The Old Globe to Present THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA Featuring a Cast of 14 M.F.A. Students

The Old Globe presents Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona featuring students from The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. Directed by Jimonn Cole, the limited engagement will play 11 performances only from October 28 to November 5, 2023 in The Old Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Center in beautiful Balboa Park. Tickets go on sale to subscribers and donors on Friday, August 25 at 12:00 noon, and to the general public on Friday, September 1 at 12:00 noon.  

“The play gives a great opportunity to test old world values, commitment, and friendship for the young people growing up in today’s fast-paced society, and who better to tackle this material but the 14 actors in our professional M.F.A. training program,” said Program Director and Craig Noel Distinguished Professor Jesse Perez. “The Two Gentlemen of Verona marks the start of Shakespeare’s exploration with tangled love, exile, strong heroines, and an irreverent sense of humor. I am extremely excited for director Jimonn Cole, an incredible professional actor and educator from New York, to work with our talented students and perform this romantic comedy in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre this fall.”

The Two Gentlemen of Verona will be performed live by the M.F.A. students from The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. The cast of 14 features Danny Adams, Jose Balistrieri, Luana Fontes, Chris Hathaway, Madeline Grace Jones, Erick Lindsey, Kevin Minor, Angelynne Pawaan, Carter Piggee, Akoni Steinmann, Vandous Stripling II, Emma Svitil, Michael Underhill, and Lisa VillaMil.

Set in a modern-day Italy, we meet two young men in search of identity—and Julia, the first Shakespearean female character to disguise herself as a young man. This company of 14 M.F.A. actors, now in training at The Old Globe and University of San Diego, brings a wild cast of characters to life in a bold staging of this timely, classy comedy that highlights themes of betrayal, loyalty, and friendship.

In addition to Jimonn Cole, the creative team includes scenic design by Robin Sanford Roberts, costume design by Elisa Benzoni, lighting design by Jason Bieber, sound design by Evan Eason, vocal and speech coaching by Emmelyn Thayer, text coaching and dramaturgy by Ray Chambers, fight direction by Ka’imi Kuoha, and choreography by Lesa Green.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona will play in The Old Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre in San Diego’s Balboa Park from October 28 to November 5 for 11 performances only. The schedule is Saturday, October 28 at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, October 29 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Tuesday, October 31 at 7:00 p.m.; Wednesday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m.; Thursday, November 2 at 7:00 p.m.; Friday, November 3 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 4 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday, November 5 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets will go on sale to subscribers and donors on Friday, August 25 at 12:00 noon, and to the general public on Friday, September 1 at 12:00 noon. They will be available at www.TheOldGlobe.org or (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623). Regular tickets are $15.00; students, Globe subscribers, and donors are $10.00; and groups of 15 or more are $10.00.

In alignment with the State of California, which has removed mask and vaccine requirements for indoor events, The Old Globe will not require patrons to provide proof of vaccination or to wear masks while attending shows or events. However, the theatre still recommends mask-wearing while at the Globe, and patrons should feel comfortable wearing a mask anywhere on our campus if they choose.

Major underwriting of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program at The Old Globe is provided by Darlene Marcos Shiley. Financial support is provided by The City of San Diego. The Theodor and Audrey Geisel Fund provides leadership support for The Old Globe’s year-round activities.


A joint venture of the Globe and USD, the Shiley Graduate Theatre Program nationally recruits seven students each year to participate in an intensive two-year course of graduate study in classical theatre. Private funding for the Master of Fine Arts in Theatre program has been contributed through a generous endowment established by Donald and Darlene Shiley. Additional support for the program is provided by the Dorothy Brown Endowment Fund and the Louis Yager Cantwell Foundation.

The Tony Award–winning The Old Globe is one of the country’s leading professional nonprofit regional theatres. Now in its 89th year, the Globe is San Diego’s flagship performing arts institution, and it serves a vibrant community with theatre as a public good. Under the leadership of Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and the Audrey S. Geisel Managing Director Timothy J. Shields, The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 16 productions of classic, contemporary, and new works on its three Balboa Park stages, including its internationally renowned Shakespeare Festival. More than 250,000 people annually attend Globe productions and participate in the theatre’s artistic and arts engagement programs. Its nationally prominent Arts Engagement Department provides an array of participatory programs that make theatre matter to more people in neighborhoods throughout the region. Humanities programs at the Globe and around the city broaden the community’s understanding of theatre art in all its forms. The Globe also boasts a range of new play development programs with professional and community-based writers, as well as the renowned The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. Numerous world premieres—such as 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Bright Star, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!—have been developed at The Old Globe and have gone on to highly successful runs on Broadway and at regional theatres across the country.

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