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The cast of In Your Arms, 2015. Photo by Carol Rosegg.
The cast of In Your Arms, 2015. Photo by Carol Rosegg.
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.
Globe for All will be presented with free public performances at:
Please contact Alejandra Enciso to join us at one of our public Community Partner venues and
see for yourself exactly what happens as the tour reaches out into the San Diego community!
In addition to these free public performances, the Globe for All Tour will be performed for members of the following organizations (not open to anyone outside the organization):
These last performances are NOT open to the public, so PLEASE DO NOT publish any details about them. The non-public performances require advance clearances, and not all venues are open to press.
The tour culminates with two low-cost public performances offered in The Old Globe’s Festival Rehearsal Room, part of the historic House of Charm, on Sunday, November 19 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and are $15 for the general public and $10 for subscribers.
Organizations interested in partnering with Globe for All in the future should contact Karen Ann Daniels, Arts Engagement Programs Manager, at kdaniels@TheOldGlobe.org or (619) 231-1941 x2105.
Globe for All is supported in part through gifts from Elaine and Dave Darwin, Silvija and Brian Devine, Stuart Foreman, The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation, Michael T. Turner and Suzanne Poet Turner in loving memory of James Whitfield Poet, Torrey Pines Bank, The City of Chula Vista and the County of San Diego. Financial support for The Old Globe is provided by The City of San Diego.
LOCATION and PARKING INFORMATION: The Old Globe is located in San Diego’s Balboa Park at 1363 Old Globe Way. There are numerous free parking lots available throughout the park. Guests may also be dropped off in front of the Mingei International Museum. The Balboa Park valet is also available during performances, located in front of the Japanese Friendship Garden. For additional parking information visit www.BalboaPark.org. For directions and up-to-date information, please visit www.theoldglobe.org/plan-your-visit/directions--parking/detailed-directions.
PLEASE NOTE: To look up online or GPS directions to The Old Globe, please do not use the Delivery Address above. There is only a 10-minute zone at that physical address. For GPS users, please click here for the map coordinates, and here for written directions to The Old Globe and nearby parking in Balboa Park.
CALENDAR: Benny & Joon (9/7–10/22), AXIS: The Journey Encore Installation (10/4–10/8), AXIS: Q&A with The Journey (10/6), The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey (9/30–10/29), COLAB City Heights Day of The Dead Festival (10/28), AXIS: Day of the Dead (10/29), Globe for All Tour: Twelfth Night (10/31–11/19), Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (11/4–12/24), M.F.A.: Romeo and Juliet (11/11–11/19), AXIS: Site-Specific Dance with Blythe Barton (11/18), AXIS:Culture Shock’s Hip Hop The Nutcracker Teaser (12/23), The Importance of Being Earnest (1/27/18–3/4), Uncle Vanya (2/10–3/11), AXIS: Give Love San Diego (2/10), American Mariachi (3/23–4/29), AXIS: American Mariachi Event (3/31), The Wanderers (4/5–5/6), AXIS: Happy Birthday, Mr. Shakespeare! (4/21), A Thousand Splendid Suns (5/12–6/17), Native Gardens (5/26–6/24), Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax (7/2–8/12).
PHOTO EDITORS: Digital images of The Old Globe’s productions are available at www.theoldglobe.org/press-room.
The Tony Award-winning Old Globe is one of the country’s leading professional regional theatres and has stood as San Diego’s flagship arts institution for over 80 years. Under the leadership of Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 15 productions of classic, contemporary, and new works on its three Balboa Park stages: the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the 600-seat Old Globe Theatre and the 250-seat Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, both part of The Old Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, and the 605-seat outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, home of its internationally renowned Shakespeare Festival. More than 250,000 people attend Globe productions annually and participate in the theatre’s artistic and arts engagement programs. Numerous world premieres such as the 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Bright Star, Allegiance, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,and the annual holiday musical Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! have been developed at The Old Globe and have gone on to enjoy highly successful runs on Broadway and at regional theatres across the country.
x x x
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON OUR VENUES OFFERING
PERFORMANCES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Many of these venues have scheduled pre-show community meals.
Please contact us for more information to cover this portion of the event.
San Diego Military Family Collaborative/Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) San Diego’s Serra Real Connections Healthy Start Program
New Community Partner/venue in 2017
Fourth District Senior Resource Center
San Diego Public Library – City Heights/Weingart Branch Library & Performance Annex
San Diego Public Library – Otay Mesa-Nestor Branch
New Community Partner/venue in 2017
Chaldean and Middle-Eastern Social Services/San Diego County Library – El Cajon Branch Library
Lemon Grove Academy/Lemon Grove Historical Society/San Diego County Library – Lemon Grove Branch Library
San Diego Public Library – Central Branch
Naval Base San Diego (Open to Navy personnel and family members.)
A Reason to Survive
City of Oceanside Parks and Recreation-El Corazon Senior Center
New Community Partner/venue in 2017
x x x
CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM BIOGRAPHIES
Amara James Aja (Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Orsino) was recently seen at the Globe in Hamlet, King Richard II, The Blameless, Love’s Labor’s Lost, and Macbeth. He just completed his training in The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program.His previous credits include Valentine in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Oliver in As You Like It, and Arthur in Acquainted with the Night with the M.F.A. program, as well as Much Ado About Nothing and The Tempest with Ithaca Shakespeare Company. He received his bachelor’s degree in Government from Cornell University. amarajamesaja.com, @amara_james_ on Instagram.
Amanda Arbues (Olivia) was most recently seen as Maya and Bella Blackthorn in La Jolla Playhouse’s POP Tour #SuperShinySara. Her other credits include The Long Road Today/El Largo Camino de Hoy (South Coast Repertory’s Dialogue/Diálogosproject) and La Adelita Americana (United Solo Theatre Festival at Theatre Row). She has a B.F.A. from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and an M.F.A. from CSU Fullerton. amandaarbues.com.
Ajinkya Desai (Malvolio, Officer) is a recent alumnus of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. His credits there include Speed in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Touchstone in As You Like It, Shamrayev in The Seagull, Maxwell in Acquainted with the Night,and Agamemnon/Chorus in Ajax. He also appeared at the Globe in Hamlet, King Richard II, Love’s Labor’s Lost,and Macbeth. His first acting experience in the U.S. was at UC San Diego, where he played Egeus and Snout in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He also has many community stage and street theatre credits in India, some of which were directed by renowned theatre professionals. ajinkya-desai.com.
Kevin Hafso Koppman (Feste, Captain) has been seen at The Old Globe in Hamlet, The Imaginary Invalid, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Love’s Labor’s Lost,and Macbeth. He is a graduate of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, where he has appeared in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, As You Like It, The Seagull, and Acquainted with the Night. His previous Globe credits include Bright Star and the New Voices Festival readings of A Nice Indian Boy and peerless. His regional credits include West Side Story, The Foreigner, and The Winslow Boy (Lamb’s Players Theatre), Ether Dome, His Girl Friday, and Accomplice: San Diego (La Jolla Playhouse), Zoot Suit (San Diego Repertory Theatre), Henry IV Part I, King O’ the Moon, The Drawer Boy, and Becky’s New Car (North Coast Repertory Theatre), Birds of a Feather and Speech and Debate (Diversionary Theatre), The Sunshine Boys and Deathtrap (Scripps Ranch Theatre), Doubt and Into the Woods (San Diego State University), The History Boys (Cygnet Theatre Company), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Intrepid Theatre Company). He received his B.A. in Theatre Arts from San Diego State University and trained at the British American Drama Academy at Oxford University.
Lorenzo Landini (Sebastian, Curio) is a recent graduate of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, where he had the great honor of performing in six different Shakespeare productions affiliated with The Old Globe; he is now thrilled to add a seventh.As a graduate student, he also appeared in Acquainted with the Night and The Seagull and played the title role in Ajax. Previously based in New York City, his credits include writing and performing his solo show When I Have Cancer in 30 Years and acting in The Miser (Brave New World Repertory Theatre), The Cherry Orchard (TheaterLab), King Lear (Theater 2020), and A View From the Bridge (The Secret Theatre). He also played rhythm guitar, sang, and composed music in the rock review GUNS, A Cabaret directed by Liz Swados. Mr. Landini received his B.A. from Columbia University and trained at Powerhouse Theater Festival and the British American Drama Academy. lrnzwhileacting.com.
Christina Okolo (Antonia, Valentine) recently appeared in the Summer Shakespeare Festival productions of Hamlet, King Richard II, Love’s Labor’s Lost, and Macbeth. She received her master of fine arts from The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, for which she appeared as Tekmessa in Ajax, Lucetta in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Celia in Acquainted with the Night, and Phoebe in As You Like It. She has also performed at Cloverdale Playhouse in Montgomery, Alabama, where her credits include A Raisin in the Sun and Clybourne Park. Her other credits include Broke-ology, A Song for Coretta, and No Child.... Ms. Okolo is a native of Atlanta and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Performing Arts from Alabama State University.
Suzelle Palacios (Maria, Priest) is a recent graduate of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. She was most recently seen in the world premiere of Ken Lugwig’s Robin Hood! at The Old Globe. She has also been seen in The Old Globe’s Summer Shakespeare Festival in King Richard II, Love’s Labor’s Lost, and Macbeth. Her previous credits include Julia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Audrey in As You Like It (The Old Globe/USD), Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice (Houston Shakespeare Festival), and Our Country’s Good, The Miser, Blood Wedding, and The Crucible (University of Houston). She received her B.F.A. from University of Houston. @SuzellePalacios on Twitter and Instagram.
Jennifer Paredes (Viola) is honored to share some Shakespeare with the community through Globe for All. Her recent stage credits include Waking La Llorona (The Old Globe, made possible by The San Diego Foundation Creative Catalyst Fund), Into the Beautiful North, Manifest Destinitis, and Rapture, Blister, Burn (San Diego Repertory Theatre), Ballast (Diversionary Theatre), Perfect Arrangement (Intrepid Theatre Company), Seven Spots on the Sun (InnerMission Productions), Lydia (ion theatre company), El Huracán (DNA New Work Series/La Jolla Playhouse), OjO: The Next Generation In Travel (Without Walls Festival/La Jolla Playhouse), September and Her Sisters (Scripps Ranch Theatre), Blamed: An Established Fiction (winner of Best Dramatic Production at San Diego International Fringe Festival), BASH/SLAM JAM (Lamb’s Players Theatre), The Nutcracker (New Village Arts), and The Shape of Things (University of San Diego). She received her B.A. in Theatre Arts at University of San Diego. Jenniferparedes.net.
Mike Sears (Sir Toby Belch) has appeared Off Broadway in When Words Fail (John Houseman Theatre), Leap (Abingdon Theatre Company), and To Have and to Hold (Phil Bosakowski Theatre). His Off Off Broadway credits include American Globe Theatre, Boomerang Theatre Company’s Summer Shakespeare, New Dramatists, New York International Fringe Festival, The Present Company, Musical Theatre Works, Producer’s Club Theatres, and The Duplex. Regionally he has been seen in Rain, Othello, and Kiss Me, Kate (The Old Globe), Sideways, His Girl Friday, Hands on a Hard Body, and Bonnie & Clyde (La Jolla Playhouse), Parlour Song (Backyard Renaissance, San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award), A Behanding in Spokane and Man from Nebraska (Cygnet Theatre Company), Tortilla Curtain (San Diego Repertory Theatre), The Mystery of Love and Sex and Birds of a Feather (Diversionary Theatre), Killer Joe (Compass Theatre), The Foreigner, The Glory Man, and Rehearsal for Murder (Lamb’s Players Theatre), Simpatico (New Village Arts), Good Boys (Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company), and Tuesdays with Morrie (North Coast Repertory Theatre). He is a graduate of the William Esper Studio in New York City.
Jerry Ruiz (Director) has directed the world premiere of Fade by Tanya Saracho (Denver Center for the Performing Arts Theatre Company and subsequently Primary Stages), Twelfth Night (PlayMakers Repertory Company), Mala Hierba (Second Stage Theatre), Basilica by Mando Alvarado (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), Philip Goes Forth and Love Goes to Press (Mint Theater Company), Enfrascada (Clubbed Thumb), A King of Infinite Space and Sangre (SummerStage), Mariela in the Desert by Karen Zacarías (Repertorio Español), The King is Dead by Caroline V. McGraw and Rattlers by Johnna Adams (Flux Theatre Ensemble), and Waiting for the Hearse (Mixed Blood Theatre). Mr. Ruiz has developed work at Second Stage Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep., The Public Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and The Playwrights Realm. From 2011 to 2015, he served as curator for the Crossing Borders festival of new plays at Two River Theater in New Jersey. He was a recipient of the 2009–2011 NEA/TCG Career Development for Theatre Directors Grant, and he was a Van Lier Directing Fellow for Second Stage Theatre from 2007 to 2009. He received his M.F.A. from UC San Diego and his B.A. from Harvard University. He is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Kristen E. Flores (Scenic Design) has designed A Civil War Christmas, Bright Half Life, and Baby with the Bathwater (Diversionary Theatre), Eternally Bad (MOXIE Theatre), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Triad Productions), Ragnarok and Red Planet Respite (Circle Circle dot dot). Kristenflores.org.
Jaymee Ngernwichit (Costume Design) is a costume, scenic, and projection designer. She graduated from UC San Diego in 2017 with an M.F.A. in Costume/Scenic/Projection Design and in 2011 with two B.A.s in Communication and in Design for Theatre and Film Production. After a brief stint as an art director, costume designer, and production assistant in indie films and national food commercials, she took a wild tangent into the world of social work as an eligibility worker in Compton, California. Through this experience, she has gained an immovable fortitude as well as renewed interests in social justice and the importance of stories in everyday life as a source of inspiration. Her notable credits include Qualcomm Robot Dress (costume designer), Though It May Shift (costume and projection designer), the feature length indie Territory (art director), the short film Becoming Henry (wardrobe and production designer), the short film Mojave ’43 (head scenic painter), and the short film Dead Hearts (production design assistant).
Ariel Levine (Original Music). Born in Tel Aviv, Israel and raised in the heart of New York City, Ariel now bides his time in somewhat-sunny San Diego. As a working musician, producer, songwriter and composer, Ariel has had the pleasure of collaborating with some of the greatest musical talent San Diego has to offer. He can be seen playing in a variety of bands and at special events around town and beyond, most notably with his original band, Mechanical Royalty. Their debut album Let The Machine Get It is due out later this fall. When not composing diligently, Ariel enjoys tinkering with vintage German automobiles, surfing and writing bios in the third person.
Jess Slocum (Production Stage Manager) previously worked on the Globe productions of Ken Ludwig’s Robin Hood!, The Imaginary Invalid, Red Velvet, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Measure for Measure (Globe for All), Love’s Labor’s Lost, tokyo fish story, The Metromaniacs, In Your Arms, Twelfth Night, Buyer & Cellar, Bright Star, Othello, Water by the Spoonful, The Winter’s Tale, A Doll’s House, Pygmalion, A Room with a View, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, the 2011–2013 Shakespeare Festivals, Rafta, Rafta…, Robin and the 7 Hoods, Alive and Well, Sammy, Cornelia, Since Africa, Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,and The Glass Menagerie. Her Broadway credits include In the Heights. Her regional credits include Indecent, Side Show, Ruined, The Third Story, Memphis,and Most Wanted (La Jolla Playhouse) and Post Office (Center Theatre Group). Her San Diego credits include Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company, North Coast Repertory Theatre, and Lamb’s Players Theatre. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. Proud member of Actors’ Equity.
x x x
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON OUR NON-PUBLIC PERFORMANCE VENUES
FOR MEDIA SCHEDULING ONLY ~ PLEASE DO NOT PUBLISH THIS ANYWHERE!
Many of these venues have scheduled pre-show community meals.
Please contact us for more information to cover this portion of the event.
Veterans Village of San Diego (Not open to the press.)
San Diego Rescue Mission
South Bay Community Services/Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood
Father Joe’s Villages
Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility
California State Prison, Centinela
ALL INFORMATION (VENUES, DATES, AND TIMES) SUBJECT TO CHANGE.