"A GROUP THAT KNOWS WHAT ITS AUDIENCE EXPECTS FROM AN EVENING OF THEATRE" LA TIMES

The magic of live theatre, as it entertains, enlightens and educates, that is the Santa Monica Playhouse.  Established in 1960 by Belgian-born actor/director Ted Roter, James Arness (of "Gunsmoke" fame) and Eric Braedon ("The Young and the Restless," "Rat Patrol"), and one of the country's most respected intimate theatrical centers, the Playhouse is the only theatre of its kind to have produced continuously for over half a century, 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 fourteen Mayors' Commendations. Looking back on more than 600 dynamic classic, contemporary and original productions and looking forward to more exciting theatre, the Playhouse is celebrating over half a century of continuous theatrical and educational services to the community.

"ONE OF THE MOST CLASSICALLY HANDSOME THEATRES IN L.A." DRAMA-LOGUE

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 and has helmed numerous World and West Coast Premieres. 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 COUNCILORS, 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.

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 half a century, 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 500 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)

mission statement:

Santa Monica Playhouse, a not-for-profit, professional intimate theatre and educational conservatory, concentrates its efforts in three areas:

• The creation of exciting, original theatre from classical and contemporary sources, especially those not usually seen on the Los Angeles stage,  to create art of social relevance, to expand the language of theatre as a means of expression, and to originate consequential theatrical experiences that are essential to the health and evolution  of our local, national, and global communities.
• The mentoring of new artists, offering the highest quality creative-educational training and career development, kindling motivation, renewed self-esteem and respect for others, offering presentations to the socio-economically disadvantaged and scholarships to the under-served and opportunities for artists to grow and flourish, re-introducing today’s mass-media oriented society to the potential of the living stage as an enriching tool for sensitivity, creativity, and personal exploration.

• A dedication to community and cultural exchange, utilizing the power of theatre to connect people of all ages and areas of society, allowing them to honor and embrace diverse and shared cultures and traditions through experiences that provide dynamic tools to resolve conflicts, a passion for self-expression, and a sense of purpose in using the creative process to meet both the daily and the exceptional challenges inherent in our shared humanity.

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