The production, which will launch the company's 2008 theatre season, will begin previews April 23, open May 2 and run in repertory through Aug. 17.

Globe artistic director Dominic Dromgoole will direct; he will be reunited with designer Jonathan Fensom and composer Claire van Kampen, the team who collaborated on a production of Love's Labours Lost at the Globe last year.

Calder's credits for the RSC include playing Prospero in The Tempest and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. He is well known for his television role as Dr. Robert Bramwell in the series "Bramwell" and is currently appearing as Lord Cawston in BBC's "The Last Enemy." His other recent theatre work includes Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll (West End's Duke of York's, where he took over from original cast member Brian Cox), Five Gold Rings and Conversations After a Burial (Almeida), and The Little Foxes (Donmar).

Also in leading roles are Sally Bretton as Goneril, Kellie Bright as Regan and Jodie McNee as Cordelia. Rising star Danny Lee Wynter, who recently appeared as Joe in Stephen Poliakoff's films "Joe's Palace" and "Capturing Mary," will play the Fool.

Bretton was previously seen at the Globe as Heloise in Howard Brenton's In Extremis. Her TV work includes Lucy in "Not Going Out," Cat Durnford in "Absolute Power," Kim Albaster in "Green Wing" and Donna in "The Office." Bright's recent stage work includes A Conversation, Love and Money and Mary Barton (Manchester Royal Exchange), and Whipping it Up (West End). She is best known for her roles as Cassie Tyler in television's "Bad Girls," Joanna Burrows in "The Upper Hand" and as Ali G's girlfriend Me Julie in the film "Ali G Indahouse." McNee's recent work includes The Burial at Thebes (Nottingham Playhouse), Cymbeline and The Changeling (Cheek by Jowl) and Mother Courage and Her Children (English Touring Theatre). The rest of the company includes Ben Bishop, Paul Copley, Kurt Egyiwan, Trystan Gravelle, Peter Hamilton Dyer, Daniel Hawksford, Fraser James, Paul Lloyd, Kevork Malikyan, Joseph Mydell, Ashley Rolfe and Beru Tessema.

King Lear is part of the Globe's Totus Mundus theatre season this, which also includes Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Timon of Athens, two world premières, The Frontline (by Ché Walker) and Liberty (by Glyn Maxwell); and Footbarn Theatre's Shakespeare Party.

To book tickets call the box office at 020 7401 9919; for more information visit www.shakespeares-globe.org.