La Jolla Playhouse is a nonprofit professional theater on the campus of the University of California, San Diego.
History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under the leadership of Des McAnuff. Since then, the Playhouse's repertoire has included 132 world premieres, thirty-two West Coast premieres, and eight American premieres, and has won more than three hundred honors, including the 1993 Tony Award as America's Outstanding Regional Theatre. It is supported, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, the City of San Diego, and the County of San Diego. It was announced on April 10, 2007, that Christopher Ashley would succeed McAnuff as artistic director. On November 18, 2025, Jessica Stone was announced as the new artistic director, taking over for Christopher Ashley.
Among the 37 productions that originated at the Playhouse before finding success on Broadway are The Who's Tommy, Come from Away, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Big River, Matthew Broderick's revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Freaky Friday, Bonnie and Clyde, the Pulitzer Prize-winning I Am My Own Wife, 700 Sundays, Jersey Boys, Memphis, Peter and the Starcatcher, SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical, The Outsiders and Redwood with Idina Menzel which opened on Broadway in 2025.
Programs La Jolla Playhouse is nationally renowned for the development of new work. In addition to a robust commissioning program and ongoing workshops and readings, the Playhouse annually hosts programs that foster the development of new plays and musicals, such as the DNA New Work Series, which offers playwrights and directors the opportunity to develop a script from its earliest stages; the popular and widely acclaimed Without Walls (WOW) series of immersive and site-inspired work; as well as the Veterans Playwriting Workshop, Latinx New Play Festival and biennial Director Fellowship.
La Jolla Playhouse also offers a number Learning & Engagement opportunities for children, teens, and adults interested in theatre, both on and off the stage. The Performance Outreach Program (POP Tour) annually brings a professional, world-premiere production to schools, libraries, and community centers throughout San Diego. There are also opportunities for youth through the La Jolla Playhouse Conservatory, student matinees, teen council, and numerous school workshops and classes.
Page to Stage La Jolla Playhouse began the "Page to Stage Play Development Program" in 2001 to facilitate the development of new plays and musicals, offering audiences the rare opportunity to experience the "birth" of a play and take part in its evolution. As a Page to Stage workshop, a production will feature minimal sets and costumes, and will be revised throughout its entire process, including performances. After the performance, audience feedback sessions will provide insight and suggestion for both the creative team and the actors. In the 22 years since the program began, two Page to Stage Productions have gone on to win Tony Awards. Doug Wright's I Am My Own Wife won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Leading Actor in a Play (Jefferson Mays); and Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays, a 2004 Page to Stage Production, won the 2005 Tony Award for Special Theatrical Event.
Management
Managing directors 1981–1991: Alan Levey 1992–2004: Terry Dwyer 2005–2008: Steven Libman 2009–2018: Michael S. Rosenberg 2018–current: Debby Buchholz
Artists
Artistic directors 1947–1959: Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, Mel Ferrer (founders) 1983–1994: Des McAnuff 1995–1999: Michael Greif 1999–2000: Anne Hamburger 2000–2007: Des McAnuff 2007–2025: Christopher Ashley 2026-current: Jessica Stone
Notable actors
Amy Aquino Tallulah Bankhead Heidi Blickenstaff Stephen Bogardus Christian Borle Matthew Broderick Danny Burstein Phoebe Cates Kim Cattrall Anna Chlumsky James Coburn Billy Crystal Ariana DeBose Dana Delaney Dann Florek Hunter Foster Sutton Foster Beth Gallagher John Goodman David Marshall Grant Ann Harada Neil Patrick Harris Dennis Hopper Linda Hunt Holly Hunter Laura Innes Bill Irwin Joanna Levesque Laura Linney Jon Lovitz Groucho Marx James Maslow James Mason Jefferson Mays Marin Mazzie Idina Menzel Cynthia Nixon Peter Paige Jennifer Paredes Jim Parsons Amanda Plummer Alice Ripley Wynn Harmon George Salazar Campbell Scott Helen Shaver Gary Sinise Alexandra Slade Nancy Travis Vivian Vance Daphne Rubin-Vega Sherie Rene Scott Malcolm-Jamal Warner Ron Richardson BD Wong
Productions
La Jolla Playhouse to Broadway
Production La Jolla Playhouse Broadway Tony AwardsBig River19841985 Best Musical Best Book of a Musical Best Original Score Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Best Direction of a Musical Best Scenic Design Best Lighting DesignA Walk in the Woods19871988Dangerous Games19891989The Grapes of Wrath19891991 Best PlayThe Who's Tommy 1992 1993 Best Direction of a Musical Best Choreography Best Original Score Best Scenic Design Best Lighting DesignHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying 1994 1995 (revival) Best Actor in a MusicalAn Almost Holy Picture19952002The Green Bird19962000Harmony19972023 Jane Eyre 1999 2000 Thoroughly Modern Millie 2000 2002 Best Musical Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Best Choreography Best Orchestrations Best Costume DesignDracula, the Musical 2001 2004 I Am My Own Wife 2001 2004 Best Play Best Actor in a Play700 Sundays20042004Jersey Boys20042005 Best Musical Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Best Lighting Design of a MusicalDoctor Zhivago (premiered as Zhivago)20062015The Farnsworth Invention20072007Cry Baby 2007 2008 33 Variations20082009 Best Scenic Design of a PlayMemphis 2008 2009 Best Musical Best Book of a Musical Best Original Score Best OrchestrationsBonnie and Clyde 2009 2011Peter and the Starcatcher20092012 Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play Best Sound Design of a Play Best Lighting Design of a Play Best Costume Design of a Play Best Scenic Design of a PlayGhetto Klown (premiered as John Leguizamo: Diary of a Madman)20102011Chaplin20102012Jesus Christ Superstar 2011 2012 (revival)Hands on a Hardbody20122013Side Show20132014Indecent20152017 Best Direction of a Play Best Lighting Design of a PlayCome from Away20152017Best Direction of a MusicalJohn Leguizamo: Latin History for Morons20162017Special Tony AwardJunk: The Golden Age of Debt20162017SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical20172018Escape to Margaritaville20172018Diana20192020Lempicka20222024The Outsiders20232024 Best Musical Best Direction of a Musical Best Lighting Design of a Musical Best Sound Design in a MusicalRedwood20242025
References
External links
La Jolla Playhouse official website
California Arts Council Christopher Ashley, La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director – Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing, October 2007