Globe Gala Helps Ensure Financial Stability of this "Wooden O"

Article by Greg Jarboe

According to James Shapiro's book, A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599, the Globe was built with timber that was filched in the dead of night from The Theatre in Shoreditch, transported in the middle of winter to a waterfront warehouse, and ferried across the Thames River the following spring. Although much has been written about Shakespeare's plays, far less has been written about his role as one of the shareholders in the Lord Chamberlain's Men. But as part-owner of the Globe, Shakespeare had to work especially hard to ensure the continued artistic success and financial stability of this "unworthy scaffold", this "cockpit", this "Wooden O".

Four hundred and 10 years later, with the extraordinary difficulties in today's economy, everyone at The Old Globe is working especially hard to ensure continued artistic success and financial stability of one of the most renowned regional theatres in the country. Despite being San Diego's flagship arts institution for over 70 years, the internationally-acclaimed, Tony Award-winning Old Globe needs all the help it can get.

Ticket sales and earned income cover 60 percent of The Old Globe's budget - considered healthy for a non-profit performing arts organization. However, in order to cover the remaining 40 percent, they need additional support from patrons.

Although patrons aren't asked to filch timber in the dead of night, they are asked to attend one of the special events that benefit the Theatre, like the annual Globe Gala. On Saturday, August 1, 2009, this year's Gala featured both silent and live auctions, tickets to the evening performance in the Old Globe Theatre, as well as dining and dancing under the stars in The Old Globe's Copley Plaza.

Among the attendees were Charles and Tanya Brandes, Michael and Marie Mossmer, Irwin and Joan Jacobs, Matthew and Iris Strauss, Jeff and Deni Jacobs, Don Brietenberg and JeAnne Jones, Rena Horowitz, Louis Spisto, Donald and Karen Cohn, Harvey and Sheryl White.

Their financial contributions ensure that Shakespeare's Twelth Night and Coriolanus will continue playing this season along with Cyrano De Bergerac and The First Wive's Club. They also help to ensure that The Old Globe continues to produce a year-round season of 15 plays and musicals on its three stages, including its highly-regarded Shakespeare festival.

With a current operating budget of approximately $20 million, the Globe is one of San Diego's largest arts institutions, its leading arts employer, and among the nation's top-ranked regional theatres. More than 250,000 people annually attend Globe productions and participate in the theater's education programs and outreach services.

Special events like the Gala, the Globe Guilders Fashion Show, and Nights @ The Globe help ensure the continued artistic success and financial stability of this "unworthy scaffold", this "cockpit", this "Wooden O".

(Greg Jarboe played Hamlet in high school, stage-managed Henry IV in college, and directed The Tempest at the Cockpit Teatre in London. He is the author of YouTube and Video Marketing: An Hour a Day. )

 

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