Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragedy is heading to libraries, high school auditoriums and a Tijuana cultural center this fall, free of charge. The Old Globe’s 2026 Globe for All Tour is bringing a nine-actor production of “Macbeth” to 25 venues across San Diego County and Tijuana, Mexico, running from Tuesday, Oct. 27 through Nov. 21.
The touring program, now in its 12th year, is a staple of the Old Globe’s community outreach from its home base in Balboa Park. This year’s production is directed by Marcela Lorca and features a condensed company of nine performers tackling Shakespeare’s tale of ambition, prophecy and murder, according to the Old Globe. As NBC 7 San Diego first reported, the tour is designed to put Shakespeare in front of audiences who might never otherwise see it performed live.
Conner Keef takes on the title role, with Stephanie Hinck as Lady Macbeth. Lance D. Bush plays Macduff and a witch, while Trevor Butler plays Malcolm, Madi Goff plays Banquo and Seyton, Susane Lee plays Donalbain, Alejandra Villanueva plays Ross, and Maya Sofia Enciso plays Lennox and a witch, per the Old Globe’s cast announcement. Several of the featured performers are recent graduates of the Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program.
A Scottish Play Built for Non-Theatrical Spaces
The production runs one hour and 20 minutes with no intermission, a tight staging built for gymnasiums, community rooms and church halls rather than a traditional proscenium stage, according to the Old Globe. The Globe for All program has long aimed at audiences who face barriers to accessing professional theater, and the organization says the majority of attendees experience live theater for the very first time.
Since the program’s 2014 inception, the Old Globe has offered differing tallies of its reach: one Old Globe announcement puts the number of community members who have experienced a Globe for All performance at approximately 16,000, while another page on the same organization’s website cites approximately 15,900. Either figure underscores more than a decade of free Shakespeare reaching corners of the county that rarely see professional productions.
Where and When to Catch the Tour
The itinerary stretches from North County to the border. Lincoln High School hosts a performance on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m., followed by a Nov. 5 show at 6 p.m. at CECUT, the Tijuana Cultural Center, and a Nov. 6 performance at San Diego State University. Oceanside Public Library gets two chances to catch the show on Nov. 7, with performances at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the Civic Center Library Community Rooms, according to the North Coast Current.
The tour continues Nov. 9 with a 6 p.m. show at Casa Familiar/San Ysidro Civic Center, then moves to Coronado Public Library on Nov. 12 and the Jackie Robinson YMCA on Nov. 13. Nov. 14 brings a doubleheader, with a 1 p.m. performance at San Diego Central Library and a 6 p.m. show at Normal Heights United Church. The San Diego LGBT Community Center hosts a performance Nov. 17 at 5 p.m., and Montgomery High School follows Nov. 18 at 6 p.m.
El Cajon Library gets a 1 p.m. show on Nov. 19, with Creative Performing and Media Arts (CPMA) hosting a 6 p.m. performance the same day. The tour then stops at City Heights Performance Annex on Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. before wrapping with a low-cost performance at the Old Globe’s House of Charm in Balboa Park on Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. The Old Globe also holds private performances for Centinela State Prison, Father Joe’s and Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility as part of the tour’s broader community reach.
Official Old Globe materials differ on whether attending the free community performances requires advance registration. One Old Globe press release states that registrations are required to attend the public performances in the community, with seating first-come, first-served subject to venue capacity, while a separate Old Globe announcement states that reservations for the free public performances are not required and that seating is first-come, first-served. Attendees may want to confirm details directly with the venue before showing up.
Why This Play, Why Now
Old Globe representative Adena Varner said the choice of “Macbeth” reflects the play’s singular grip on audiences. Few plays draw audiences into mystery like “Macbeth,” Varner said, pointing to the drama’s blend of the supernatural and the human. Varner added that the play’s questions of fate and free will, paired with its themes of ambition, make it one of Shakespeare’s most theatrical works, and said the production promises an unforgettable experience for the communities it visits.
