The Old Globe to Present MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, 11/9-17

The Old Globe today announced that it will present The Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program's production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, directed by James Newcomb, Nov. 9 - Nov. 17, 2013 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Nov. 9 at 8:00 p.m. The full cast and creative team will be announced at a later date.

Tickets to Much Ado About Nothing are currently available to subscribers only and will go on sale to the public on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 12 noon. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Weaving wit, romance and comedy, Much Ado About Nothing is a whirlwind race to the finish line of "happily ever after." Everyone can see that confirmed bachelor Benedick and headstrong Beatrice are meant for each other-except for Benedick and Beatrice themselves. Love may conquer all, but not without a few battles along the way, and the verbal spars between these two lovers have never been so much fun to watch!

"The Old Globe's M.F.A. program is one of the jewels in this theater's crown, and I'm as proud of the work we do training the next generation of American actors as I am of anything else in the institution's life," said Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. "The talent that thrives in our venture with USD is top-notch, and in the delightful Shakespearean confection that is Much Ado About Nothing, that talent will be on dazzling display."

A joint venture of The Old Globe and the University of San Diego, the Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Arts program nationally recruits seven students each year to participate in an intensive two-year, year-round course of graduate study in classical theater. For additional information, visit www.globemfa.org.

James Newcomb (Director) directed Much Ado About Nothing last year for The Old Globe's Summer Shakespeare Intensive for high school students and has also directed A Midsummer Night's Dream for The Old Globe/USD Graduate Theatre Program. He is currently playing Juror 7 in Twelve Angry Men and Stephano in The Tempest (Utah Shakespeare Festival), and this last spring he played The Duke in Robert Falls' acclaimed production of Measure for Measure (Goodman Theatre). His other recent credits include playing Appomantus in Timon of Athens opposite Ian McDiarmid as Timon (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) and George in Zoot Suit (San Diego Repertory Theatre). He spent 14 seasons with Oregon Shakespeare Festival, seven with Denver Center Theatre Company, two with Utah Shakespeare Festival, three with Shakespeare & Company and four with Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and he has worked with Arizona Theatre Company, South Coast Repertory, Intiman Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre, New York Shakespeare Festival and Syracuse Stage. His Shakespeare roles include Iago, Richard III, Coriolanus, Oberon, Puck, Bolingbroke, Laertes, Touchstone, Feste, Dogberry, Benedick, Romeo, Grumio, Tranio, Caliban and Thersites. His other roles include Treat in Orphans, Hero in The Rehearsal, Gary in Noises Offand Leslie in The Hostage (Drama Logue Award, Denver Theatre Critics Award and Oxford Society Award for Artistic Excellence).

TICKETS to Much Ado About Nothing Tickets are currently available to subscribers only and will go on sale to the public on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 12 noon. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. Performances at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre begin on Nov. 9 and continue through Nov. 17. Tickets are $19. Performance times: Saturday, Nov. 9 at 8:00 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 14 at 8:00 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15 at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Discounts are available for students, seniors, active military and groups of 15 or more.

LOCATION: 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. Valet parking is also available ($10). For additional parking information visit www.BalboaPark.org.

The Tony Award-winning Old Globe is one of the country's leading professional regional theaters and has stood as San Diego's flagship arts institution for over 75 years. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and Managing Director Michael G. Murphy, 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 theater's education and community programs. Numerous world premieres such as The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, A Catered Affair 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 theaters across the country.

Pictured: Director James Newcomb. Newcomb will direct The Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program production of Shakespeare'sMuch Ado About Nothing in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre Nov. 9 - 17, 2013. Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.