Executive Producer Lou Spisto today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast Premiere of Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro's The Last Romance. Old Globe Associate Artist and television icon Marion Ross will star with her longtime partner Paul Michael in the new romantic comedy which was written for them by DiPietro. Ross and Michael have previously appeared on stage together in DiPietro's Over the River and Through the Woods. Directed by Richard Seer, The Last Romance will run in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre July 30 - Sept. 5. Previews run July 30 - Aug. 4. Opening night is Thursday, Aug. 5 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office.
On an ordinary day in a routine life, an 80-year-old widower named Ralph decides to takes a different path on his daily walk - one that leads him to an unexpected second chance at love. Relying on a renewed boyish charm, Ralph attempts to woo the elegant, but distant, Carol. Defying Carol's reticence - and the jealousy of his lonely sister Rose - he embarks on the trip of a lifetime and regains a happiness that seemed all but lost. The Last Romance is a heart-warming comedy about the transformational power of love.
In addition to Ross and Michael, the cast of The Last Romance includes
Patricia Conolly (Rose Tagliatelle) and Joshua Jeremiah (The Young Man).
The creative team includes
Alexander Dodge (Scenic Design), Charlotte Devaux (Costume Design), Chris Rynne (Lighting Design),
Paul Peterson (Sound Design) and Lavinia Henley (Stage Manager).
Joe DiPietro recently won two Tony Awards for co-writing Memphis, which also received the 2010 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical. His other plays and musicals include, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (the longest-running musical revue in Off Broadway history), The Toxic Avenger and The Thing About Men (both winners of the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off Broadway musical), the much-produced comedy, Over the River and Through the Woods, The Art of Murder (Edgar Award winner for Best Mystery Play) and the Broadway musical, All Shook Up. His drama, Creating Claire, debuted this past spring at
George Street Playhouse, and his newest musical, Falling for Eve, opened this summer at the
York Theatre Company in New York. His work has received thousands of productions across the country and around the world.
Marion Ross is known to millions of fans for her 11-year portrayal of Mrs. C on "Happy Days." Ross is an Associate Artist of The Old Globe and has appeared in numerous productions on the Globe's stages. She received critical acclaim for her Broadway and National Tour with Jean Stapleton in Arsenic and Old Lace and the National Tour of Steel Magnolias. She also performs a one-woman show celebrating the life, loves and poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay in A Lovely Night. Ross starred in the acclaimed television series "Brooklyn Bridge" for which she was twice nominated for an Emmy and was a two-time winner for Best Comedy Actress of the year by Viewers for Quality Television. She won a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Rosie in the movie The Evening Star with Shirley MacLaine. She has played Drew Carey's mother on "The Drew Carey Show," the feisty matriarch on "Gilmore Girls" and the terrible mother-in-law on "That ‘70s Show." Ross currently plays Sally Field's mother on "Brothers & Sisters" and recently played Leslie Nielsen's wife in the movie Superhero. She is the voice of Grandma SquarePants on "SpongeBob SquarePants" and Mrs. Lopart on "Handy Mandy." In 2001, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Paul Michael has appeared in 14 productions on Broadway and countless musicals, comedies and dramas on stage, television and film. His distinguished career began with the 1956 Broadway musical Bells Are Ringing starring
Judy Holliday, followed by Whoop Up, 13 Daughters, Bajour, Do Re Mi, Tovarich, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Illya Darling, Fade Out, Fade In, Arturo Ui, Zorba, Man of La Mancha, Music Is and 1,000 performances as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof throughout the country. Michael has performed with such legendary stars as
Vivien Leigh,
Jean-Pierre Aumont,
Ginger Rogers,
Don Ameche,
Phil Silvers,
Rock Hudson,
Christopher Plummer,
Marilyn Maxwell,
Melina Mercouri and
Richard Kiley. He has acted under the guidance of a host of award-winning directors, such as
George Abbott,
Jerome Robbins,
Bob Fosse,
Hal Prince,
Jose Quintero,
Abe Burrows,
Tony Richardson,
Delbert Mann,
Peter Glenville and
Herbert Ross. Television audiences have seen his work on such shows as "Frasier," "Seinfeld," "T.J. Hooker," "Hill Street Blues," "Masada," "Kojak," "General Hospital" and "Dark Shadows." His films include Masque of the Red Death, Pennies from Heaven, House of Dark Shadows and the recent Hallmark Channel movie Where There's a Will.
Patricia Conolly first appeared at
The Old Globe as Rosalind in
Jack O'Brien's production of As You Like It. Other Globe appearances include Mrs. Alving in Ghosts, the Fool in King Lear, Wendy in Clap Your Hands and Emilia in Othello. She recently completed a critically-acclaimed run in the Off Broadway production of Gabriel at
Atlantic Theater Company. Her many Broadway credits include
Mark Twain's Is He Dead?, Waiting in the Wings, Judgment at Nuremberg, The Heiress, The Circle, The Sound of Music, A Small Family Business, Blithe Spirit, roles with the
APA-Phoenix Repertory Company and The Coast of Utopia at
Lincoln Center Theater. In England, she worked with the
Royal Shakespeare Company,
Laurence Olivier's company at
Chichester Festival Theatre and with
Maggie Smith in Virginia on the West End.
Joshua Jeremiah was nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award in the Best Opera category for his role in John Musto's opera, Volpone. An artist with Glimmerglass Opera in their 2009 season, Jeremiah performed the role of Alidoro in La Cenerentola as well as understudying John Sorel in The Consul. Prior to Glimmerglass Opera, he was a Filene Young Artist at
Wolf Trap Opera Company performing the roles of La Rocca in Un Giorno di Regno, Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos and, to critical acclaim, Volpone. As a member of the Seattle Opera Young Artists Program, Jeremiah performed the title roles of Gianni Schicchi and Falstaff, as well as Sam in Trouble in Tahiti. On the concert stage, he has most recently performed the music of
Victor Herbert at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall.
Richard Seer is an award-winning director and actor and has directed and/or performed on Broadway, Off Broadway, on film and television, and in over 70 productions at regional theaters in this country and Great Britain, including The Kennedy Center,
Goodman Theatre, Stratford Shakespeare Festival,
Brooklyn Academy Of Music,
Huntington Theatre Company, Washington's Playwrights' Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theatre,
Studio Arena Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland and the
Sybil Thorndike Repertory Theatre in England. He originated the role of Young Charlie in the 1978 Tony Award-winning Broadway production of
Hugh Leonard's Da and received the
Theatre World Award for his performance. At
The Old Globe, he has directed productions of The Price, Romeo and Juliet, Who's Afraid of
Virginia Woolf?, Trying, Fiction, Blue/Orange, All My Sons, Da and Old Wicked Songs. Recent directing assignments also include Third (
Huntington Theatre Company) and Sonia Flew (San Jose Repertory Theatre). Seer has been Director of
The Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre program since 1993.
TICKETS to The Last Romance 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 begin on July 30 and continue through Sept. 5. Ticket prices range from $29 to $62. Performance times: Previews: Friday, July 30 at 8:00 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 1 at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 3 at 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 4 at 7:00 p.m. Opening Night: Thursday, Aug. 5 at 7:00 p.m. Regular Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 29 years of age and under, seniors and groups of 10 or more.
Associated events taking place during the run of The Last Romance include:
POST-SHOW FORUMS: The Last Romance
Tuesday, Aug. 17 & 24 and Wednesday, Aug. 18. FREE
Discuss the play with members of The Last Romance cast and crew at post-show discussions led by the Globe's creative staff after the August 17, 18 and 24 performances.
INSIGHT SEMINAR: The Last Romance
Monday, Aug. 2 at 7:00 p.m. FREE
Insight Seminars are a Monday night series of informal presentations of ideas and insights to enhance the theater-going experience. The seminars feature a panel selected from the artistic company of each production and take place in the theater where the production is performed. Reception, 6:30 p.m. Seminar, 7:00 p.m. Admission is free and reservations are not required.
OUT AT THE GLOBE: Thursday, Aug. 12 at 6:30 p.m. $20
An evening for gay and lesbian theater lovers and the whole GLBT community, Out at the Globe includes a hosted wine and martini bar, appetizers, door prizes and a pre-show mixer. $20 per person. RSVP at (619) 23-GLOBE. (Tickets to The Last Romance and the Shakespeare Festival are sold separately.)
THANK GLOBE IT'S FRIDAY: Friday, Aug. 6 and 13 at 6:30 p.m. $20
Kick off the weekend with the Globe's Friday pre-show bash. TGIF includes a hosted wine and martini bar, appetizers and dessert, and live music from a local San Diego artist. $20 per person. RSVP at (619) 23-GLOBE. (Tickets to The Last Romance and the Shakespeare Festival are sold separately.)
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.
CALENDAR: King Lear (6/12-9/23), The Madness of George III (6/19-9/24), The Taming of the Shrew (6/16- 9/26), Robin and the 7 Hoods - A New Musical (7/14-8/22), The Last Romance (7/30-9/5).
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 75 years. Under the direction of Executive Producer
Louis G. Spisto,
The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 15 productions of classic, contemporary and new works on its three Balboa Park stages: the 600-seat
Old Globe Theatre, the 250-seat Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre and the 612-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.
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