Photo Flash: First Look at Albert Jones and More in RED VELVET, Helmed by Stafford Arima at The Old Globe

The Old Globe presents Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti. In-demand director Stafford Arima (Broadway's Allegiance, Off Broadway's Altar Boyz, West End's Ragtime) returns to the Globe, following Allegiance and Ace, to helm the award-winning drama, which runs now through April 30, 2017 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage of the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is tonight, March 30, and BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage below!

Red Velvet is a stirring drama that transports audiences to the turbulent backstage world of London's Theatre Royal in the early 1800s. Edmund Kean, the greatest actor of his generation, can't go on tonight as Othello, and his company is in disarray. A young American actor named Ira Aldridge arrives to step into the role-but no black man has ever played Othello on the English stage. His groundbreaking performance upends stage tradition and changes the lives of everyone involved. Lolita Chakrabarti's multi-award-winning play uncovers the fascinating true story of a pivotal figure in theatre history. Stafford Arima returns to The Old Globe with a stunningly theatrical production.

Albert Jones leads the cast as Ira Aldridge. His extensive credits include Lincoln Center's acclaimed Henry IV on Broadway and the Off Broadway productions of Macbeth, Pericles, and Richard III. His television and film credits include "House of Cards," "The Night Of," American Gangster, and Cadillac Records. Joining him are Michael Aurelio (The Merry Wives of Windsor and Richard III at Theatricum Botanicum) as Casimir and Henry Forrester; Sean Dugan (The Four of Us at the Globe, Next Fall on Broadway, "Smash," "Oz") as Pierre Laporte; San Diego actress Monique Gaffney (Craig Noel Award winner, Globe for All's Much Ado About Nothing and All's Well That Ends Well) as Connie; John Lavelle(Macbeth, The Royale, 2013 Shakespeare Festival at the Globe, The Graduate on Broadway) as Charles Kean; Allison Mack (10 seasons of WB/CW's hit series "Smallville," "Wilfred") as Ellen Tree; Amelia Pedlow (Globe's The Metromaniacs, Off Broadway's The Liar and The Heir Apparent) as Halina Wozniak, Betty Lovell, and Margaret Aldridge; and Mark Pinter(Macbeth, Othello, and The Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Globe, Rothschild & Sons Off Broadway) as Terence and Bernard Warde.

The creative team includes Jason Sherwood (Scenic Design), David Israel Reynoso(Costume Design), Jason Lyons (Lighting Design), Jonathan Deans (Sound Design), Lynne Shankel (Original Music), Jenn Rapp (Movement, Associate Director), David Huber (Vocal Coach), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Jess Slocum (Production Stage Manager).

Tickets start at $29, on sale now, and 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.

Photo Credit: Jim Cox

The cast of Lolita Chakrabarti's RED VELVET at The Old Globe

Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge and Sean Dugan as Pierre Laporte
Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge and Amelia Pedlow as Halina Wozniak
Allison Mack as Ellen Tree and Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge
Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge and Sean Dugan as Pierre Laporte
Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge and Amelia Pedlow as Margaret Aldridge
Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge and Monique Gaffney as Connie
Mark Pinter as Terence, Amelia Pedlow as Halina Wozniak, and Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge
Sean Dugan as Pierre Laporte, Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge, Monique Gaffney as Connie, Allison Mack as Ellen Tree, and Mark Pinter as Bernard Warde
Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge
Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge
The cast of Lolita Chakrabarti's RED VELVET at The Old Globe
Michael Aurelio as Henry Forrester, Mark Pinter as Bernard Warde, Albert Jones as Ira Aldridge, Sean Dugan as Pierre Laporte, and John Lavelle as Charles Kean
John Lavelle as Charles Kean and Allison Mack as Ellen Tree
Mark Pinter as Bernard Warde and Sean Dugan as Pierre Laporte
The cast of Lolita Chakrabarti's RED VELVET at The Old Globe