Casting Announced For The World Premiere Of LOOKING FOR CHRISTMAS

The Old Globe will expand San Diego's celebration of the holidays with a world premiere American musical about family, faith, and the magic of Christmas. The Globe is delighted to announce the complete cast and creative team for Looking for Christmas, the new Clint Black Christmas musical, inspired by the country music legend's 1995 chart-topping holiday album. With music and lyrics by Clint Black, book by James D. Sasser with Black, based on an idea by Sasser and Black, music supervision and music direction by Matt Hinkley, and directed by Kent Nicholson, Looking for Christmas will run November 11 - December 16, 2018 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Tickets start at $39.00 and are on sale to the general public now. Previews run November 11-19. Opening night is Tuesday, November 20 at 8:00 p.m.

Amid the commotion of the holidays, Staff Sergeant Mike Randolf returns from Afghanistan and home to his family. But before Mike can open his heart to the joy and spirit of the season, he must make peace with the past and let go of the ghosts of the battlefield. While Mike's wife helps him readjust to civilian life, it's their precocious young daughter's sweet search for the true meaning of Christmas that leads the family toward healing. This heartwarming musical is sure to become an enduring holiday classic.

The cast includes DeLeon Dallas (Wild Goose Dreams at La Jolla Playhouse, Honky and Actually at San Diego Repertory Theatre) as Douglas Miller, Aaron C. Finley (Broadway's Kinky Boots, It Shoulda Been You, and Rock of Ages) as Mike Randolf, Kaylin Hedges (title role in Annie at the Hollywood Bowl) as Ellie Randolf, Liana Hunt (Broadway's Newsies and Mamma Mia!, national tours of Bright Star, Wicked, and Mamma Mia!) as Jessie Randolf, and Syndee Winters (Broadway's The Lion King, Motown The Musical, Pippin, and Hamilton; NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert) as Alissa Miller. The ensemble includes Reanne Acasio, Bobby Chiu (Billy Watson), Veda Cienfuegos (Joanie Watson), Giovanni Cozic (Jimmy), Scott Richard Foster (Jack Peters), Bryant Martin (Santa), Reese McCulloch (Melissa Peters), and Katie Sapper; with swings Lauren Livia Muehl, Jonathan Sangster, and Lauren Ellen Thompson.

The creative team includes Wendy Seyb (Choreographer), Sean Fanning (Scenic Design), Charlotte Devaux (Costume Design), Rui Rita (Lighting Design), Leon Rothenberg (Sound Design), Jason Styres, CSA (Casting), and Anjee Nero (Production Stage Manager).

"Clint Black is a giant of American music, and his wonderful holiday album has given us a great production to fill our intimate theatre in the round with feeling and good cheer, and to bring 2018 to a sweet and moving climax," said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. "Looking for Christmas is full of beautiful and winning songs. But what moves me most about it is that it's a simple and honest story of love in all its forms: the love between parents and children, the love between friends, love of country, and love of God. Clint and the great artists who've come to San Diego to make this world premiere have given us a lively and touching show that's a balm for turbulent times and that I believe will become a true Christmas classic. I can't wait for our audiences to experience it."

The Old Globe and Clint Black are both committed to serving our large community of military families. Complimentary tickets for military service members and their families are being underwritten by Gail and Doug Hutcheson, Elaine Lipinsky Family Foundation, Walter J. and Mary C. Zable Foundation, and Pamela Farr and Buford Alexander. Additional underwriters are being sought so that more servicemen and women and their families can experience theatre during the holiday season. For more information on supporting the Globe's military initiatives, please contact Bridget Cantu Wear at (619) 684-4144 or bcantuwear@TheOldGlobe.org.

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Clint Black (Music and Lyrics, Book, Original Idea) has one of the most storied careers in modern music. He surged to superstardom as part of the fabled "Class of '89," reaching No. 1 with five consecutive singles from his triple-Platinum debut, Killin' Time. He followed that with the triple-Platinum Put Yourself in My Shoes, and then a string of Platinum and Gold albums throughout the '90s. Perhaps most impressively, Mr. Black wrote or co-wrote every one of his more than three dozen chart hits, including "A Better Man," "Where Are You Now," "When My Ship Comes In," "A Good Run of Bad Luck," "Summer's Comin'," "Like the Rain," and "Nothin' but the Taillights," part of a catalog that produced 22 No. 1 singles and made him one of the most successful singer/songwriters of the modern era. Along the way, Mr. Black has sold over 20 million records; earned more than a dozen Gold and Platinum awards in the U.S. and Canada; landed nearly two dozen major awards and nominations, including more than a dozen Grammy Award nominations; and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

James D. Sasser (Book, Original Idea) has had a performance career spanning from Broadway and Off Broadway to opera and concert stages around the world, and he has been involved for two decades in the development of dozens of new musical works on both sides of the table as an actor, writer, and producer. He has worked with organizations ranging from Riverdance to Sundance, Jesus Christ Superstar to Forbidden Broadway, and theatre outfits including Ars Nova, Manhattan Theatre Club, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, New Dramatists, Vineyard Theatre, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Playwrights Horizons, and many more. With writing partner Charles Vincent Burwell, their musicals include CUBAMOR, Bottle Shock (based on the hit cult wine film), and the forthcoming Black Count. CUBAMOR had its developmental premiere at Village Theatre's Beta Series and was an official selection of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre Festival and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's New Works Festival. Bottle Shock has been presented at the Napa Valley Film Festival, Ars Nova, and Z Space, and it is gearing up for its premiere in the Bay Area. Mr. Sasser and Mr. Burwell's songs have been heard at Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, Ars Nova, A Little New Music in L.A., Feinstein's at the Nikko in San Francisco, and other venues on both coasts. Along with Kent Nicholson and Mr. Burwell, and financial partners Henry Ivey and Juliet Settlemier, Mr. Sasser founded the 959 Group, a new-works theatrical development and investment strategy LLC. Their first endeavor was Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, which marked vocal sensation Josh Groban's Broadway debut, and was nominated for twelve Tony Awards, winning two. Their portfolio includes CUBAMOR, Bottle Shock, and Looking for Christmas.

Kent Nicholson (Director) has had a hand in nearly three decades of new-work development on both coasts with pioneering organizations such as Playwrights Horizons and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. His New York directing credits include 9 Circles (Sheen Center), Long Story Short (Prospect Theater Company), Five Flights (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), Wet (Summer Play Festival), and Marry Harry (New York Musical Theatre Festival, American Theater Group). Mr. Nicholson's regional credits include Once, Amadeus, and The Light in the Piazza (South Coast Repertory), How to Write a New Book for the Bible (South Coast Repertory, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre), CUBAMOR (Village Theatre), Lizzie (Theatre Under The Stars, Village Theatre), Grey Gardens, Vincent in Brixton, Ambition Facing West, and All My Sons (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley), Saint Ex (Weston Playhouse), 9 Circles, The Good German, and Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Marin Theatre Company), and Small Tragedy and Satellites (Aurora Theatre Company). He created the New Works Initiative at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and the Uncharted writers group at Ars Nova. Mr. Nicholson currently serves on the boards of Old Sound Room and Musical Theatre Factory, and he serves as Associate Producer of Musical Theatre at Playwrights Horizons in New York.

Matt Hinkley (Music Supervisor and Music Director), originally from Texas, is a New York City/New Jersey-based multi-instrumentalist, conductor, music director, and arranger/orchestrator. His Broadway credits include SpongeBob SquarePants, Bandstand, Finding Neverland, Violet, First Date, and Godspell. His regional credits include Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing (Signature Theatre Company, Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Musical Direction), The Circus in Winter (Goodspeed Musicals), Chess (The Kennedy Center), and Love Kills (Steppenwolf Theatre Company). His other New York credits include Rooms; Joe Iconis's Bloodsong of Love and Things to Ruin; the City Center Encores! production of Assassins; The Burnt Part Boys; 35mm; The Bad Years; F#%king Up Everything/Brooklyn Crush; and Koberet. He also worked on the film of Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years. Mr. Hinkley's studio and concert work includes supervising/arranging for Caissie Levy, Jonathan Reid Gealt, and Natalie Weiss; music direction for Bubble Boy; and collaborations with Kerrigan and Lowdermilk, Joe Iconis, and more. His works in development include music direction for Adam Rapp and Jamestown Revival's The Outsiders, and music supervision for Mr. Gealt's Dust & Shadow, Ben Clark's Skin & Bones, and Tennessee Whiskey, about the life and songs of Dean Dillon.

Looking for Christmas is supported in part through gifts from Production Sponsors Globe Guilders, The Prado Restaurant at Balboa Park, Evelyn Mack Truitt, and Viasat, as well as Artist Sponsors Lynne and Steve Wheeler (for actor Aaron C. Finley). Financial support is provided by The City of San Diego. Tickets for military service members and their families are being underwritten by Gail and Doug Hutcheson, Elaine Lipinsky Family Foundation, the Walter J. and Mary C. Zable Foundation, and Pamela Farr and Buford Alexander.

Additional events taking place during the run of Looking for Christmas include:

VICKI AND CARL ZEIGER INSIGHTS SEMINAR: Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.

This series provides an opportunity to closely connect with productions both onstage and backstage. A panel selected from the artistic company of each show (playwrights, actors, directors, designers, and/or technicians) engages patrons in an informal and illuminating presentation of ideas and insights to enhance the theatregoing experience. Reception at 5:00 p.m. FREE.

POST-SHOW FORUMS: Tuesdays, November 27 and December 4, and Wednesday, December 5, 2018. Join us after the show for an informal and enlightening question-and-answer session with cast, crew, and/or Globe staff members. Get the inside story on creating a character and putting together a professional production. FREE.

SUBJECT MATTERS: Saturday, December 1, 2018

Explore the ideas and issues raised by a production through brief, illuminating post-show discussions with local experts, such as scientists, artists, historians and scholars. Subject Matters will ignite discussion, bring the play's concerns into sharp focus, and encourage you to think beyond the stage! FREE; no reservations necessary.

SINGLE TICKETS to Looking for Christmas start at $39.00 and are on sale to the general public now. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE [234-5623], or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 29 years of age and under, seniors, military members, and groups of 10 or more.

PERFORMANCES begin on November 11, 2018 and continue through December 16. Performance times : Previews: Sunday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m.; Tuesday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m.; Wednesday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m.; no performance on Thursday, November 15; Friday, November 16 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 17 at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, November 18 at 7:00 p.m.; and Monday, November 19 at 7:00 p.m. Opening night is Tuesday, November 20 at 8:00 p.m. Regular performances (November 21 - December 16): Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m.; Thursday and Friday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. There will be an added Wednesday matinee performance on December 12; no performance on Thursday, November 22 (Thanksgiving); and no matinee performance on Saturday, December 15.

LOCATION and PARKING INFORMATION : The Old Globe is located in San Diego's Balboa Park at 1363 Old Globe Way. Through a special arrangement with the San Diego Zoo, Old Globe evening ticket-holders have the opportunity to pre-purchase valet parking in the Zoo's employee parking structure. With a drop-off point just a short walk to the Globe, theatregoers may purchase fast, easy, convenient valet parking for just $14 per vehicle per evening. Pre-paid only, available only by phone through The Old Globe Box Office. Call (619) 234-5623 or visit www.theoldglobe.org/plan-your-visit/directions--parking/valet-parking. The Balboa Park valet is also available during weekend performances, located in front of the Japanese Friendship Garden. For additional parking information visit www.BalboaPark.org.

There are numerous free parking lots available throughout the park. Guests may also be dropped off in front of the Mingei International Museum. There is a 10-minute zone at The Old Globe, used only for daytime deliveries, ticket purchases, and handicapped access dropoff. For directions and up-to-date information, please visit www.theoldglobe.org/plan-your-visit/directions--parking/detailed-directions.

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