"A group that knows what its audience expects from an evening of theatre" 
Dan Sullivan, LOS ANGELES TIMES

The magic of live theatre, as it entertains and enlightens, that is the Santa Monica Playhouse. One of the country's most respected intimate theatrical centers, the Playhouse is the only theatre of its kind to have produced continuously for almost half a century, and the first to have state-of-the-art technology without compromising the true spirit of the European Repertory theatre. Under the artistic direction of Chris DeCarlo and Evelyn Rudie, the Playhouse has been honored with LADCC's Margaret Harford Award, the Drama- Logue Publisher's Award and eleven Mayors' Commendations. As the Playhouse celebrates its 48th Anniversary, it looks back on more than 500 dynamic classic, contemporary and original productions.
"The air here crackles with the love of theatre excitement!" 
Polly Warfield, GARDENA VALLEY TRIBUNE

A.ctors' R.epertory T.heatre, the award-winning resident performing company at Santa Monica Playhouse, brings to brilliant life our rich heritage of playwrights, from Moliere to Strindberg, from Ionesco to Sholom Aleichem. In addition to its thriving performance agenda, the Playhouse enables thousands of young people to build self-esteem and social consciousness through intensive workshops, public performances, and a unique outreach program to educational institutions and youth organizations worldwide.


 

"It blazes a trail of peace and friendship between our two nations." 
Senator Kyoko Ono, House of Councillors, Japan

The Playhouse has presented nearly twenty thousand actual performances for close to two million audience members. Its Family Theatre offers a multigenerational exchange of ideas and experiences. Artists-in-Residence teach weekly theatre classes in the public schools. The Playhouse concept of self-and-community-awareness through drama has been expanded to incorporate an international conservatory program encompassing theatrical workshops, performances, and cultural exchange.
"One of the most classically handsome theatres in L.A." 
Bruce Feld, DRAMA-LOGUE

With critically acclaimed World, American and West Coast Premieres, pioneering advances in educational theatre, and international tours, Santa Monica Playhouse continues its battle to raise cultural consciousness and fight for the survival and growth of the creative process, reaching out to make live, intimate theatre an active force in our community, and in our world.

Santa Monica Playhouse has been providing vital theatrical services for over 48 years, making an enormous impact on the local and global community, touching the lives of ...
 
3 million evening show audience members ("A total theatre experience!" L.A. Times)
1/4 of a million Family Theatre audience members ("The best children's theatre in Los Angeles!" L.A. Parent)
1/2 a million educational outreach students in the school system ("You made me realize people aren't supposed to judge a person by the outside, but by their insides, how important it is to go to school, a lot of people here where I live try to fit in by joining gangs or other groups and that's not right." Arturo Torres, 10th Grade, Roosevelt Senior High)
1/4 of a million scholarship and underserved students ("You have touched these girls' lives in a significant way; you have touched the future!" James Devereux Daly, counselor )
25,000 educators ("Inspirational personally as well as professionally." Rosewood Park School) · 20,000 on-site students ("A turning point in my son's life, the best children's workshop I've ever seen." J.J., parent)
5000 performers, new playwrights, and theatre artists ("Your fidelity to the original intent of my plays is incredible!" Eugene Ionesco) creating 400 world and American premieres ("One of the great success stories of L.A. Equity Waiver theatre." Drama-Logue)
500 Young Professionals' Company graduates ("Thank you for everything you have given me- my second home, my best friends, my confidence, my love of acting, and most of all myself." R.M., member from age 12 to age 19)

500,000 audience members, artists and students through 50 cultural exchanges with eleven  countries ("It is more than a play. It is more than an educational experience. It blazes a trail of peace and friendship between our two nations, a trail which will change the face of our world in the 21st century." Senator Kyoko Ono, Japan)

We have brought theatre magic to over 5 million people!
We hope one of them was you!

Santa Monica Playhouse, a not-for-profit 501 (c) 3 educational corporation founded in 1960, provides exciting and entertaining dramatic and comedic, classic and contemporary live theatrical productions, Family Theatre musicals, birthday and tea parties, theatre workshops and educational programming for young people, teens and adults, create-a-play classes and Mommy and Me events for pre-schoolers, daytime and after school classes and in-service in public and private schools, cultural exchange, international touring, and community outreach, as well as theatre rental space for productions, seminars, solo shows, concerts, recitals, lectures, meetings and more.