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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 (November 13, 2020)—The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team of its 23rd annual production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, which this yearwill be presented by KPBS Radio in San Diego as a free audio-only production. Due to the ongoing pandemic, The Old Globe is unable to produce the San Diego favorite on its stage this year. The free audio production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! On the Radiowill pivot this San Diego tradition to a new form, giving San Diegans the chance to continue their holiday season visit with The Grinch, and introducing this beloved production to many for the first time. The performance can be heard on the radio in San Diego on KPBS 89.5 FM, and can be streamed live on the KPBS website, on the KPBS app, and on smart speakers on Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving Day) at 12:00 noon; Saturday, December 5 at 12:00 noon; Sunday, December 20 at 12:00 noon; and Thursday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) at 6:00 p.m. All times are Pacific Standard Time (PT).
Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! On the Radio is a wonderful, whimsical musical based upon the classic Dr. Seuss book. The family favorite features the songs “Santa for a Day,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” and “Welcome, Christmas (Fah Who Doraze),” the delightful carol from the popular animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Celebrate the holidays with the Whos and The Old Globe.
Edward Watts returns to the Globe after receiving critical acclaim and delighting audiences as The Grinch the last three years. Watts recently starred as Harold Hill in The Music Man at Goodspeed Musicals and Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls at Broadway Sacramento/Music Circus. His Broadway and New York credits include Scandalous, Finian’s Rainbow, It’s a Bird...It’s a Plane...It’s Superman, The Fantasticks, The Most Happy Fella, and the acclaimed PBS “Live from Lincoln Center” Show Boat. Tommy Martinez will once again scale Mt. Crumpit as Young Max. He has been seen in NBC’s Hairspray Live!, on the national tour of Kinky Boots, and on Broadway in Newsies. Returning to play Old Max will be John Treacy Egan, whose Broadway credits include My Fair Lady, Casa Valentina, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid, The Producers, Jekyll & Hyde, and Bye Bye Birdie. And Leila Manuel will once again play Cindy-Lou Who this year. She previously appeared in local productions of Peter Pan and Willy Wonka.
Completing the cast are Grinch alumni Tyrone Davis, Jr. (Papa Who), Charlotte Mary Wen (Mama Who), Larry Raben (Grandpa Who), Bets Malone (Grandma Who), Taylor Coleman (Annie Who), Sophia Adajar (Betty-Lou Who), Alexander Dalton (Boo Who), Bobby Chiu (Danny Who), and Reanne Acasio, Nicholas Alexander, Kevin Hafso Koppman, Kyrsten Hafso Koppman, Janaya Mahealani Jones, Sarah Meahl, Nathan Andrew Riley, William BJ Robinson, Katie Sapper, and Lance Arthur Smith (Grown-Up Who Ensemble).
Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! On the Radio isdirected by James Vásquez, with book and lyrics by Tim Mason and music by Mel Marvin. The original production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! was conceived and directed by Jack O’Brien with additional lyrics by Theodor S. Geisel, additional music by Albert Hague, and original choreography by John DeLuca. This year’s creative team also includes Elan McMahan (Music Director), Paul Peterson (Sound Design), Mark Anthony Holmes (Audio Recording and Production), Anita Ruth (Orchestrator), Joshua Rosenblum (Vocal Arrangements and Incidental Music), David Krane (Dance Music Arranger), Jess Slocum (Production Stage Manager), and Amanda Salmons (Assistant Stage Manager).
“It’s impossible to imagine the holidays in San Diego without the Globe’s production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and we were not about to let the coronavirus make a Grinchy move of its own and take this grand tradition away from us,” said The Old Globe’s Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “With our friends at KPBS, we are taking a bold step into the world of radio theatre, and this bright, fun, and touching musical is a perfect way to start. The intimacy of radio and its broad, easy access will bring this great show to a huge, new San Diego audience and will spread the magic of theatre and the healing spirit of Dr. Seuss around our region at a time when both could not be more needed. Our virtual tree lighting and our virtual sensory-friendly work will extend The Grinch’s reach even further. We are pleased to acknowledge the generosity of the late Audrey S. Geisel as we make theatre matter to more and more people by transforming the challenge of the pandemic into an opportunity to bring the beauty of storytelling and the humanity of Dr. Seuss to the widest possible community.”
“KPBS is thrilled to partner with The Old Globe to bring Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! On the Radio to our San Diego airwaves,” said Tom Karlo, General Manager of KPBS. “It reminds me of when families would gather around the radio to listen to entertaining storytelling. Today the radio experience has expanded via smart speakers, web streams, the KPBS app, and traditional radio devices. I hope that in whatever manner families listen, they feel their hearts grow three sizes with joy in hearing this iconic story and sharing the experience alongside their community.”
For the full press release, click here! For more information on Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! On the Radio, click here! To follow The Old Globe on Facebook, click here! To follow The Old Globe Arts Engagement on Facebook, click here!
SAN DIEGO (October 1, 2020)—The Old Globe announced today that it will present the series finale of Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein’s hit online series Thinking Shakespeare Live: Sonnets!on Tuesday, October 20 at 6:30 p.m. PDT. This special presentation is the culmination of a series, created during the hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, in which Edelstein introduces Shakespeare sonnets and delves into one masterpiece of the form each episode. This finale event will showcase some of the nation’s greatest Shakespeareans (all of whom are artists who have been part of recent Globe seasons) performing the matchless sonnets that Edelstein explored in earlier episodes of the series, and talking about what Shakespeare means to them at this extraordinary moment in time. The final episode will be broadcast on Facebook, YouTube, and the Globe website, and will remain on those sites for later and repeat viewings.
When The Old Globe shut down all live theatre operations in March due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Artistic and Arts Engagement Departments immediately pivoted several of their programs online to continue to serve the San Diego community. On March 31, Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein launched his Thinking Shakespeare Live: Sonnets! online to instant audience raves from around the nation. Sonnets! is an online version of Edelstein’s beloved Thinking Shakespeare Live! presentations, which he has staged at the Globe’s home in Balboa Park for years to widespread acclaim. Throughout the summer Edelstein presented his unique exploration of the language of Shakespeare as he featured a different sonnet each episode that both enlightened and entertained a growing global audience. The program is 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. Previous episodes can be seen on the Globe’s website or YouTube channel.
The illustrious Shakespearean actors who will bring the Bard’s sonnets to life are Globe alumni Opal Alladin (Hamlet, Tiny Beautiful Things, Hurricane Diane), Michelle Beck (The Wanderers), Kate Burton (The Tempest), Angel Desai (The Winter’s Tale, Double Indemnity), Monique Gaffney (Globe for All’s Much Ado About Nothing, Red Velvet), Michael Genet (Hamlet), Bill Irwin (In-Zoom), Lizan Mitchell (The Tempest), Aaron Clifton Moten (Romeo and Juliet), Jennifer Paredes (Globe for All’s Twelfth Night, American Mariachi), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (director of August Wilson’s Jitney), Herbert Siguenza (The Rainmaker), Keith Randolph Smith (August Wilson’s Jitney, Water by the Spoonful), and Blair Underwood (Othello).
“Published 411 years ago in 1609, Shakespeare’s sonnets are a remarkable series of 154 short poems that express everything that’s wonderful about Shakespeare,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “I loved spending hours talking about these poems, and I’m delighted to present to our digital audiences an amazing group of 14 great friends of The Old Globe. These are artists with long and rich relationships with us, and with profound relationships to Shakespeare and his plays. It’s an honor and a joy to have them share their talents as well as their thoughts about this towering writer, his language, and his meaning at this extraordinary moment in the life of our country and our society. Together these actors are a testament to why American Shakespeare is so dynamic, and to why the sonnets are an eternal source of inspiration and delight.”
Thinking Shakespeare Live: Sonnets! is generously supported by lead sponsors Elaine and Dave Darwin.
For the full press release, click here! For more information on Thinking Shakespeare Live: Sonnets!, 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 (September 21, 2020)—The Old Globe today announced a new initiative in which it has asked six visionary theatre artists this one question: What Is Theatre Now?
As the prolonged closure of The Old Globe’s performance spaces enters its sixth month, the Globe has been creating a wide range of digital programs in its Arts Engagement, Humanities, and Artistic Departments, all aimed at bringing the transformative power of theatre to audiences at home. The Globe is carefully planning for the day when it can once again gather the community in its theatres and share the art form beloved by so many. And the Globe is taking steps to become more equitable, inclusive, and just, as it heeds the call of an urgent nationwide appeal for racial equity and social justice.
All of these efforts come together in What Is Theatre Now? These six gifted artists will share their insights with the Globe on themes that are universal, wide-ranging, and especially resonant in this time of upheaval and change. They are imagining forms and technologies that might translate onto digital platforms or live theatre, or might introduce new hybrids that blend live and virtual work. The Globe has asked each of these artists to further develop their ideas, and the theatre stands ready to provide them with resources to help bring their work to deep and rich life. This new initiative will inform the Globe’s trajectory moving forward, even as it reshapes and remakes this ancient art form for an extraordinary new era.
The group comprises Justin Emeka, Patricia McGregor, Johanna McKeon, Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, James Vásquez, and Whitney White.
“The day the Globe was forced to close its doors in March, Old Globe Associate Artistic Directors Freedome Bradley-Ballentine and Justin Waldman and our artistic staff began a process of imagining what theatre might look like while audiences shelter at home,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “Reinventing a 2,000-year-old art form in a matter of months is not for the faint of heart, so we turned to the most visionary artists in our orbit, knowing that their bright imaginations would guide our inquiry. The six remarkable theatremakers in this cohort have real and authentic ties to the Globe, sincere affection for San Diego and its audiences, a huge range of interests, talents, and insights, and a wide diversity of backgrounds. Our conversations have already been inspiring and beautiful. From this collaboration, exciting new works will emerge that will fill the Globe’s digital platforms—and soon, we hope, its stages—with thrilling theatre in many forms. We look forward to sharing the fruits of their answers to the question ‘What Is Theatre Now’ as they develop in the time ahead.”
What Is Theatre Now? is sponsored in part by Bank of America.
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 (September 1, 2020)—The Old Globe announced today our upcoming roster of free digital arts-engagement programs created specifically for online audiences. After pivoting to digital platforms due to COVID-19, The Old Globe continues to offer excellent workshops, classes, and events on our social media platforms, as well as on The Old Globe’s website. This fall season includes new programs and returning favorites—there is something for everyone!
“Since the pandemic began, we’ve not stopped asking ourselves the question: how can we continue to make theatre matter to more people when so much of our programming revolves around congregating community members at live performances?” reflected Associate Director of Arts Engagement Katherine Harroff. “It’s been an incredible journey making the transfer into online programming, but throughout the development of our digital platforms, we’ve come to understand one vital truth: these offerings are making a difference in the lives of our participants, and we must continue. The impact that our live digital performances and workshops can have on a community has proven to be a salve in a troubling time for many. We intend to continue improving our offerings, to be even more engaging in style and general programming, in order to provide ongoing creative outlets for anyone who needs them as long as we are able. We know now after five months of taking this plunge that many people need this. We are honored to provide a robust season of programming online until it is safe again to meet in person.”
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.”
