêt-à-porter, of a special group of designers. Celebrating Couture 2017 will take place on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 in the Costa Del Mar Ballroom of the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.

Each year, the Globe Guilders Fashion Show features couture expertly selected by Neiman Marcus from the elite designers they represent, including Gucci, Etro, and Tom Ford; runway samples from Monique Lhuillier and Marchesa; and a compelling collection from Naeem Khan. This year, from New York to Milan, fashion has become the creative platform to reflect a world of assertion and empowerment. Rich and robust reds, shocking pinks, and gorgeous greens all share the spotlight. The early ’80s are reflected in rebellious punk-rock studs, spikes, grommets, and silver sequins. On the softer side, expect transparent sheers, flounced cuffs, and beautiful crushed velvets appearing on everything from handbags to shoes.

Guests will be greeted with a champagne reception at 10:00 a.m. in the sunlit foyer and will have the opportunity to bid on silent auction items. Beginning at 12:00 noon in the ballroom, there will be a live auction followed by the fashion show and a delicious lunch. After the show, Neiman Marcus will present a one-of-a-kind boutique for browsing and shopping in the foyer. Globe Guilders Kim Neapole, Lisa Berry Shaw,and Lynn Silva are the Celebrating Couture 2017 Co-Chairs; Jo Ann Kilty is the Honorary Chair. Over 600 supporters of The Old Globe from the San Diego community are expected to attend, including prominent philanthropists, heads of corporations, and representatives of major organizations.

All of San Diego is invited to support this annual event, now a can’t-miss staple on San Diego’s fashion calendar. Tickets start at $125. For information on reserving a table or a seat at the Fashion Show, please call Barbara Bolt at (619) 889-7121 or visit www.globeguilders.org/fashionshow2017. The Omni La Costa Resort & Spa is located at 2100 Costa del Mar Road, Carlsbad, CA 92009.

“The Globe Guilders Fashion Show has always been a San Diego highlight,” Honorary Chair Jo Ann Kilty says. “With the collaboration of Neiman Marcus, it just keeps getting better every year."

For more details on the 2017 Globe Guilders Fashion Show, click here! For the Globe Guilder's Fashion Show page on our website, click here!

Photo:The runway show from the 2016 Globe Guilders Fashion Show. Photo by Douglas Gates.

TIMOTHY J. SHIELDS NAMED MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE OLD GLOBE

SAN DIEGO (July 25, 2017)—The Board of Directors of The Old Globe today announced the appointment of Timothy J. Shields as Managing Director. A nationally respected arts leader, Shields will work together with Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein to lead San Diego’s flagship arts institution. Both Shields and Edelstein will report jointly to the Board of Directors. Currently the Managing Director at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey, Shields will assume his Managing Director duties at The Old Globe in October.

“I am thrilled that Tim Shields will come to San Diego to partner with Barry Edelstein in leading The Old Globe in making theatre matter to more people,” said Old Globe Board Chair Vicki L. Zeiger. “With his experience leading nationally respected theatres and serving as President of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), Tim has a deep understanding of what it takes to run a successful, thriving theatre. I am also deeply grateful to our search committee and specifically its chair, Stephen P. Embry, who worked tirelessly to find the perfect person, Tim, to help the Globe further our mission.”

Timothy J. Shields served as McCarter Theatre Center’s Managing Director from 2009 to 2017. From 1983 to 1992, he was McCarter’s Business Manager and General Manager. His professional experience includes serving as Managing Director at Milwaukee Repertory Theater for 10 years; as Managing Director at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New York, for six; and in administrative positions at Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis and Denver Center Theatre Company. He is the Immediate Past President of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and was the Chair of the ArtPride NJ board. He has served on the boards of Theatre Communications Group, Milwaukee’s Latino Arts Board, the Cultural Alliance of Greater Milwaukee, and Theatre Wisconsin, and he has been a panelist, panel chair, and on-site reporter for the National Endowment for the Arts. He holds a B.F.A. in Drama Production from Carnegie Mellon University in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“Tim Shields is one of the most accomplished executives in the American not-for-profit theatre movement, and his arrival at The Old Globe heralds a new period of growth and achievement here,” said Edelstein. “Tim’s leadership has been transformational at each wonderful company he’s run, and his contributions at the national level have been equally great. He is a thoughtful, distinguished, and kind man whose positivity and optimism will impact not only the Globe, but also our city’s entire arts community. I am beyond delighted to welcome him here, and I truly look forward to working in partnership with him as the Globe continues to make theatre that matters.”

“I couldn’t be more deeply honored to be named The Old Globe’s new Managing Director,” said Shields. “I feel extraordinarily privileged to join an institution with the stellar reputation that the Globe has, and I relish the opportunity to partner with Artistic Director Barry Edelstein to continue building the Globe’s reputation for artistic excellence and community impact. I’m tickled pink at the thought of beginning that work when I join the Globe’s staff in October.”

For more details on Tim Shields, click here! For his story featured in The San Diego Union-Tribune, click here!

Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.