learn about the new globe
CLICK HERE to learn all about the new globe proposal - from origin to mission, from partnership (Shakespeare's Globe) to architects (Foster and Partners), and more:


Clicking the button will open a flash website.


watch the new globe film
CLICK HERE to watch a 12-minute film about the new globe proposal.

Be advised: the short wait for the website to load is worth it, as your world will never be the same again. This film is a heads-on collision with inspiration ... it would even have rendered Shakespeare speechless. Yes, joy and bliss are no longer strangers.


latest news


29 october 2008
barack obama and the bard.
On October 27th, in a series named Presidential Questions, CBS News anchor Katie Couric asked Senator Obama: "What is your favorite book of all time?"


The audacity of hope.



27 october 2008
shakespeare in the brave new world.
On October 27th, at 8:00pm the New Globe Theater presents SHAKESPEARE IN THE BRAVE NEW WORLD (from the Colonies to Bart Simpson) at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.

This benefit follows the story of Shakespeare in America - beginning with first performances in the colonies in 1730; to the Astor Place Riots in 1849, when 22 died over the correct theatrical interpretation of Macbeth; to Shakespeare's influence on Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain (including a reading from "Huck Finn" with the duke enacting Hamlet's soliloquy); to a 1910 silent film of Twelfth Night with actors performing the voice over on stage; to the American musical with performances from Swingin' The Dream, Kiss Me, Kate, or West Side Story; to "the Lion King", "10 Things I Hate About You" and Bart Simpson doing Hamlet.



The evening is hosted by Tony Award winner Liev Schreiber* (The Manchurian Candidate, RKO 281, Everything Is Illuminated, Hamlet, Henry V, Macbeth, Othello), with appearances and performances by David Alan Basche* (The Starter Wife, Lipstick Jungle, Twelfth Night), Adam Brown* (winner of the 2007 ESU National Shakespeare Competition), Jonathan Cake* (Broadway's Cymbeline, Medea, and Coriolanus at Shakespeare's Globe), Peter Francis James* (The Lady from Dubuque with Dame Maggie Smith, Stuff Happens, HBO's Oz, and the upcoming films The Messenger and The Rebound), James Lesure* (Lipstick Jungle, Las Vegas, Macbeth), Emmy winner Judith Light* (Claire Meade on Ugly Betty, Who's The Boss?, and upcoming film Save Me), Manu Narayan* (Broadway's Bombay Dreams, The Love Guru opposite Mike Myers, The Boys From Syracuse), Will & Anthony Nunziata* (concerts with Boston Pops, Cleveland Pops, Colorado Symphony), Tony Award winner Maryann Plunkett* (A Man For All Seasons opposite Frank Langella, Broadway's Sunday in the Park with George, The Crucible), Alysia Reiner* (Rosalind in As You Like It, TV's The Starter Wife, Puppy Love), Juliet Rylance* (Romeo and Juliet, Winter's Tale at Shakespeare's Globe), Jay O. Sanders* (JFK, Broadway's Pygmalion opposite Claire Danes, Stuff Happens, Hamlet, Macbeth), Tony Award nominee Daniel Sunjata* (FX series Rescue Me, ESPN's The Bronx Is Burning, Broadway's Take Me Out, Cyrano opposite Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner, and the upcoming Ghost of Girlfriends Past), Tamara Tunie* (Law & Order: SVU, 24, The Devil's Advocate, Broadway's Radio Golf, and Julius Caesar opposite Denzel Washington), James Waterston* (Orlando in NYSF's As You Like It, Mark Antony in Julius Caesar, Sir Peter Hall's Being Earnest, Buffalo Gal, Dead Poet's Society, the upcoming film Visiting), and more performers to be announced soon. Musical Direction by Michael Rice.
* Please note: all performers are subject to availability.



11 august 2008
international herald tribune:
"new york needs a major shakespeare theater"
In today's article entitled "New York needs a major Shakespeare theater," Charles Isherwood identifies the need for more iambic pentameter in our City and concludes his essay with these two paragraphs:

"An intriguing plan to build a New Globe Theater in Castle Williams on Governors Island has a long list of distinguished supporters. But the draft for the development of the site released by the National Park Service in February did not include the New Globe.

The need is real. Shakespeare is the taproot of the English-language theater, a limitless source of inspiration for theater artists of all kinds, an ever-renewable source of pleasure for audiences. To read him is a joy, yes, but the plays are better said than read. That the country's leading theatrical marketplace can offer up only a paltry couple of major homegrown Shakespeare productions a year is a puzzle and a problem. But surely not an insoluble one."

Bravo, Mr. Isherwood ... we agree full-heartedly!
And, our gratitude to Hal Prince for kindly bringing this article to our attention.

To read the full article, please CLICK HERE.



4 august 2008
broadway benefit concert sold out.
On Monday, August 4th, at 8:00pm the New Globe Theater and TheaterMania present VARIATIONS ON SHAKESPEARE: An Evening of Songs Inspired by the Bard. This benefit concert highlights songs from musicals based on the works of William Shakespeare, such as Kiss Me, Kate, The Boys From Syracuse, or West Side Story with performances by some of Broadway's hottest stars!



The evening is hosted by Tony Award winner Mark Rylance, with appearances and performances by Broadway and TV Star Tom Cavanagh (TV's Ed, Urinetown, Shenandoah), Anthony Rapp (original cast of RENT, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown), Emmy Award nominee George Wendt (Norm in TV's Cheers, Hairspray), Tony Award nominee Martha Plimpton (upcoming Pal Joey, Top Girls, Cymbeline, The Coast of Utopia), Tony Award winner Christian Hoff (Jersey Boys, upcoming Pal Joey), Tony Award nominee Alice Ripley (Side Show, Next To Normal), Barrett Foa (The Drunken City, Avenue Q, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Tony winner Denis O'Hare (Sweet Charity, Assassins, Take Me Out), Autumn Hurlbert (MTV Finalist "Legally Blonde: Search for the Next Elle Woods", Legally Blonde), Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde, Cabaret, Jekyll and Hyde, and Miss America 1998), Darius de Haas (Rent, Marie Christine, Kiss of the Spiderwoman), Alexander Gemignani (Les Miz, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park With George), Garrett Long (South Pacific, The Spitfire Grill), and more. The evening is directed by Igor Goldin with musical direction by David Andrews Rogers and text by Joe and David Zellnik.





Pictured: Kenita Miller singing "Love's Revenge" from Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Anthony Rapp and Tom Cavanagh.

To view more photographs, please CLICK HERE.



21 april 2008
come revel with martha plimpton and jonathan cake!
As part of our benefit series, we are honored that Martha Plimpton and Jonathan Cake are hosting a private cocktail party to support the New Globe.



To view photographs, please CLICK HERE.



10 march 2008
new globe packs the (federal) hall for public hearing!
It was a full house on Monday night, March 10th, at Federal Hall (26 Wall Street), where the public hearing about the Governors Island National Monument was held.

At least 90% of all speakers stated their strong support for the New Globe proposal. A special thank you to Congressman Jerrold Nadler who again urged the National Park Service to approve the New Globe plan ... the resounding applause lasted into the night.



8 february 2008
NPS draft plan omits new globe, ignores public support.
The National Park Service has released its DRAFT General Management Plan for Governors Island - and despite overwhelming public support for the inclusion of the New Globe proposal in the national monument, the NPS alternatives unveiled do not include this project.

The DRAFT (notice that we are stressing this word) plan states the proposed NPS "vision is the product of a process that integrates the aspirations of the public with the unique capabilities of the NPS to provide for the preservation and public enjoyment of the National Monument over the next 20 years." However, the public's aspirations favoring the New Globe are clear:

(1) A congressional letter signed by New York Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (whose district includes Governors Island), New York delegation Chairman Charles Rangel and another dozen congressmen strongly urged the National Park Service to approve the New Globe plan;
(2) More than 3,000 emails from the general public were received by the NPS in 2007 in support of the New Globe;
(3) About 65% of respondents during the public scoping period called for approval of the New Globe - a fact buried on page 271 in the appendix of the DRAFT GMP.

The DRAFT plan argues, for example, that "visually, spatially, and in terms of communicating the fort's military function and history, the visitor [to the New Globe site] would be confronted with a very large, permanent intrusion. This would not be the superlative visitor experience expected by the public." However, that very public has voted for the presence of the theater in the open courtyard. Further, the New Globe's innovative design would secure the integrity of the fort while allowing for a world of beneficial uses - thus, more than any other alternative, fulfilling the NPS mission of preservation and public engagement.

CLICK HERE for more information - and to help the government see what the public wants its national park to be. It's not too late! (And only takes two minutes.)



19 december 2007
new globe thrilled by choice of parkland design team
Governor Eliot Spitzer and Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the selection of internationally renowned design firms West 8 / Rogers Marvel Architects / Diller Scofidio + Renfro / Quennell Rothschild / SMWM to design Governors Island's future open space, including a new park and promenade (please note: not including the 22 acres that encompass Castle Williams and are under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service). The team was one of five finalists chosen last January by the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC).

The West 8 team's "World Park" concept included 3,000 free wooden bicycles for visitors, a green-themed hotel and spa, and hills constructed with recycled materials from razing unwanted buildings, rising as tall as 180 feet for climbing and visibility.



This team also recognized that Castle Williams should be a cultural icon dedicated to the performing arts - many of you surely noted the label "opera house" in the NY Times - and we couldn't agree more that a cultural adaptive re-use is the appropriate function for Castle Williams. (Maybe some performances with less music, but a few more iambic pentameters!)

It is, therefore, no big surprise that "the New Globe for the New World" has always been partial to the proposal of a "World Park" on Governors Island ... and we do LOVE the idea of riding a wooden bicycle to the theater!

CLICK HERE for more information.



24 september 2007
over 1,000 people come out for new globe gala
The New Globe's Annual Gala attracted over a thousand people to Madison Avenue. Sponsored by Esquire, Continental and Madison Avenue Bid, the evening began with a glamorous "pub crawl" where 16 boutiques hosted cocktail parties all along the Ave.

The festivities culminated at the beautiful Salander O'Reilly Galleries. In front of awe-inspiring masterpieces by Caravaggio (including his Apollo with Lute and St. Francis), Botticelli, Titian, El Greco and more, a myriad of actors - Tony winners and students alike - performed songs, sonnets and soliloquies.

CLICK HERE to view photographs.



summer 2007
congressional delegation strongly urges approval of new globe
Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Hillary Clinton and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (whose district includes Governors Island) sent a letter to National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, endorsing "this historically sensitive, culturally thrilling, and educationally valuable adaptive reuse of the Castle Williams National Monument."



Congressman Charlie Rangel as Dean of the New York Delegation asked to be top co-signer and another 12 New York congressmembers co-signed.

To read the complete congressional letter, please CLICK HERE.



23 july 2007
join us for drinks with tony blair ... well, almost!
As part of our benefit series, we are honored that Michael Sheen - who brilliantly portrayed Tony Blair in "The Queen" - is hosting a private cocktail party to support the New Globe.



Michael is currently starring on Broadway as Sir David Frost in the highly acclaimed production of "Frost/Nixon."

To view a few photos from the event, please CLICK HERE.



23 april 2007
16,000 students speaking shakespeare!
The New Globe is very proud to have partnered with the English-Speaking Union for their National Shakespeare Competition.
16,000 students and 2,000 teachers from across the United States participated in a curriculum-based program designed to help high school students develop their communications skills and appreciation of language and literature, through the study, interpretation and performance of Shakespeare's monologues and sonnets. To learn more about the English-Speaking Union, click here.

On the Bard's 443rd birthday, the grand finale was held at Lincoln Center. Congratulations to Adam Brown from the Youth Performing Arts School in Kentucky (First Place), Jeweline Hale from the Curie Metropolitan High School in Chicago (Second Place), and Kristopher Dean from the North Penn High School in Philadelphia (Third Place) and all the amazingly talented participants.

Below you can admire Adam's winning performance of (1) Sonnet 130, (2) Shylock from The Merchant of Venice (Act III, Scene 1, lines 53-73 with cuts), and (3) his cold reading of Berowne from Love's Labour's Lost. Bravo!


To view the other performances from the grand finale at Lincoln Center, click here.



13 january - august 27, 2007
new globe model exhibited at national building museum
The New Globe model by Foster and Partners is on display at the National Building Museum in Washington, for the exhibition "Reinventing The Globe: A Shakespearean Theater for the 21st Century." Sneak peak below:


Photo by Nigel Young.
Please come by and take a look before August 27th!

To visit the website of the National Building Museum, please CLICK HERE.



2 april 2007
NPS concludes public comment period at 11:59pm.
The National Park Service closed their public comment period on the National Park Centennial Initiative. Thank you all for voicing your support and sharing your words of inspiration. Not only did your poetry put Shakespeare to shame, but your detective work in locating perfect quotations made the CSI team look like Dogberry! (Yes, here at the New Globe, we have no problem flattering our lovely supporters.) Just three examples:

Founding Father and President JOHN ADAMS: "I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain."

Prime Minister Sir WINSTON CHURCHILL: "Nothing will work soundly or for long without the united effort of the British and American people. If we are together, nothing is impossible. If we are divided, all will fail."

President JOHN F. KENNEDY: "I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities we, too, will be remembered not for our victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit."

To peruse our submission to the office of the Centennial Coordinator, click here.



19 february 2007
f. murray abraham, christian hoff & elizabeth berkley host new globe benefit at soho house!
We are honored that Academy Award winning actor F. Murray Abraham, "Jersey Boy" Christian Hoff (who won the 2006 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical), and actor Elizabeth Berkley hosted a private evening at Soho House as part of the New Globe benefit series.



To view pictures of the event, please CLICK HERE.



10 january 2007
sam mendes joins artistic board!
Director Sam Mendes, who directed Judi Dench in Chekov's The Cherry Orchard at age 23, who then transformed the Donmar Warehouse as Artistic Director, and who won an Oscar for his debut film American Beauty, today joined the New Globe Artistic Board.
Thank you, Sam, for believing in us!



10 november 2006
sweeney todd lends cutting-edge support to new globe.
As part of our monthly benefit series, we are honored that Tony-Award winner Michael Cerveris is giving a private concert to support the New Globe.



Michael just completed the celebrated Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd, in which he played the title role of the demon barber of Fleet Street. He won a 2004 Tony Award for playing John Wilkes Booth in Assassins, originated the title role in The Who's Tommy, and starred in the cult hit Hedwig and the Angry Inch in London's West End, New York, and Los Angeles.

To join us, please CLICK HERE.



19 october 2006
cherie blair, wife of british prime minster, enthused by new globe.
Today we had the honor of presenting the New Globe proposal to Cherie Blair. As Castle Williams was built to defend our Harbor against the British in the War of 1812, it seemed appropriate to consult our former foe! (Yes, we did note that the fort faces the FRENCH Statue of Liberty.)



21 september 2006
chris meloni (law & order: svu) hosts new globe party.
Chris and Sherman Meloni hosted a benefit party at Valentino, in association with Esquire Magazine. Russell Simmons, Mariska Hargitay, Thom Filicia and many others were in attendance to show their support, both at Valentino and at the after-party at Bungalow 8.



Pictured: Jane Krakowski, Chris Meloni, Mariska Hargitay, Chad Gracia, Barbara Romer.



Pictured: Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and New Globe Founder Barbara Romer.

To view more pictures of the event, please CLICK HERE.



30 august 2006
good night, sweet prince.
Today is a very sad day at the New Globe, as we learned that Will Wanamaker passed away last night.

Thank you, Will, for your warmth, your mischief, your words of encouragement, your childhood stories, your inspirational letters, your kindness and your love. That promised dance on the opening night dance card remains yours.

"Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." (Hamlet, V.ii)



14 august 2006
new globe opens its virtual doors in second life.
Once the stuff of dreams, virtual worlds are becoming reality. To pioneer the development of a cultural center in the virtual realm and to further explore the theatrical space within Castle Williams, the New Globe commissioned Millions of Us to construct a mirror world of Governors Island in Second Life.

Since opening its doors, the New Globe has become the rock star of virtual destinations and the it-stage for cultural and intellectual exchange. In-world guest speakers on the stage have ranged from the Editor-in-Chief of Wired Magazine to the Governor of Virginia. The opening performance featured actors from around the globe who had never met in person ... though time difference for rehearsals did prove a REAL problem!





Pictured above is the sketch of the New Globe entrance by Foster and Partners juxtaposed with the virtual construction in Second Life.

We just heard you mumbling "Get real!" under your breath. We couldn't agree more, and are working on it 24/7.



30 july 2006
pulitzer-prize poet promotes proposal.
As part of our monthly benefit series, we are honored that Yusef Komunyakaa is giving a rare private reading to support the New Globe.



To join us, please CLICK HERE.



22 june 2006
bruce kovner joins new globe board!
We are honored and excited that Bruce Kovner, Chairman of Juilliard and Vice-Chairman of Lincoln Center, agreed to become a board member today.



22 june 2006
spin doctors lead singer gives benefit concert.
Chris Barron, the founder and lead singer of the Spin Doctors, played a private concert for 200 new globe supporters at Lucas Schoormans Gallery in Chelsea. Chris serenaded us with beautiful new songs and some old hits, such as "Two Princes" and "Pocket Full Of Kryptonite."



16 june 2006
the-one-who-cannot-be-named adds name to list of supporters.
Ralph Fiennes, who won the 1995 Tony Award for his portrayal of Hamlet on Broadway and whose film repertoire extends from Count Laszlo de Almásy (The English Patient), Amon Goeth (Schindler's List) to Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter), shared his enthusiasm and insights into theater design over coffee.

Ralph is currently starring on Broadway in "Faith Healer" until August 13th.



10 may 2006
request for proposal submitted.
This spring, the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC) solicited proposals for the development of the island. On May 10th, the New Globe handed over a ferry-load of documents outlining our plan to build a world-class performing arts center in New York Harbor. An announcement from GIPEC is expected before the end of this year.



3 april 2006
a whole lota ink.
If you missed the mammoth article entitled "The Globe Trotters" by Choire Sicha in the New York Observer, you can read it by CLICKING HERE.



21 march 2006
now you can shop till you drop!
The waiting is over. The New Globe has finally released its Philanthropic Catalogue and suddenly Spring is in the air (coincidence?).

Unfortunately, the Green Room has already been reserved with a $100,000 pledge, but you can still name the Grand Staircase, Juliet's Balcony, or even an Exit Sign in the New Globe Theater. We have opportunities for every budget.

Please note that pledges are for the building of the New Globe, independent of ultimate location. The organization was determined to be exempt from federal income tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as described in section 501(c)3 on November 24, 2003.

To visit the Philanthropic Catalogue online, please CLICK HERE.



14 march 2006
TV interview with founder barbara romer
To view the 30-minute interview conducted by Ronnie M. Eldridge, please get the popcorn ready and CLICK HERE.



8 march 2006
new globe celebrates official launch
On March 8th, the New Globe held its launch party DREAM in New York City.

The Honorary Committee included (alphabetized by first name, since that's the hip new things to do in NYC - and we're hip):
Al Pacino, Amy Sacco, Bruce Kovner, Christopher Meloni, Claire van Kampen, Darren Aronofsky, Estelle Parsons, Gordon Davidson, Harvey Keitel, Julia Stiles, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Kline, Kenny Leon, Liev Schreiber, Marisa Tomei, Mariska Hargitay, Mark Rylance, Melvin Van Peebles, Moby, Neve Campbell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel Weisz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Waterston, Sir Philip Thomas, Susan Sarandon.

We were honored by a parade of New York's loveliest and most visionary actors, politicians, and philanthropists ... such as Tony award winner Zoë Wanamaker, whose father Sam built Shakespeare's Globe in London, Councilmember Alan J. Gerson, F. Murray Abraham, Estelle Parsons and Bebe Neuwirth.



Mark Rylance, the Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe in London for the last decade, spoke a few words of benediction. Then a new documentary film about the New Globe was screened to raise awareness for the proposal.

George Clooney, Lindsay Lohan, Matthew McConaughey, and Lance Armstrong joined us for our exclusive after-party at Bungalow 8 ... graciously hosted by Amy Sacco.

To view pictures of the event (including Moby being attacked by a small dog), please CLICK HERE.



Valentino dressed the New Globe leadership, provided gorgeous gowns (many straight from the Oscars!) for our fairy mannequins, and bestowed gift bags on the gentlemen, whilst Jo Malone treated the ladies to enchanting goodies. The crowds sipped Jean-Marc XO Vodka, savored scrumptious wines from Lulu B., and nibbled on heavenly hors-d'oeuvres by D'Artagnan. Finally, Virgin flew over our Artistic Advisors from London in grand style and (upper) class.



8 march 2006
new globe artistic board convenes
The New Globe held its inaugural Artistic Board meeting at the Soho House.
We rolled up our sleeves and began the groundwork for building the New Globe into one of New York's preeminent cultural institutions.



Our Artistic Board is composed of Gordon Davidson (Founder, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles), Philip Seymour Hoffman, Claire van Kampen (Director of Theatre Music, Shakespeare's Globe, 1996-2005), Kevin Kline, Kenny Leon (Artistic Director, True Colors Theatre, Atlanta), Al Pacino, Estelle Parsons, and Mark Rylance (Artistic Director, Shakespeare's Globe, 1996-2005).



january 2006
meet the new head of corporate relations and education
Eric Jones joins the New Globe team as Head of Corporate Relations and Education. Eric has just re-located to the US after he, his wife Dori, and daughter Dominique spent the last five years living in London and frequently attended performances and seminars at Shakespeare's Globe. In fact, it was at a weekend-long conference at the Globe where Mark Rylance introduced Eric to Barbara Romer. The rest is history.

Formerly the Executive Vice President of Pearson Broadband Educational Television and Penguin Television in London, Eric has for over 20 years been directly responsible for creating, launching and running theater and television businesses. New business launches have been done in association with Pearson, PBS, Westinghouse Broadcasting, Esquire Magazine, Whittle Communications, Espresso Productions in London, and at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ.

Eric's efforts will concentrate on developing and building financial and creative support for the New Globe Theater's Education Center. In addition, he will also establish critically important links between businesses here in America, in England and beyond.



Oscar-winning actress Estelle Parsons and British composer Nigel Hess, with Eric Jones.



20 december 2005 - 1 january 2006
shakespeare's globe coming to brooklyn
If you haven't seen Mark Rylance during his tenure as Artistic Director in London, now is your final chance as he takes his last bow in that capacity in Brooklyn. Yes, Shakespeare's Globe is bringing its production of "Measure for Measure" to St. Ann's Warehouse!




archive


To visit the New Globe archive, please click on the links below:
2005
2004
2002/03