The Last Romance

By Joe DiPietro
Directed by Richard Seer
July 30, 2010 - September 12, 2010
Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre

America's favorite mother comes home. Marion Ross ("Happy Days," "The Drew Carey Show," and "Brothers & Sisters") returns to the Globe to star with her life partner, Paul Michael in this new romantic comedy. A crush can make anyone feel young again – even a widower named Ralph. On an ordinary day in a routine life, Ralph decides to take 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 his lonely sister's jealousy – Ralph 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.
(l. to r.) Marion Ross as Carol Reynolds and Paul Michael as Ralph Bellini in the West Coast Premiere of The Last Romance by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, at The Old Globe July 30 – September 12, 2010. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
(l. to r.) Marion Ross as Carol Reynolds, Patricia Conolly as Rose Tagliatelle and Paul Michael as Ralph Bellini in the West Coast Premiere of The Last Romance by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, at The Old Globe July 30 – September 12, 2010. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
Marion Ross as Carol Reynolds and Paul Michael as Ralph Bellini in the West Coast Premiere of The Last Romance by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, at The Old Globe July 30 – September 12, 2010. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
Paul Michael as Ralph Bellini and Patricia Conolly as Rose Tagliatelle in the West Coast Premiere of The Last Romance by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, at The Old Globe July 30 – September 12, 2010. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
(l. to r.) Joshua Jeremiah as The Young Man and Paul Michael as Ralph Bellini in the West Coast Premiere of The Last Romance by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, at The Old Globe July 30 – September 12, 2010. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
Paul Michael as Ralph Bellini in the West Coast Premiere of The Last Romance by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, at The Old Globe July 30 – September 12, 2010. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
Marion Ross as Carol Reynolds in the West Coast Premiere of The Last Romance by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, at The Old Globe July 30 – September 12, 2010. Photo by Craig Schwartz..
Patricia Conolly as Rose Tagliatelle in the West Coast Premiere of The Last Romance by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, at The Old Globe July 30 – September 12, 2010. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
Joshua Jeremiah as The Young Man in the West Coast Premiere of The Last Romance by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, at The Old Globe July 30 – September 12, 2010. Photo by Craig Schwartz.
Marion Ross. Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.
Paul Michael. Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.
Playwright Joe DiPietro. Photo courtesy of The Old Globe.
   
Director Richard Seer. Photo Courtesy of The Old Globe.
    

CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM
(click on a photo to download image)
Patricia Conolly (Rose Tagliatelle) first appeared at The Old Globe, invited by Jack O'Brien, to play Rosalind in his production of As You Like It.  Other Old Globe appearances include Mrs. Alving in Ghosts, the Fool in King Lear, Wendy in Clap Your Hands and Emilia in Othello.  She has just 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 in 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.  In Canada, she has played leading roles for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, and recently the nurse in Medea in Toronto. Other distinguished directors she has been fortunate enough to work with unclude Tyrone Guthrie, Peter Brook, Peter Hall, Tony Richardson and Ellis Rabb. In Australia, where she began her career, she has played with the Sydney and Melbourne Theatre Companies. She has played at the Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in The Heiress and The Moliere Comedies, at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami (oppostire Theo Bikel) and she has played many leading roles in major regional theaters in the United States.
Joshua Jeremiah (The Young Man) 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, Mr. 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, Mr. Jeremiah performed the title roles of Gianni Schicchi and Falstaff, as well as Sam in Trouble in Tahiti.  Other roles performed include Guglielmo and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Peter in Hansel and Gretel, Griswold in The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe and Sid in Albert Herring.  On the concert stage, he has most recently performed the music of Victor Herbert at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall.  He has also been heard in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (Yakima Symphony Orchestra and the Aveiro Orchestra of Portugal), Handel’s “Messiah” (Great Falls Symphony), Carmina Burana (University of Cincinnati) and the Nielsen Symphony No. 3 (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra).
Paul Michael (Ralph Bellini) has appeared in 14 productions on Broadway, countless musicals, comedies and dramas; television and films, in a distinguished career that began with the 1956 Broadway musical Bells Are Ringing, starring Judy Holliday, 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, including the New Theatre. 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.  He also was seen in The Streetsweeper, shot entirely in San Diego, in which he has the starring role, and The Music Within.  He has previously appeared with Marion Ross in Joe DiPietro’s Over the River and Through the Woods, Barefoot in the Park, Love Letters and The Last Romance.  He is a graduate of Brown University and a veteran of World War II.
Marion Ross (Carol Reynolds) 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 “The 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 SpongeBob SquarePants’ grandma and Mrs. Lopart on “Handy Manny.”  She hails from Albert Lea, Minnesota and after college at San Diego State University, she proudly began her career under contract to Paramount Studios in the 1950s with live TV at CBS in “Life with Father.”  She is proudest of performing with Noel Coward in Blithe Spirit, live at CBS, with Sir Noel, Claudette Colbert and Lauren Bacall.  She has received many honors including the SDSU Mortar Board Distinguished Alumna Award, the renaming and dedication of The Marion Ross Performing Arts Center in Albert Lea, and the first honoree star on Hennepin Avenue Theatre District Walk of Fame in Minneapolis.  In 2001, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  She has previously appeared with Paul Michael in Joe DiPietro’s Over the River and Through the Woods, Barefoot in the Park, Love Letters and The Last Romance.
  Joe DiPietro (Playwright) 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.
Richard Seer (Director) 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 theatres in this country and Great Britain, including Goodman Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Huntington Theatre Company, Washington’s Playwrights’ Theater, 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 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 (Critics Circle Award), All My Sons, Da and Old Wicked Songs (Patté Award). Recent directing assignments include Third (Huntington Theatre Company) and Sonia Flew (San Jose Repertory Theatre). He received his MFA in directing from Boston University, where he was awarded the prestigious Kahn Directing Award in 1985. In 1990, he was invited to return to Boston University’s School for the Arts as an Associate Professor of Acting and Directing. Professor Seer has been Director of The Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre program since 1993.
  Alexander Dodge (Scenic Design) The Old Globe: Sammy, The Pleasure of His Company, Bell, Book and Candle, The Sisters Rosensweig and Moonlight and Magnolias. Broadway: Present Laughter (Tony Nomination), Old Acquaintance, Butley and Hedda Gabler. Off Broadway: Trust, The Water’s Edge (Second Stage), The Understudy (Roundabout Theatre), Paris Commune and Measure for Pleasure (Public Theater), Antony and Cleopatra (Theatre for a New Audience), Observe the Sons of Ulster… (Lucille Lortel Award), Chaucer in Rome (Lincoln Center) and Force Continuum and Sexual Perversity in Chicago (Atlantic Theater). Regional: Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, CENTERSTAGE, Hartford Stage, Huntington Theatre, The Gate Theatre-Dublin, Geffen Playhouse, Guthrie Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, Paper Mill Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre DC, Stratford Festival of Canada, Triad Stage, Williamstown Theatre Festival and Yale Repertory Theatre. Opera: Il Trittico (Deutsche Oper Berlin), Der Waffenschmied (Munich), The Flying Dutchman (Würzburg) and Lohengrin (Budapest). Training: Yale School of Drama.
  Charlotte Devaux (Costume Design) The Old Globe: I Do! I Do!, The Price, Kingdom, Since Africa, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Trying, A Body of Water, The Prince of LA, I Just Stopped by to See the Man, Fiction, Two Sisters and a Piano, Blue/Orange, Splendour, All My Sons, Betrayal, The SantaLand Diaries and Da. Elsewhere: Miami Libre, Cuban Dance Musical, Adrianne Arsht Center for Performing Arts, Cabaret Dances, Nyumbani Project, Trolley Dances, San Diego Dance Theatre, 9 Parts of Desire, Mo’olelo Performing Arts. International credits include Dr. Livingstone, I Presume, London, Linnaeus, Prince of Flowers (Botanic Gardens, Christchurch, New Zealand and Sydney, Australia, Fringe First Edinburgh Festival), Suburb, Twelfth Night (Christchurch Repertory Theatre) and Hopes, Dreams and Perditions (Court Theatre). She was the Associate Designer at Christchurch Drama Theatre. Former costume designer and stylist for TV Zealand’s children’s programming. As the Resident Associate Costume Designer, she has designed over 35 productions including The Women, Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life, Dancing in the Dark, A Catered Affair, The Times They Are A Changin’, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Lucky Duck, Imaginary Friends, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! and the Summer Shakespeare Festival at The Old Globe.
  Chris Rynne (Lighting Design) has designed several shows for The Old Globe including Boeing-Boeing, I Do! I Do!, Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre Opening Gala, The Price, Sight Unseen, The American Plan, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Two Trains Running, Lincolnesque (San Diego Critics Circle Award), Pig Farm, Trying, Vincent in Brixton (San Diego Critics Circle Award), The Lady with All the Answers, The Food Chain, Two Sisters and a Piano, Blue/Orange, Time Flies, Knowing Cairo, Beyond Therapy, The Santaland Diaries and was the Associate Lighting Designer for Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Mr. Rynne has also designed productions for The Old Globe/USD Professional Actor Training Program including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, All in the Timing, The Winter’s Tale, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Macbeth and Getting Married. His other credits include San Diego Opera, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Madison Opera, Pasadena Playhouse, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Cygnet Theatre, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Houston Grand Opera, Diversionary Theatre and Starlight Theatre.
  Paul Peterson (Sound Design) has designed over 80 productions at The Old Globe, including Boeing-Boeing, Alive and Well, Lost in Yonkers, I Do! I Do!, The Savannah Disputation, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Cornelia, The Price, Kingdom, Six Degrees of Separation, Since Africa, The Women, Sight Unseen, The Pleasure of His Company, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Bell, Book and Candle, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Two Trains Running, Hold Please, Restoration Comedy, Pig Farm, The Sisters Rosensweig, Trying, Moonlight and Magnolias, Vincent in Brixton, I Just Stopped By to See the Man, Lucky Duck, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow, Blue/Orange, Time Flies, Pentecost, Compleat Female Stage Beauty, The Boswell Sisters and Crumbs from the Table of Joy. His regional credits include Milwaukee Repertory Theater, San Jose Repertory Theatre, CENTERSTAGE, La Jolla Playhouse, Sledgehammer Theatre (Associate Artist), Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company, The Wilma Theater, L.A. Theatre Works, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, North Coast Repertory Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, Malashock Dance Company, University of San Diego, San Diego State University and the Freud Theatre at UCLA. He received his BFA in Drama with an emphasis in Technical Design from San Diego State University.
  Lavinia Henley (Stage Manager) is delighted to return to The Old Globe after nearly a 20-year absence. Her most recent Old Globe credit was as Stage Manager for The Tempest in 1991. Her many earlier credits include the world premieres of Breaking Legs (directed by Jack O’Brien), Rumors and The Boiler Room (directed by Craig Noel). Also, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, Our Town (starring Cynthia Nixon), A…My Name is Alice, Up in Saratoga, the west coast premiere of The Voice of the Prairie, Richard III (directed by John Houseman) and Othello (starring Paul Winfield, directed by Jack O’Brien). Other regional credits include the American Repertory Theater, Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre and the long-running Woody Guthrie’s American Song for Chicago’s Briar Street Theatre. Ms. Henley also works as a Corporate Event Producer – supervising business meeting programs for up to 15,000 people in venues across the country and internationally.