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Globe Of The Great Southwest

The Globe of the Great Southwest has existed as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization since 1958.  Founded by Marjorie Morris to construct the most accurate to-scale replica of Shakespeare’s original Globe Theatre, it originally served as a house for professional theatre, with one of the first Shakespeare festivals in the country running from June to August.  As the Permian Basin oilfields began to slump, so did the surrounding economy – and the abilities of local donors to provide funds, materials and time to the local arts.  In response to this, the Globe of the Great Southwest transitioned from a professional theatre to a community theatre.

In 1999, the Globe’s Board of Trustees recognized that the return of professional-quality theatre to this facility would be beneficial to the lives of the people of West Texas, culturally, educationally and economically, and hired Anthony Ridley as Artistic Director and Kathryn Graybill as a Resident Artist/Educator to upgrade the work of the community theatre and restore the professional Shakespeare festival.  The duo found a broad spectrum of funding ranging from local donations to federal endowments, and the infrastructure of the theatre and its community was rebuilt.

 With each new generation, the Globe of the Great Southwest creates a more and more significant response to the theatre’s artistic growth and economic impact on the region.  Schools from all over Texas, southeastern New Mexico and as far as Utah and Nevada have grown to depend on the Globe as a cultural beacon for their students.  Even more tourists have been attracted from all over the United States and places as far away as Brazil and Norway to simply visit the Globe grounds.

 Now the Globe of the Great Southwest is entering the “third phase” of its lifespan, and as always – the support of our community is vital to our continued existence.  With much more adventurous shows requiring a higher level of technical production, the Globe hopes to create a new and exciting theatrical atmosphere in the Permian Basin.

In recent years, the Globe stage has featured such shows as: a re-imagining of Mozart’s The Magic Flute (in collaboration with Odessa College), The Rocky Horror Show and Little Shop of Horrors – all of which has necessitated the use of audio, visual and other technical equipment – such as wireless microphones, speakers, extra stage lights and costumes – which consumes vital funds from our general fundraising efforts that could otherwise be utilized in more completely realizing our Directors’ visions for their shows.

In 2016 the Globe will launch one of its more bold seasons to-date: “Award Winning Shows at the Globe Theatre”, featuring such creative and innovative shows as; Disney’s Beauty & the Beast, American IdiotRent and Amadeus.

It is our goal to purchase equipment that will eliminate both the labor and financial costs of having to find and rent or otherwise procure the aforementioned technical equipment, which will also afford us more freedom in the selection of shows that will be staged at the Globe Theatre.

 The Globe’s Trustees and staff are committed to building a foundation for not just our own shows, but for our artistic community as a whole – similar to how the Oregon or Stratford Shakespeare Festivals employ as many as 500 people annually and indirectly provide thousands of jobs in the tourism industry and millions of dollars in tax revenues. 

The Globe of the Great Southwest is more than just an artistic outlet for our community, more than just a cultural landmark in the Permian Basin and more than just an educational cornerstone for students all over the United States – it is the foundation on which a legacy can be built for future artistic generations to inherit. 

All of this can be accomplished, with your help.

Organizer

Joe Gonzales
Organizer

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