This weekend, the Old Globe wraps up the most ambitious production in its 89-year history: Henry 6, which condensed William Shakespeare’s three Henry VI dramas into two plays that rotated in repertory all summer and incorporated the efforts of some 1,500 San Diegans. The Henry VI plays were the only Shakespeare plays the Globe hadn’t produced until now.
Henry 6 was conceived by Old Globe artistic director Barry Edelstein, who conceived the project, wrote the adaptation and directed the production. Reflecting on the herculean effort, Edelstein said the project was the biggest thing he’s ever done and he is pleased with how it was received by the public and national media.
“It’s been spectacular,” Edelstein said, in an interview last week. “I’m so proud of that production and what it has meant to the Globe. What it tells me is that something in that production struck a nerve with people. Maybe it’s Shakespeare’s willingness to write about the public good in this huge, enormous, audacious way and people are hungry for that epic storytelling.”
But with Henry 6 comes to a close on Sunday night, Edelstein is now ready to turn the page to future projects. On Friday, he unveiled the company’s 2025 season, a 12-show lineup that will include two world premiere musicals and three world premiere plays, as well as a handful of San Diego and West Coast premieres.
The 2025 season will include the local premiere of “Appropriate,” which just won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play on Broadway; a new British Regency-themed musical adventure from the writers and composers of “Veep,” “Scrubs” and the musical “Bring It On”; a psychological thriller based on the story in the 1944 film “Gaslight”; a wacky Renaissance fair musical spoof from the team behind “Legally Blonde”; plays of hope and tenderness inspired by the 9/11 and Fukushima tragedies; and two William Shakespeare comedies.
Edelstein said he tries to avoid branding seasons with overarching themes, but he said many of the shows being presented next year were chosen in response to audience members’ expressed desire to be entertained and have fun at the theater in these post-pandemic times.
Subscriptions went on sale Friday for the full season, which still has one unannounced show to be revealed later. For tickets, visit theoldglobe.org. The Globe’s annual holiday theater productions, including “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,” will be announced at a later date and will be sold separately.
Here are the seasons plays, grouped by the theaters in which they will play: the mainstage Old Globe Theatre, the intimate in-the-round Sheryl & Harvey White Theatre and the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.
Old Globe Theatre
‘Appropriate’
Steve H. Broadnax III directs the San Diego premiere of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ 2013 comic drama, which earned a Tony Award for best revival of a play on Broadway this summer. Edelstein describes it as a Black playwright (and Black director) “appropriating the dramaturgy of a White dysfunctional family play to talk about Black American history.” Set in a former plantation home in 2011 Arkansas, it’s a dark and comic story about a group of estranged siblings struggling to face their late father’s shocking racist past as they work to settle his estate.” Jan. 25-Feb. 23, 2025.
‘Regency Girls’
This world premiere musical comedy is a road trip adventure tale about Elinor, a young unmarried pregnant woman in England’s Regency era (1811-1820) who hits the road with her best friends on a quest to change the direction of her life. Lyricist Amanda Green is a two-time Tony and Grammy nominee whose credits include “Bring It On: The Musical.” Composer Curtis Moore wrote for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and the book is by Gabrielle Allan and Jen Crittenden, who are Emmy-winning writers for “Veep,” “Scrubs” and “Seinfeld.” The musical will be directed by Josh Rhodes, who helmed last summer’s visually stunning “Cabaret” at the Globe. “It’s a very high-end team of tremendous talent that really understand comedy and the craft of comedy,” Edelstein said. April 2-May 4.
‘One of the Good Ones’
This heartwarming comedy from Chula Vista native Gloria Calderón Kellett (writer of Netflix’s Emmy-winning “One Day at a Time”) made its world premiere at Pasadena Playhouse earlier this spring and arrives at the Globe in its San Diego premiere next spring. It’s a fresh twist on the “Abie’s Irish Rose”/”Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” theme. It’s the story about the comic chaos that erupts when Yoli brings her new boyfriend, whose ethnicity is different from her own, to dinner at her Latino-American parents’ home in present-day Pasadena. “When I read it I had the rare experience of laughing out loud,” Edelstein said. “It’s fundamentally comic, there is conflict and love and every opportunity for wonderful sparks to fly.” Kimberly Senior directs. May 24-June 22.
Play to be announced
Negotiations are still under way for what Edelstein may is likely to be a classic play to fill the summer slot in the Old Globe next year. July-August.
‘Huzzah!’
This world premiere musical comes from Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe, the husband-and-wife team behind “Legally Blonde: The Musical.” Benjamin also wrote the book and lyrics for the Globe’s 2022 world premiere “Come Fall in Love: The DDLJ Musical.” Edelstein describes it as “a King Lear at the Renaissance Faire” musical comedy. It’s about two competitive sisters who must settle their grudge and unite to help resuscitate their father’s struggling touring renaissance fair business. It will be directed by Annie Tippe (off Broadway’s “Octet”). “Nell is one of the funniest human beings I’ve ever met and this show is just a lot of fun,” Edelstein said. “The music will spoof the renaissance era but (Laurence) writes contemporary musical theater music that’s pop-inflected and very catchy. His work is extremely melodic and full of wonderful hooks.” Sept. 13-Oct. 19.
Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre
‘Empty Ride’
The Old Globe commissioned this world premiere play by UC San Diego MFA grad Keiko Green, whose “Exotic Deadly, Or the MSG Play” premiered in the White theater in Spring 2023. It’s the story of Kisa, a painter in Paris, who returns to her small, rural Japanese town following the devastating 2011 tsunami to help her ailing father by driving his taxi cab. But as she drives around her eccentric passengers, she’s haunted by the supernatural remnants of what the floodwaters left behind. “I think this is one of the major American plays I’ve come across in years,” Edelstein said, adding that the play is a touching and beautiful story about grief and loss. It will be directed by Sivan Battat. February 8-March 2.
‘House of India’
This world premiere play was written by San Diego resident Deepak Kumar, who is both a playwright and a computer science assistant professor at UC San Diego. The play is set in a family-owned Indian restaurant in a Cleveland-area strip mall, where Ananya has reluctantly taken over after her husband’s death. She’s faced with mounting bills and disagreement between her children over whether to stick to her husband’s traditional menu or modernize with a quick-service, fusion concept. “It’s about the American question of holding on to our traditions versus assimilating into the mainstream,” Edelstein said. It will be directed by Zi Alikhan (Pasadena Playhouse’s “Sanctuary City”). May 10-June 1.
‘The Janeiad’
Inspired by Homer’s ancient epic poem “The Odyssey,” this world premiere play marks playwright Anna Ziegler’s third world premiere at the Old Globe, following “The Last Match” and “The Wanderers,” which later played off Broadway. It’s the story of Jane, a Brooklyn widow who lost her husband 20 years earlier in the 9/11 terrorist attack. Like Penelope, who waited 20 years for her husband Odysseus to return from the Trojan War, Jane deals with longing, hope and the myths she tells herself to get through each day. Edelstein, who said he counts Ziegler among his closest playwright friends, said her latest play “humanizes really great grief and finds a kind of lovely, quite idiosyncratic and unusual approach to thinking about the loss of a partner. It’s so surprising, unexpected and very beautiful. There’s nobody like her in the American theater and we’re so happy to support her work.” It will be directed by Tyne Rafaeli (La Jolla Playhouse’s “The Coast Starlight”). June 21-July 13.
‘Deceived’
Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson’s suspense thriller, which premiered in 2022 in Ontario, Canada, makes its West Coast premiere. It’s based on “Angel Street,” the 1938 British play that inspired the famous 1944 film “Gaslight.” Set in early 20th-century England, it’s the story of Bella, a young bride whose mysterious husband convinces her that the strange things she’s been experiencing in their home are figments of her imagination. Edelstein said the Canadian female playwriting team of Wright and Jamieson have “blown the dust off” the story by given Bella more agency in solving her situation, rather than her needing to be rescued by a man. The play will be directed by San Diego-based director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg (the Globe’s “Trouble in Mind,” “Skeleton Crew”). August 9-August 31.
‘Small’
Actor-playwright Robert Montano brings his off-Broadway solo memoir play to the Globe in its West Coast premiere. Playing 24 characters, Montano tells the story of how he was bullied as the smallest boy at his Long Island school, then found success as a horseracing jockey at Belmont Park. All went well until he experienced a career-ending growth spurt and later found fame as a Broadway dancer. September 27-October 19.
Lowell Davies Festival Theatre
‘All’s Well that Ends Well’
William’s Shakespeare’s romantic comedy hasn’t had a full production at the Globe in 20 years. Helena is in love with the aristocrat Bertram, while he’s more interested in running off to war than in romance. But strong-willed Helena can’t be deterred, and she moves mountains and conjures miracles to gain his affection. Edelstein said this play has been long overlooked because of the Bard’s more famous comedies, but he finds it one of the playwright’s wittiest comedies. June 8-July 6.
‘The Comedy of Errors’
Old Globe Associate Artist James Vásquez, who had a hit last summer directing “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” returns to direct this play, which was last produced on the festival stage in 2015. It’s the story of a young man and his sidekick who arrive in a new town only to find they’re mistaken for their own long-lost twins. Edelstein said Vásquez is such a versatile and accomplished director that he gave him a list of plays to choose from for his next directing job and he chose “The Comedy of Errors.” “I have such faith in him,” Edelstein said of Vásquez. “He’s a wonderful director who has done so many different things so successfully.” July 27-Aug. 24.
Originally Published: