By Voice and Viewpoint Staff
As a stop on this year’s annual Old Globe For All Tour, the community room at the George L. Stevens Senior Center lit up as a group of multitalented artists performed a free admission Shakespearean production of As You Like It.
Banished from the court by her distrustful uncle, the Duke–Rosalind and her cousin Celia journey to the magical Forest of Arden to escape from their world of oppression. Far from the confines of court life, the duo encounter the dashing Orlando and the follies of young romance ensue.
Voice & Viewpoint caught up with Laura Zee, the Community Programs Director just ahead of the show.
“We’re just excited for there to be a very touchable sort of Shakespeare, in a different realm. There’s actors just a couple of feet away from you. They’re not going to be behind a curtain for most of the show. You get to see the whole process happening. It’s super interactive,” said Zee.
Old Globe for All is an initiative to bring the essence of professional performing arts to various economically, geographically, and culturally diverse communities throughout San Diego County and Tijuana.
“The majority of attendees face barriers to accessing professional performing arts and often experience live theater for the very first time,” the website states.
Old Globe for All is designed to put on productions in non-theatrical venues, like the senior center. It also puts on shows in cafeterias, military installations, correctional facilities and gymnasiums.
Before the play commenced, attendees got to enjoy a down home-style fried fish lunch covered by Old Globe.
When asked about the main takeaways from As You Like it, Zee said:
“It has a lot to do with being yourself, imagining new ways of living with others that you might not have expected, and how that can make space for people to be their true self.”
The Old Globe and the District 4 Senior Resource Center have been in partnership with one another for the last nine years. Executive Director of the Senior Center, Rosemary Pope, sees the partnership as a delightful treat that brings an essential service to the community.
“Me and the other seniors, didn’t talk about Shakespeare and all the different plays, and jargon used back then—I understand it now!” said Ms. Pope.
To learn more about Old Globe For All and tour times visit: https://www.theoldglobe.org/arts-engagement/glob
