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| Old Globe | |
|---|---|
| Name | Old Globe Theatre |
| Caption | The Old Globe complex in Balboa Park, San Diego |
| Address | 1363 Old Globe Way |
| City | San Diego, California |
| Country | United States |
| Capacity | 605 (Shakespeare Theatre), 605 (Festival Stage), 250+ (Cassius Carter) |
| Type | Regional theatre |
| Opened | 1935 (as part of California Pacific International Exposition) |
| Rebuilt | 1978, 1981 |
| Owner | City of San Diego (site), The Old Globe (organization) |
Old Globe The Old Globe is a prominent regional theatre organization based in Balboa Park, San Diego, known for producing classical William Shakespeare works and contemporary plays and musicals. Founded during the California Pacific International Exposition, the institution operates multiple performance spaces and a year-round season that has launched new works which transferred to Broadway and received national awards. It collaborates with artists, educational institutions, and cultural organizations across Southern California and the United States.
The company traces its origins to the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition when a replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was constructed alongside exhibits such as the House of Pacific Relations and exhibits about Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Early artistic leadership included figures connected to regional theatre movements and touring companies from Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago. During the mid-20th century, the organization navigated challenges including World War II-era resource constraints and the postwar growth of American Theatre institutions such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the League of Resident Theatres. In the 1970s and 1980s, leadership transitions and fundraising campaigns led to rebuilds following structural issues and a major arson event; these efforts involved partnerships with the City of San Diego, private philanthropists, and foundations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and regional arts councils. Over subsequent decades the company expanded programming, initiated a new play development program, and saw several productions transfer to venues in New York City and draw attention from critics at publications like the New York Times and Los Angeles Times.
The theatre complex occupies a site in Balboa Park near landmarks including the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Diego Natural History Museum, and the Timken Museum of Art. Its multiple performance spaces include a replica of an Elizabethan thrust stage inspired by Shakespeare's Globe designs, a proscenium Festival Stage influenced by mid-century repertory houses, and a black-box or studio theatre suited to experimental work. Restoration and construction projects involved architects and firms active in Southern California preservation, influenced by the Spanish Colonial Revival aesthetic of surrounding exposition-era buildings. Technical systems and backstage facilities were upgraded in phases with input from theatrical designers associated with institutions such as the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and the Yale School of Drama to meet Broadway touring standards and Actor's Equity requirements.
The organization presents a seasonal mix of Shakespeare plays, contemporary dramas, and new musicals developed through an in-house new play program and festivals. It has hosted world premieres that later moved to Broadway and Off-Broadway venues in New York City, collaborating with producing partners including theatrical companies from Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles. The season often features directors, playwrights, and composers who have worked with institutions such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Roundabout Theatre Company. Special programs have included staged readings tied to development initiatives, co-productions with regional theatres like La Jolla Playhouse and national presenters such as the Public Theater, and touring productions that have participated in festivals like the Humana Festival of New American Plays.
Educational initiatives encompass in-school residencies, youth conservatory programs, and professional training for emerging artists in acting, directing, and playwriting. Partnerships extend to local school districts in San Diego County, cultural organizations in Balboa Park, and higher-education programs at institutions like University of California, San Diego, San Diego State University, and conservatories nationwide. Community outreach includes accessibility programs for audience members with disabilities, ticket subsidy initiatives modeled on practices at the Kennedy Center, and artist-in-residence exchanges with regional arts nonprofits and service organizations. These programs aim to broaden participation among diverse communities in San Diego and to cultivate pipelines into professional theatre careers linked to unions and associations such as Actors' Equity Association and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Over its history the company has engaged artists who have also been associated with Al Pacino, Phil Donahue, Helen Hayes, Vivien Leigh, Maggie Smith, Ian McKellen, and other major stage figures through guest appearances, workshops, or early-career performances. Directors and playwrights linked to the theatre have included collaborators from the Royal Court Theatre, National Theatre (UK), and American institutions like the Circle in the Square Theatre. Several productions originating at the venue later featured in seasons at Lincoln Center and on Broadway, with creative teams that included Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize recipients from institutions such as the American Theatre Wing and the Pulitzer Prize Board.
The organization and its productions have received regional and national honors from bodies including the Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize committee (through work by affiliated playwrights), and regional critics' circles such as the San Diego Critics Circle and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle. Individual artists associated with productions have been recognized by professional guilds and awards like the Obie Awards, the Drama Desk Awards, and fellowships from foundations including the John S. Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the Theatre Communications Group.
Category:Theatres in San Diego County, California