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November 12 –19, 2021
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Jesse Perez
The actors in training at The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program bring Shakespeare’s epic tale of history, power, honor, and family to thrilling life. Staged in the unique environs of the Globe’s large, open, and raw rehearsal studios, this modern production directed by M.F.A. program director Jesse Perez brings Hal, Hotspur, Quickly, and, yes, Falstaff into the 21st century. A small company of 12 M.F.A. actors conjures an intimate experience that transports you from the tavern to the battlefield, with laughter, poetry, and drama throughout.
A joint venture of the Globe and USD, the Shiley Graduate Theatre Program nationally recruits seven students each year to participate in an intensive two-year course of graduate study in classical theatre. Private funding for the Master of Fine Arts in Theatre 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.
The Lead Underwriter of Henry IV, Part I is Darlene Marcos Shiley, with additional support from Maggie Acosta and Larry Shushan.
Financial support 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.
Jesse Perez (Director) Craig Noel Distinguished Professor and Program Director of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. The Old Globe: Twelfth Night, Othello (Zoom production). The Juilliard School: The Other Shore, Queens Boulevard, As Five Years Pass, America Hurrah, Funnyhouse of a Negro, The Owl Answers, The Long Christmas Dinner, Pullman Car Hiawatha. LaGuardia Performing Arts Center: Sorry. Education: The Juilliard School. Other: also a professional actor and choreographer.
Robin Sanford Roberts (Scenic Design) The Old Globe: Alive and Well, The Price, Fiction, Art, Bus Stop, Blue/Orange, Betrayal, others. Shiley Program: The Visit, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Pericles, Much Ado about Nothing. Broadway: It Ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues. Regional: San Diego Repertory Theatre, MOXIE Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Denver Center Theatre Company, Portland Center Stage, Arizona Theatre Company, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Swine Palace. Education: Bachelor of Architecture from Louisiana State University, M.F.A. in Scenic Design from UC San Diego. Other: Resident Scenic Designer and Professor of Practice at University of San Diego’s Department of Theatre. robinsanfordroberts.com, @mizrobin on Instagram.
Elisa Benzoni (Costume Design) Shiley Program: Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Pericles, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure, The Promise, Reckless, Cloud 9. The Old Globe: Constellations, What You Are. Regional: Three Sisters, The Who & The What, Our Town, Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir, Brahman(i), Tall Girls (La Jolla Playhouse), Sex with Strangers (Geffen Playhouse), Photograph 51 (South Coast Repertory), Ciapatti (Laguna Playhouse), Humans, Aubergine, Sweat (San Diego Repertory), Resident Designer for the last six years (North Coast Repertory). Education: M.F.A. from UC San Diego, B.A. from UCLA. elisabenzoni.com.
Jason Bieber (Lighting Design) Shiley Program: Cloud 9, The Importance of Being Ernest, Pericles, Prince of Tyre. The Old Globe: The Mystery of Irma Vep, Since Africa. MOXIE Theatre: Bleeding Kansas, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Eternally Bad, Eurydice, Orange Julius. Mo`olelo Theatre Company: Cowboy Versus Samurai, Permanent Collection, Yellow Face, Extraordinary Chambers. Other: Lighting Director and Resident Assistant at San Diego Opera since 2013.
Melanie Chen Cole (Sound Design) Shiley Program: Detroit ’67, Oedipus Tyrannus, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Promise, The Visit, Twelfth Night, Stupid F**king Bird, Our Town, Cloud 9, Three Sisters, Romeo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Pericles. The Old Globe: Noura, Tiny Beautiful Things, The Imaginary Invalid. Regional: The Supreme Leader, Steel Magnolias (Dallas Theater Center), Witch (Huntington), Ohio State Murders (Goodman Theatre), Mrs. Harrison, Tuesdays with Morrie (Indiana Rep), A Christmas Carol, Alabama Story, Buzz, Romeo and Juliet (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), At the Old Place (La Jolla Playhouse). Education: M.F.A. in Theatre and Dance from UC San Diego. melaniesound.com, @melaniechencole.
Jan Gist (Vocal Coach) (she/her) The Old Globe: 89 Equity productions. Shakespeare theatres/festivals: Oregon, Utah, DC, Alabama. Repertory companies: San Diego, North Coast, Indiana, American Players Theatre. Other theatre: Arena Stage, Ahmanson Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse. Associations: original member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association. International workshops: London’s Central School of Speech and Drama, Moscow Art Theatre Teachers Exchange. Published chapters: “Voice and Speech Training in the New Millennium,” “The Complete Voice and Speech Workout,” “More Stage Dialects,” “The Voice Coach’s Tool Kit” (upcoming). Podcast: In a Manner of Speaking with Paul Meier, episode 36. Shiley Program:Professor of Voice, Speech, Dialects.
Ka’imi Kuoha (Fight Director) Actor, gymnast, jazz singer, dancer, sports model. Martial arts: kung Fu, aikido, Arnis stick fighting, seventh-degree black belt in kempo; world record for female ice-breaking, Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Acting/stunts lead: live “Behind the Screens” at SAG Awards. Teaching: self-defense, hand-to-hand combat, disarming, restraining for SDPD, USMC, USSS. Other: Choreographer’s Carnival, opening for Jennifer Lopez; founded Othentik Gym, a facility with personal training and classes in martial arts, fitness, and movement modalities; co-founded Othentik Productions, a film and commercial production company. Current projects: actor and stunt/action coordinator for an upcoming Netflix film series. kaimikuoha.com, @kaimikuoha on Instagram.
Abraham Stoll (Dramaturg) Shiley Program: Head of Text and Context; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Visit, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, more. Recent publications: Conscience in Early Modern English Literature (Cambridge 2017), Paradise Lost (Broadview, forthcoming). Education: Ph.D. from Princeton University.
Nicole Ries (Production Stage Manager) Shiley Program: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure, Pericles, Our Town, Antigone, Ajax. Regional: Broadway San Diego Awards (2014–2019, Broadway/San Diego), Dance Nation, Voyeurs de Venus, Jade Heart, Coming Attractions, A Man, His Wife, and His Hat (MOXIE Theatre), ManTrap (Diversionary Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors, A Behanding in Spokane (Cygnet Theatre). Education: B.A. in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Arts Management from San Diego State University.
Megan Ames (Assistant Stage Manager) The Old Globe: Mother of Exiles, The Ruby in Us, What You Are, Life After. Other theatre: Red Bike, Dance Nation, Herland, Voyeurs de Venus, The Madres (MOXIE Theatre), How High the Moon (WOW Festival), The Moors (Diversionary), Outside Mullingar, Accomplice (Scripps Ranch Theatre). Education: B.A. in Design Technology for Theatre at SDSU.
