Old Globe Theatre

The Old Globe Theatre was built in 1935, designed by Richard Requa as part of the California Pacific International Exposition. The theatre was based on a copy of one built for the Chicago Century of Progress, which in turn was a copy of the Globe Theatre in London, England, where many of William Shakespeare's plays were performed during his lifetime. Like the original Globe, the theatre was open in the center with a roof over the seating on the sides.

During the exposition, it hosted 50-minute versions of Shakespeare plays. At the end of the exposition, the Globe had been received so well that a nonprofit organization called the San Diego Community Theatre was formed to save the temporary structure from demolition. The committee leased the structure from the city, produced full-length plays, and created a more permanent structure by roofing over the theatre and bringing it up to code.[4] The Globe Players, founded by Thomas Wood Stevens, began by producing unabridged adaptations of Shakespeare plays in The Globe to attract tourists in the San Diego area, with most of the plays lasting less than an hour.[5]

The first director of the Globe theater was Luther Kennett (1937), and on December 2, 1937, the remodeled Old Globe Theatre opened with a production of John Van Druten’s 1933 play The Distaff Side. In the cast was a young actor named Craig Noel, whose presence as an actor, director, and artistic leader would guide the theatre’s growth through more than five decades of continuous production.[6] Noel would become the second director of the Globe and play a major role in its development. Under his direction, the Globe would win a Tony award and become the first professional Actors Equity theater on the West Coast. He is also responsible for the founding of the San Diego National Shakespeare Festival during his time at the Globe.[7]

In 1939, Noel was hired as general director. During World War II, the United States Navy took over all buildings in Balboa Park, including the Globe. The Community Theatre group stayed together, producing one-act plays in various venues around San Diego. When the Globe was returned to civilian use in 1947, Noel returned as general director, and he remained in a leadership position until his death in 2010. In 1949, he launched the Globe's summer Shakespeare Festival in partnership with the drama department at University of San Diego. Since then the Shakespeare festival has been presented every summer except 1953, when Noel broke with tradition by producing the smash hit play Mister Roberts instead. The Globe continued to produce a combination of modern plays along with Shakespeare and other classics.

Since 1949, the National Shakespeare Festival has taken place nearly every summer at the Globe in San Diego.[8]

In 1951, the San Diego Junior Theater Wing of the Old Globe began to offer adventurous, youthful plays for children.[9] Many of the students in the Junior Wing would become actors in the company. For example, Victor Buono, who went on to become a film star after his time at the Globe. In 1953, the Junior Theater became a part of the San Diego Park and Recreation Department, having outgrown the Globe.[10]

From 1955 to 1978, Peggy Kellner designed over 200 shows at the Old Globe, including costuming and set design.[11]

The Cassius Carter Centre Stage, a theater in the round, was added in 1969 in what had been the Falstaff Tavern restaurant.[12] It was rebuilt in 2009 as the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre.[13]

In March 1978, the Globe Theatre was destroyed in an arson fire, and an outdoor festival stage was hastily constructed so that the 1978 season could still be produced.[14] An outdoor stage was built just for the National Shakespeare Festival to continue. They performed modern spins on Shakespeare, including a 1987 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream that featured an original jazz score.[15] The Globe Theatre was rebuilt and reopened in 1981. In 1984, the festival stage was damaged in an arson attack.[16] It was rebuilt and is now named the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. The entire three-theatre complex is called the Simon Edison Centre for the Performing Arts.

In 1981 Jack O'Brien was hired as artistic director, while Noel became executive producer.[17]

In 1982, Teatro Meta, a bilingual theatre company so-sponsored by the Old Globe, University of California San Diego, and Southwestern College, had its first production.[18] It was founded by Noel and Jorge Huerta. It became independent in 1987.[19]

In 2012, Barry Edelstein was named artistic director.[20] The Globe has grown into an internationally known theatre complex, an "influential powerhouse among regional theatres."[21] In 1984, it received the Tony Award for best regional theatre.