Performances Magazine San Diego | La Jolla Playhouse, October 2025

THE HEART

The connection to the Michele of many, many years ago is still very important. The innocence, the joy, the freedom, the laughter, all of those things still resonate with me as an adult. I came here with some stuff, and I left without the baggage. I find myself at peace, centered in my life, and ready to take on the world.

See Michele’s story and others at

P1 Program

Cast, performances, who’s who, director’s notes, donors and more.

6 In the Wings

Huzzah! and SMALL at The Old Globe; San Diego Opera’s Pagliacci; San Diego Symphony concerts; and new museum exhibits. (Pictured: “A Onda Enorme” by artist Sandow Birk at Oceanside Museum of Art.)

10 Feature: Spotlight on La Jolla Playhouse

Christopher Ashley directs his last show at La Jolla Playhouse: Working Girl, a world-premiere musical, with music by Cyndi Lauper.

18 Show Trends

New approaches to classic musicals like West Side Story (pictured) and Brigadoon give audiences fresh perspectives on the enduring shows

24 Parting Thought

Performances’ program platform for theater shows and concerts can be accessed from any digital device

NATURE’S EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK. WE’LL HELP YOU SEE.

We live in a special place. With an amazing variety of plants and wildlife, all with a special story to tell. We help tell those stories through exhibits at the Museum, our outdoor programs, and by doing research that supports local conservation.

Join the new season of hikes with our Canyoneers and purchase their new trail guide at sdnat.org/canyoneers. Our Canyoneers lead hikes all over the county. Pictured here: Florida Canyon.

PUBLISHER

Jeff Levy

EDITOR

Sarah Daoust

ART DIRECTOR

Carol Wakano

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Glenda Mendez

PRODUCTION ARTIST

Diana Gonzalez

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Stephanie Saad, Libby Slate

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Kerry Baggett

ACCOUNT DIRECTORS

Walter Lewis, Jean Greene, Liz Moore

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Christine Noriega-Roessler

BUSINESS MANAGER

Leanne Killian Riggar

MARKETING/ PRODUCTION MANAGER

Dawn Kiko Cheng

DIGITAL MANAGER

Lorenzo Dela Rama

Contact Us

ADVERTISING

Kerry.Baggett@ CaliforniaMediaGroup.com

WEBSITE

Lorenzo.DelaRama@ CaliforniaMediaGroup.com

CIRCULATION

Christine.Roessler@ CaliforniaMediaGroup.com

HONORARY PRESIDENT

Ted Levy

For

Fax: 310.280.2890

Visit Performances Magazine online at socalpulse.com

Performances

and

WHEREFORE ART THOU?

“THERE’S LIFE AFTER Romeo.” Spoiler alert: This updated version of Shakespeare’s epic tale, Romeo & Juliet, comes with quite the plot twist. Presented by Broadway San Diego at the Civic Theatre Oct. 14-19, & Juliet is a musical comedy that is essentially a “play within a play,” exploring what would happen if Juliet were to choose her own fate instead of dying for her Romeo— interwoven with pop music hits and hip-hop choreography. broadwaysd.com The Old Globe stages the West Coast premiere of SMALL, Sept. 27-Oct. 19; and the world-premiere musical, Huzzah!, through Oct. 19. The latter—with book, music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe, and directed by Annie Tippe—invites you to grab a turkey leg and cinch thy corset for “a midsummer night’s screamingly funny musical.” The story centers on two sisters, who stop fighting long enough to hire the greatest swordsman around, in order to save their father’s Renaissance Faire from financial ruin. theoldglobe.org

High Notes

LAUNCHING ITS 61st year of operatic excellence this fall, San Diego Opera opens its season with Ruggero Leoncavallo’s riveting Pagliacci, Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at San Diego Civic Theatre. The classically dark tale of jealousy, betrayal and violence follows a traveling theatrical troupe in which short-tempered Canio—costumed as a clown for his stage role—suspects another member of the troupe is having an affair with his wife;

while another actor is also in love with her. Tragedy ensues… sdopera.org October programming for San Diego Symphony at the Jacobs Music Center includes: “Romantic Visions: Schumann’s Symphony No. 2,” with maestro Rafael Payare conducting and featuring guest pianist Javier Perianes, Oct. 11-12; and “Mendelssohn & Korngold: From Prodigy to Master,” with Gemma New conducting and featuring guest violinist Geneva Lewis, Oct. 17-18. sandiegosymphony.org

MUSEUMS

Coastal Captures

A DUAL EXHIBITION at California Surf Museum and Oceanside Museum of Art, Surf Art: Exploring Southern California’s Coastal Culture is on view through Feb. 1, 2026. Featuring more than 30 local artists and surfers, the collection captures the spirit and impact of surfing— from pop culture to fashion to the commercial realm—comprising works in the form of sculptures, murals and custom surfboards. oma-online.org Head to the Nash

Gallery at MOPA@SDMA to check out the new exhibit, Shifting Visions: Photographs from the Collection of Ken and Jacki Widder, on view through Jan. 25, 2026. Spotlighting mid-20th century American photography “during the heyday of the illustrated press” (from the 1930s to 1980s), the assemblage captures works spanning photojournalism, architectural studies, modern culture, portraiture, motion studies, urban environments and more. sdmart.org

SEASONS CHANGE

Christopher Ashley Departs La Jolla Playhouse with Working Girl World Premiere by

STEPHANIE SAAD

IT’S ABSOLUTELY FITTING that the last show

Christopher Ashley, the 18-year Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse, will direct there is the world-premiere musical Working Girl, based on the 1988 film. After all, during his nearly two decades there, he has directed more than 20 productions, oversaw the development of 50 world premieres, and shepherded 20 shows to Broadway—a fate most likely in store for Working Girl as well.

Ashley, who is leaving to take on the role of Artistic

Director of New York’s Roundabout Theatre Company, will remain in his role at La Jolla Playhouse through December 2025; he is also programming its 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.

Working Girl has all the requisite parts to be a success—based on a beloved film; a fun comedy yet with themes that still resonate nearly 40 years later; music written by counterculture pop diva Cyndi Lauper (whose first musical, Kinky Boots, won Tony Awards for “Best Musical” and “Best Original Score”); and directed by

YOU’RE HERE.

Congrats, You’ve Picked a Great Performance! Check out the interactive version of this theater program magazine and enjoy even more insight into the performers, creative talent and theater activities that are behind it all.

LINKS TO PERFORMERS’ SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

MULTI - MEDIA PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE.

UNDERSTUDY UPDATES

THEATER SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES

UPCOMING SHOWS AND CONCERTS AROUND TOWN

INSIDER SCOOPS FROM THEATER AND MUSIC PROFESSIONALS

It’s the new way to read the program, it’s

Come From Away, directed by Ashley

Ashley, whose track record includes three Tony nominations and a win. Ashley knows what audiences want—especially La Jolla audiences.

“My memories of La Jolla Playhouse will center around the people, who are extraordinary,” Ashley says. “From artists working at the top of their game, to a board that can accomplish anything they set their minds to, but especially the audience— I can’t imagine a group of people more fun to make new work for. They are daring, emotionally connected to the work on stage, and unafraid to tell me what they think at all moments. Our audience is deeply invested in the artists on our stages and the conversations about the world they are provoking. They track the shows after they leave the Playhouse, and take pride after seeing the project developed

here go on to find success nationally and beyond.”

The list of La Jolla Playhouse shows that have gone on to Broadway during Ashley’s tenure is long and includes: Redwood, The Outsiders, Lempicka, Harmony, Diana, Escape to Margaritaville, and Come From Away, which Ashley singles out as a high point. The musical about airplane passengers stranded in Gander, Newfoundland, during 9/11 and the days of chaos that followed premiered in La Jolla. It then went on to be directed by Ashley at other regional theaters and on Broadway a total of 14 times, including for broadcast on Apple TV+.

“I have strong memories of our first Come From Away audience at the Playhouse,” he says. “We had worked very hard in rehearsal, but we didn’t know what we had.

“A perfectly cast John Rubinstein brings our 34th president back to life.”

— L.A. TIMES

FEATURE

We were wary of getting tagged as “the 9/11 musical,” but it turned out to be the 9/12 musical—about what happens afterward.

October 22-November 16

Starring Tony Award winner John Rubinstein. Experience an intimate portrayal of Dwight Eisenhower reflecting at Gettysburg on his remarkable journey as World War II General and 34th President. This powerful one-man tour de force drama reveals the private thoughts of a brilliant strategist and humble leader who shaped the 20th century through wisdom, courage, and unwavering devotion to duty.

Directed by PETER ELLENSTEIN

(858) 481-1055

SALES (858) 481-2155, x202

“The show was filled with so much hope and joy,” he continues. “The importance of human connection—the responsibilities we have to people who are not like us. Our shared humanity. At the end of the first performance, the audience was very quiet, then kind of exploded at the curtain call. They wouldn’t leave. So we worked on the ending, and by the end of the week, we had developed an audience jam with the band to play off the ending. The La Jolla Playhouse audience taught us what the moment needed, and how to end it, and that stayed with the project as it grew.”

Ashley says Working Girl has been in development for about 15 years,

with his involvement for the last 10 years. “It’s one of my favorite movies, and it’s fantastic to revisit it and have the experience of watching that story now. Look at all the things that have changed since the ’80s—in work culture, and so on. But also the problems we have not solved! You have to ask yourself: How can we not have solved these problems by now?

“Musicals can take you into their heads and hopes and dreams in a way that fits this show so well,” Ashley continues. “[The lead character] Tess has so much aspiration and desire to make the world a better place and to be heard—that really resonates in the current world. Plus, it’s really funny.”

Lauper, best known for her pop hits like “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and “True Colors,” was

/ CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR'S CIRCLESEASON SPONSORS

Denise and Lon Bevers

Theodor S. and Audrey S. Geisel Fund

Kay and Bill Gurtin

Jeanne L. Herberger, Ph.D.

Debby and Hal Jacobs

Joan and Irwin Jacobs

Sheri L. Jamieson

La Atalaya Fund

Rebecca Moores Foundation

Paula and Brian Powers

Jordan Ressler Charitable Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

PRODUCTION SPONSORS

Wes Anson and Alice Mitchell, Melissa and Michael Bartell, Gail and Ralph Bryan, Marlene and Gary Cohen, Hal and Hilary Dunning, Greg and Marike Fitzgerald Charitable Fund, The Estate of Pauline Foster, Hanna and Mark Gleiberman, Lynn Gorguze and Scott Peters, Laurents / Hatcher

Foundation, Veronica and Miguel Leff, Esq., Perlmeter Family Foundation, Maryanne and Irwin Pfister, Robin and Larry Rusinko, Karen and Jeff Silberman, The Stockdale Family, Molli Wagner, Pam Wagner and Hans Tegebo, Peggy Ann Wallace, Mandell Weiss Charitable Trust

Marlene and Gary Cohen Sheri L. Jamieson Karen and Jeff Silberman

A MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,

So many of my favorite musicals have an element of the unexpected. Take Sweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s 1979 musical about a murderous barber whose victims end up sold as meat pies. On paper, it sounds – to put it mildly – like a difficult sell. And yet it’s deservedly one of the most-loved musicals of all time.

Although the characters in Kait Kerrigan, Anne Eisendrath and Ian Eisendrath’s musical The Heart are far more invested in saving lives with scalpels than in ending them with straight razors, the show’s premise initially seems similarly hard to wrap one’s head around: 24 hours in the life of a heart. And yet the uniqueness of this set-up ends up creating new and unexpected material that isn’t like any other musical I’ve worked on.

To begin with, there’s the beautiful symmetry between story and music. Anne and Ian’s electronic-driven score is eclectic and propulsive, evoking the sonic waves and cycles that align with elements of the show: the sounds of hospital machinery, the rolling waves on a beach, the soundtrack of a nightclub, the beats of a heart. These rhythms, coupled with the compressed 24-hour timeline, feel natural in a show that’s not just about mortality, but about the ways we choose to spend our time while we’re alive.

In this moment, that feels like the biggest gift this show can offer: it invites us to consider what we owe our fellow human beings, even (and perhaps especially) those we may never meet; it asks what our shared, built-in responsibility is to each other; it champions the ideas of patience and generosity; it instills an intrinsic belief of our individual worth, of our capacity to add something positive to the world. And because of the skill of my remarkable collaborators – including Kait, Anne, Ian and choreographer Mandy Moore, whose playful theatrical imagination literally animates the show – it does so with both humor and, well, heart.

CHRISTOPHER ASHLEY

THE RICH FAMILY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

La Jolla Playhouse acknowledges the land on which our theatres sit as the unceded territory of the KUMEYAAY NATION. Today, the Kumeyaay people continue to maintain their political sovereignty and cultural traditions as vital members of the San Diego community. Their contributions to our region are tremendous and we thank them for their stewardship.

LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS

Christopher Ashley

THE RICH FAMILY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE

Debby Buchholz MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY

BOOK AND ADDITIONAL LYRICS BY Anne Eisendrath AND Ian Eisendrath

BASED ON Kait Kerrigan

"Réparer

les Vivants" BY Maylis de Kerangal

CHOREOGRAPHED BY Christopher Ashley

Mandy Moore

DIRECTED BY

FEATURING

Heidi Blickenstaff*, Lincoln Clauss*, Bre Jackson*, Max McKenna*, Kenita Miller*, Paul Alexander Nolan*, Zachary Noah Piser*, Wren Rivera*, Jason Tam*

MUSIC SUPERVISOR

ORCHESTRATIONS AND MUSIC PRODUCTION

MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR

ARRANGEMENTS

SCENIC DESIGN

COSTUME DESIGN

LIGHTING DESIGN

SOUND DESIGN

VIDEO DESIGN

HAIR DESIGN

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATE CHOREOGRAPHER

CASTING

LOCAL CASTING

STAGE MANAGER

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

GENERAL MANAGER

ARTISTIC PRODUCING DIRECTOR

Ian Eisendrath

Juan Ariza and Elin Sandberg

Wendy Bobbitt Cavett

Anne Eisendrath and Ian Eisendrath

Robert Brill

Sarafina Bush

Amanda Zieve

Gareth Owen

Lucy Mackinnon

Alberto “Albee” Alvarado

Jacole Kitchen

Ashley Andrews

The TRC Company, Tara Rubin, CSA

Hannah Reinert

Jess Slocum*

Alexa Burn*, Karla Garcia*, Amanda Salmons*

Becca Duhaime

Ryan Meisheid

Eric Keen-Louie

Based on the book “Réparer les Vivants” by Maylis de Kerangal © Editions Gallimard, 2014 US English Language Translation by Samuel Taylor Published by Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2016 The Heart was developed with the support of New York Stage and Film.

THE CAST

(in alphabetical order)

Claire and others Heidi Blickenstaff*

Thomas Driscoll and others .................................................................................. Lincoln Clauss*

Cordelia Owl and others Bre Jackson*

Juliette and others............................................................................................... Max McKenna*

Marianne Lamar and others Kenita Miller*

Dr. Breva and others ................................................................................. Paul Alexander Nolan*

Simon Lamar and others Zachary Noah Piser*

Marthe and others .................................................................................................... Wren Rivera*

Sean Lamar and others Jason Tam*

UNDERSTUDIES

Juliette/Cordelia Owl/Marthe........................................................................................Lena Ceja

Dr. Breva/Sean Lamar/Thomas Driscoll Cody Ingram

Simon Lamar/Thomas Driscoll ................................................................... Brandon Keith Rogers

Claire/Marianne Lamar Joy Yandell-Hall

Understudies are never substituted for listed roles unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.

ADDITIONAL STAFF

Associate Music Director/Music Assistant ..................................................... Joshua Gregg Fried

Song Mixer Sam Henry

Electronic Music Design ............ Billy Jay Stein and Chris Petti for Strange Cranium Productions

Associate Scenic Designer Mike Kaukl

Associate Costume Designer ............................................................................. Martín Lara Avila

Associate Lighting Designer Joel Britt

Associate Sound Designer ................................................................................... Russell Godwin

Associate Video Designer Elizabeth Barrett

Casting Associate .................................................................................... Spencer Gualdoni, CSA

Assistant Lighting Designer Michael Crevoisier

Onsite Animator Nitsan Scharf

Sub Conductor ..................................................................................................... Lyndon Pugeda

Medical Consultant Reel Medical Consulting

Speech Consultant .................................................................................................Andrea Caban

Dance Captain Wren Rivera

Community Building Advocate .............................................................................. Ann C. James

Production Assistant Jamie Boyd

Script Production Assistant ....................................................................................... Sarah Kaplan

Music Assistant Robert Bednar

(Subject to change)

SIMON LAMAR’S HEART KEEP UP

WON’T EVER LET YOU GO THE GOLDFINCH QUICKSAND

GONE IN THE MORNING RIGHT NOW

DAWN PATROL

STRIKE THE MATCH

NOBODY GETS OUT ALIVE A LIFE FOR A LIFE DRIFT AWAY TOO YOUNG

KEEP UP (REMIX)

MARIANNE’S DREAM MEND THE LIVING

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Melanie Cruz, Dr. Michael Madani, Dr. Theodore Chan, Dr. Philip Weissbrod, Dr. Steven Uliana, Dr. Daniel Cates, Wilmar Flores, Kristin Waller-Donovan and all the wonderful folks at UC San Diego Health Liz Carlson • Denise Hasson • Lynn Spector On the Rialto • Alchemy Production Group • And That's Showbiz

The Fourth Act • Junkyard Dog Productions • Heart Chase Developmental LLC

SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

You're welcome to take photos in the theatre before and after the performance. If you post photos on social media, please tag La Jolla Playhouse:

THE COMPANY

Heidi Blickenstaff she/her (Claire and others)

La Jolla Playhouse and Disney Channel: Freaky Friday (Katherine). Broadway: Jagged Little Pill (MJ), Something Rotten! (Bea), Addams Family (Alice), [title of show] (Heidi), Little Mermaid (Ursula) and The Full Monty. Off-Broadway: Now. Here. This. at The Vineyard Theatre, and Most Happy Fella (Cleo) at Encores/City Center. Favorite regional: Beverly in Come From Away (Muny); Diana in Next to Normal (Weston Playhouse); Ann in Meet John Doe (Ford’s Theatre); and First You Dream - The Music of Kander and Ebb (Signature Theater, Kennedy Center and PBS). Heidi is a California native and a graduate of Duke University. heidiblickenstaff.com

Lena Ceja (Understudy: Juliette/Cordelia Owl/ Marthe)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Regional: Anya in Anastasia (Moonlight Amphitheatre), Natasha in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Craig Noel nominee, Cygnet Theatre); Susan in Tick, Tick…BOOM!, Mimi in Rent (OCTG nominee, Chance Theater); Pipe in Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, Amy in Little Women (MOXIE); Wednesday in The Addams Family, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors (SDMT); Myrna/Maruja in La Havana Madrid (New Village Arts). Up next: Rent (NVA) October 31st - December 24th! IG: @lena.ceja

Lincoln Clauss he/him (Thomas Driscoll and others)

La Jolla Playhouse: Fly (Peter Pan). Select Regional: The Emcee in Cabaret (The Old Globe, Asolo Repertory Theatre); Rent, Sweeney Todd (Muny); Burn All Night (American Repertory Theater); Evocation to Visible Appearance (Actors Theatre of Louisville/Humana Festival). TV: Batwoman (CW), Girls5Eva (Netflix). Education: B.F.A. from Ball State University. @lincolnclauss

Cody Ingram (Understudy: Dr. Breva/Sean Lamar/Thomas Driscoll)

La Jolla Playhouse: The Ballad of Johnny and June. Regional credits include: Crime and Punishment: A Comedy (The Old Globe); Lucky Stiff (Scripps Ranch Theater); Ragtime, Kinky Boots, Matilda (Moonlight Amphitheater); Legally Blonde (New Village Arts); A Little Night Music, A Christmas Carol (Cygnet). Cody is a graduate of the Meisner and Chekhov Integrated Training Studio and a United States Coast Guard veteran. He is so excited to be a part of this cast and tell this beautiful story. Much love to his wife Kimberly for her undying love and support. @codyingramofficial

Bre Jackson (Cordelia Owl and others) was most recently seen in MJ: The Musical, standing by as Katherine Jackson and Rachel. Prior to that she wore the crown as Catherine of Aragon in Six: The Musical. TV credits include Emmy Award-winning NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, as well as a featured soloist on season two of CBS’s The Good Fight. Other roles include Effie in Dreamgirls (South Korean Tour) and Ado Annie in Oklahoma! (DCPA). Broadway: The Color Purple (Church Lady/Celie u/s), The Book of Mormon (Ensemble/Swing). 1st National Tour: Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Diva). B.F.A. University of Michigan — Go Blue! Giving honor and thanks to God for this and all blessings. IG: bre.jackson

Max McKenna they/them (Juliette and others) La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Theatre: Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical, Fun Home (Sydney Theatre Company); Dear Evan Hansen (US National Tour); Jagged Little Pill (GWB); Bananaland (QPAC); The Almighty Sometimes (Melbourne Theatre Company). Television: The Jones Family Christmas (Stan); While the Men Are Away (SBS); Strife (Binge/Foxtel); The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Open Slather (ABC/Foxtel).

Kenita Miller (Marianne Lamar and others) Broadway: For Colored Girls… (Lady In Red/ Tony nom), Come From Away (Hannah), Once on This Island (Mama Euralie/Grammy nom), The Color Purple (Celie), Xanadu (Erato/Kira understudy). Off-Broadway: Lights Out: Nat King Cole (Perlina), Bella: An American Tall Tale (Miss Cabbagestalk/Mama), Langston in Harlem (Zora Neale Hurston – Audelco Award/Drama Desk nom), Working (Drama Desk Award), Avenue Q. Regional: Parade (Minnie McKnight, Angela/2014 Barrymore Award, Outstanding Featured Actress), Ragtime (Sarah). Film/TV: Tick, Tick... BOOM!, Sesame Street, Bull, Hostages, Blacklist.

Paul Alexander Nolan he/him (Dr. Breva and others)

La Jolla Playhouse: Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and Tully in Escape to Margaritaville, both of which transferred to Broadway, and Ben in Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Paul's 2024 starring role as August in Water for Elephants marked his 10th Broadway show. The year before, he played prosecutor Hugh Dorsey in the Tony-winning revival of Parade. In 2019 and 2021, he starred in the Tony-nominated Slave Play. Other Broadway: Once, Bright Star (Drama Desk nomination), Doctor Zhivago (Outer Critics Circle nomination), Chicago. TV: HBO’s The Gilded Age; and The Code, Madam Secretary, and Instinct for CBS.

Zachary Noah Piser he/him (Simon Lamar and others)

Zach is a Hapa, Jewish actor based in NYC. La Jolla Playhouse: Redwood. Broadway: Redwood (Spencer, obc), KPOP (Brad, obc), Dear Evan Hansen (Evan), Wicked (Boq). Off-Broadway: See What I Wanna See (2025 Drama Desk nom), Sweeney Todd. On Screen: In Your Dreams (Netflix, upcoming), Host of PBS’s “Camp TV” series (2x Kidscreen Award nom), in addition to voicing feature films including Mean Girls and Snow White. Zach is a Bay Area native, and a Northwestern grad. @zach_piser.

Wren Rivera (Marthe and others)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Jagged Little Pill. Off-Broadway: Teeth, Between the Lines. Regional: SuperYou (Skylight). TV: Between the Lines (Amazon Prime), WeCrashed (Apple TV+). Voiceover: The Accidental Wolf (Amazon Prime). Education: B.F.A. from Ball State University.

Brandon Keith Rogers he/him (Understudy: Simon Lamar/Thomas Driscoll)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. NY credits: Jerome Robbins' Broadway Reunion (Guggenheim); Laurie in Jo: The Little Women Musical (Workshop). National Tours: Eoin Colfer’s Nöel, Grease. Regional credits include West Side Story (Tony at Flat Rock Playhouse and 5 Star Theatricals, swing at Barrington Stage Co.), Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Show (Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret), Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever (Moonlight Amphitheater), The Escapologist in Matilda (La Mirada/McCoy-Rigby), and Austens Pride (Act of CT). TV/Film: Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (HBO Max) and starring in the upcoming movie-musical Saturday as Kip Phelps alongside Drew Seeley. Education: B.F.A., Point Park University. @brandonkeithrogers

Jason Tam (Sean Lamar and others)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Be More Chill, If/Then, Lysistrata Jones (Astaire nomination), A Chorus Line, Les Misérables. Off Broadway: The White Chip, The Ghost of John McCain, KPOP (Lortel Award), Marry Me a Little. Regional: Come From Away (Muny); A Chorus Line (Hollywood Bowl); Merrily We Roll Along (Sharon Playhouse); She Loves Me (Guthrie Theatre). TV: Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert; Law & Order: Organized Crime; FBI: Most Wanted; Do No Harm; Hawaii Five-O; The Blacklist; One Life to Live; Beyond the Break. Documentary: Every Little Step. Education: B.F.A. from NYU.

Joy Yandell-Hall (Understudy: Claire/Marianne Lamar)

La Jolla Playhouse: Jersey Boys, Dracula the Musical. NYC: Freedom Riders. Regional: R.E.S.P.E.C.T., MiXtape, Joseph…Dreamcoat, The 70’s: the Golden Age of the Album (Lamb's Players Theatre); Billy Elliot, 9 to 5, The Full Monty (San Diego Musical Theatre); Cabaret (Cygnet); Annie Get Your Gun (Welk Resort); I Love You, YPNC! (Candlelight Pavilion); Beehive (Miracle Theatre Productions). Dedicated to my family in both heaven and earth.

Kait Kerrigan (Book and Additional Lyrics) is an award-winning book writer, lyricist, and playwright. Broadway: The Great Gatsby (book). West End: The Time Traveller’s Wife (add’l lyrics). Off-Broadway: The Mad Ones, Henry and Mudge. Regional credits include book for Indigo; lyrics for Justice, Ernxst, Earthrise, Rosie Revere Engineer, Friends; book and lyrics for The Bad Years, an immersive house party (sold-out pop-ups in Bushwick and Clinton Hill); as well as the plays Father/Daughter (Edgerton Award), Imaginary Love, Transit and Disaster Relief. Albums: The Great Gatsby, The Mad Ones, Our First Mistake, KerriganLowdermilk Live. Digital: A Killer Party (screenplay with co-writer Rachel Axler). Her plays and musicals have been developed by the Kennedy Center, Goodspeed, Theatreworks/Silicon Valley, New York Stage and Film, Chautauqua Theatre Company, Primary Stages, Weston Playhouse, and others. Awards: Kleban (libretto-writing), Larson (lyric-writing). Alumna of Dramatists Guild Fellows, Page 73’s I-73 writers’ group, Barnard College, BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop. For Nathan, Tess, and Lucy –you’re my heart. @kaitkerrigan

Anne Eisendrath (Music and Lyrics, Arrangements) is an electronic music producer, songwriter and vocalist. A classically trained musician, Anne attended the University of Michigan, where she earned a degree in vocal performance and met her husband, Ian. Upon graduation, she spent a decade as a musical theatre performer and professional vocalist in Seattle. After the birth of her third child, Anne shifted her artistic focus from performing to songwriting and composition. She channels her obsession with electronica, her love of crafting beats, melodies, and vocals, and her deep passion for storytelling and poeticism into the music she creates. In addition to composing for musical theatre, she writes, records, produces, and performs her own brand of theatrical synth-pop as the artist “Anniee,” and is currently at work on her first LP. Creating this show has been the most fulfilling experience of her life and marriage—only surpassed by being mom to Lucy, Oscar and Charlie. Special thanks to them and to our parents, Kirk, Amy, Wendy and Bris who gave of themselves tremendously so we could give ourselves to the music. @anniee_music.

Ian Eisendrath (Music and Lyrics, Music Supervisor, Arrangements)

is an Olivier Award-winning, Grammy-nominated music supervisor, music producer, arranger and music director for theatre, film and television. Film/TV: Executive Music Producer for KPOP: Demon Hunters (Sony Pictures Animation); Only Murders in the Building Season 3 (Hulu); Wicked (Music Consultant); Disney's Snow White; Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (Sony); Come From Away (Apple TV+); and Fox TV’s A Christmas Story Live. Selected Theatre: Music Supervisor and Arranger for the Broadway, Toronto, North American, Australian and UK companies of Come From Away, Diana: The Musical (Broadway), A Christmas Story (Broadway and National Tour), and multiple projects at La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Symphony, ACT and the Banff Centre for the Arts. Ian was the Director of New Work Development and the Music Supervisor at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle from 2003 to 2016. University of Michigan Music graduate. He is beyond delighted to be working with his wife, Anne.

THE COMPANY

Christopher Ashley (Director)

Please see Mr. Ashley’s bio on page 10

Mandy Moore (Choreographer)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. 3x Emmy winner. Film: La La Land, Silver Linings Playbook, Babylon, Snow White, The Life of Chuck. TV: SYTYCD, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing with the Stars, Modern Family. Stage: Producer/Choreographer for Taylor Swift’s The Eras World Tour, Dancing with the Stars Tour, Celine Dion’s Taking Chances tour. Vegas: Awakening at The Wynn, Shania Twain’s You’re Still the One. Love to Mom, Dad and Missy.

Robert Brill (Scenic Designer)

La Jolla Playhouse: The Ballad of Johnny and June, Love All, Bhangin' It, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Chasing the Song, His Girl Friday, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Jesus Chris Superstar, The Wiz and many others. Broadway: Hell’s Kitchen (Tony nomination), How to Dance in Ohio, Dancin’, Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (Tony nomination), Thoughts of a Colored Man, Assassins (Tony nomination), Cabaret, Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys and Dolls (Tony nomination), Design for Living, Buried Child and others. Founding member of Sledgehammer Theatre, recipient of the Michael Merritt Award for Excellence in Design and Collaboration, and an alum and member of the design faculty at UCSD Theatre & Dance. robertbrilldesign.com

Sarafina Bush (Costume Designer)

La Jolla Playhouse: The Ballad of Johnny and June, The Outsiders. Broadway: The Outsiders, The Who’s Tommy, How to Dance in Ohio, For Colored Girls… (Tony Award nominee), Pass Over. Off-Broadway: Shit. Meet. Fan. (MCC), Oliver! (City Center Encores), Evanston Salt Costs Climbing (The New Group), Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Obie Award; Playwrights Horizons), Broadway Bounty Hunter (Greenwich House). Regional: A Wrinkle in Time (Arena Stage), The Preacher’s Wife (Alliance Theatre), Peter Pan (Tour), Life After (CAA Ed Mirvish, Goodman Theatre). Education: B.A.: Adelphi University.

Amanda Zieve (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to be back at La Jolla Playhouse after designing 3 Summers of Lincoln, Velour: A Drag Spectacular, The Ballad of Johnny and June, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical and Put Your House in Order. Other recent designs include: The Who's Tommy (Broadway/Goodman); Cabaret (Goodspeed); Into the Woods, Billy Elliot, Titanic (Signature Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors (South Coast Rep); Deceived, I Hate Hamlet (Maltz Jupiter); Sweeney Todd, Roof of the World (KC Rep). Her Playhouse Associate credits include: Fly, Escape to Margaritaville, Hollywood, and Hunchback of Notre Dame. Other San Diego credits include: Noises Off, Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B, English, Crime and Punishment - A Comedy, Dial M for Murder, Hair, Tiny Beautiful Things, Barefoot in the Park, Native Gardens, The Wanderers and Rich Girl (The Old Globe); Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Evita, Cabaret, Rock of Ages (Cygnet). amandazieve.com

Gareth Owen (Sound Designer)

Broadway highlights: Boop!, Hell’s Kitchen (Tony nom), Tommy, Elf, Back to the Future, & Juliet (Tony nom), MJ (Tony Award), Bad Cinderella, Diana, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Come From Away, Bronx Tale, Spring Awakening, End of the Rainbow (Tony nom), Bat Out of Hell and A Little Night Music (Tony nom). West End highlights: Just for One Day, The Devil Wears Prada, MJ, Back to the Future (Olivier nom), Cinderella, Prince of Egypt, Come From Away (Olivier Award), Bat Out of Hell (Olivier nom), Memphis (Olivier Award), Top Hat (Olivier nom) and Merrily We Roll Along (Olivier Award). garethowensound.com; @garethowensound

Lucy Mackinnon (Video Designer)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: All In: Comedy About Love, The Notebook, Kimberly Akimbo, A Christmas Carol, How I Learned to Drive, Jagged Little Pill, The Rose Tattoo, Lifespan of a Fact, Six Degrees of Separation, and the Deaf West revival of Spring Awakening. Recent regional credits include The Thing About Jellyfish (Berkeley Rep) and Sarah Silverman's The Bedwetter (Arena Stage).

Alberto “Albee” Alvarado (Hair Designer)

La Jolla Playhouse: Derecho, The Ballad of Johnny and June, SUMO, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, Bhangin’ It, to the yellow house, The Last Tiger in Haiti (Makeup). Broadway: The Outsiders. Off-Broadway: SUMO (The Public), Give Me Carmelita Tropicana (SoHo Rep; Co-Design). Regional: A Wrinkle in Time (Arena Stage); La Cage Aux Folles (Pasadena Playhouse); A Transparent Musical (CTGLA: Makeup Design), San Diego Opera, Seagle Music Colony. Education: B.A., SDSU. I’m here to amplify underrepresented voices. YOUR story matters.

Wendy Bobbitt Cavett (Music Director, Conductor)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway and Off-Broadway: Come From Away, Hamilton, Mamma Mia!, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Sabbath Girl, A Year with Frog and Toad, The Most Happy Fella, A Tale of Two Cities. National/ International: SuperYou Musical, Come From Away, The Who’s Tommy, Mamma Mia!, A Chorus Line. Premiere productions of new musicals: St. Louis Repertory, A.R.T., Denver Theatre Company, Milwaukee Repertory, Asolo Repertory, North Shore Music Theatre, Prince Music Theatre, Curve Theatre in Leicester, U.K. Faculty member: Wagner College, Staten Island, NY.

Juan Ariza (Orchestrations and Music Production) is a Grammy- and Latin Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and artist from Bogotá, Colombia, now based in Los Angeles. Known for his bold yet meticulous production style, Ariza brings deep intention to every project. He has worked with artists such as Shawn Mendes, Sebastián Yatra, Camilo, Galant, Lalah Hathaway, Nicole Zignago, and Dua Lipa. His work spans music for film—including Better Man and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile—and scoring the series Tiny Beautiful Things. Ariza also toured globally as a guitarist, cellist, and keyboardist in Harry Styles’ band, performing in sold-out arenas around the world.

Elin Sandberg (Orchestrations and Music Production) is an LA-based multi-instrumentalist, producer, and writer from Uppsala, Sweden. She has toured the world with Harry Styles, Willow Smith, AR Rahman, and Chloe x Halle, performing at iconic venues including Wembley Stadium, Slane Castle, Madison Square Garden, and The Forum. Elin is one half of the duo project Coy Panda with Ariza, whose music has appeared on editorial playlists such as Bedroom Pop, Lotus, and Fresh Finds Indie. In 2023, Coy Panda served as the opening act for Harry Styles at Wembley. Elin’s production style spans multiple genres, reflecting her dynamic and collaborative musical background.

Jacole Kitchen (Associate Director) is the recipient of the 2025-2027 Directing Fellowship at La Jolla Playhouse. Directing credits include: Suburban Black Girl (Outside In Theatre), The Hula Hoopin’ Queen (Seattle Children’s Theatre), Manny and the Wise Queens (Oceanside Theatre Company), Our Town (bilingual version - Mira Costa College), Jin vs the Beach, Pick Me Last and Light Years Away (La Jolla Playhouse POP Tour), Iron (Roustabouts Theatre Company), Cardboard Piano (Diversionary Theatre), An Iliad (New Village Arts), and more, including staged readings of multiple new works. Jacole also works closely with the UC San Diego M.F.A. acting students and offers private coaching. www.jacolekitchen.com

Ashley Andrews (Associate Choreographer) La Jolla Playhouse: Debut. Broadway: Sunset Boulevard (Associate Choreographer), King Kong (Resident Choreographer), Diana the Musical (OBC). US: Associate Choreographer for Jesus Christ Superstar, Mamma Mia (New Theatre Kansas). West End: An American in Paris, Wicked, Billy Elliot, Chicago, Jekyll and Hyde (McOnie Company). UK Tour: 9 to 5, Disney’s High School Musical, Fame, Never Forget (the Take That Musical). TV/Film: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Disney’s Snow White, Apartment 7A. Choreographer: Master Moley (Warner Bros). @ashleyjandrews

The TRC Company, Tara Rubin, CSA (Casting) Led by partners Claire Burke, Kevin Metzger-Timson, Xavier Rubiano, and Peter Van Dam. La Jolla Playhouse: The Ballad of Johnny and June, Kiss My Aztec!, The Squirrels. Broadway: Dead Outlaw, Boop!, Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, Left on Tenth, The Outsiders, SIX, Aladdin. Tours: The Phantom of the Opera, Water for Elephants, Beauty and the Beast, The Wiz, Back to the Future, Les Misérables. The TRC Company is proud to continue the casting legacy of Tara Rubin Casting and Johnson-Liff Associates.

Jess Slocum (Stage Manager)

La Jolla Playhouse: The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical; Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord; Indecent; Side Show; Ruined; The Third Story; Memphis; Most Wanted. Regional: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Henry 6, The Age of Innocence, Under a Baseball Sky, Dial M for Murder, El Borracho, Noura, They Promised Her the Moon, The Imaginary Invalid, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, tokyo fish story, In Your Arms, Bright Star, A Room with a View, Robin and the 7 Hoods, dozens more (The Old Globe); Noura (Shakespeare Theatre Company). Education: Vanderbilt University.

Alexa Burn she/her (Assistant Stage Manager: 8/19 – 9/7)

La Jolla Playhouse: Indian Princesses, 3 Summers of Lincoln, Your Local Theater Presents..., Derecho, Primary Trust. Select credits include Clyde’s (ASM) at the Denver Center, The Royale (SM) at American Players Theatre, Bald Sisters (SM) at San Jose Stage, Intimate Apparel (ASM), The Three Musketeers (ASM), Chicken and Biscuits (ASM), The Great Leap (ASM), Grand Horizons (ASM), Hood (ASM) at the Asolo Repertory Theatre, and The Code (SM) at American Conservatory Theatre SF. Alexa was also a stage manager at the Disneyland Resort for many years, working with the Disneyland Band, Dapper Dans, and many more.

Karla Garcia she/her/ella (Assistant Stage Manager: 9/2 –9/28)

La Jolla Playhouse: Debut! The Old Globe: The Comedy of Errors, One of the Good Ones, Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Measure for Measure. As Production Assistant: Henry 6, Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Cabaret, Exotic Deadly, Mala. Education: B.A. and M.A. in Theatre Arts from University of California, Santa Cruz.

Amanda Salmons she/her (Assistant Stage Manager)

La Jolla Playhouse: Blueprints to Freedom (An Ode to Bayard Rustin). Regional credits include: Henry 6, Ride, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Cabaret, Destiny of Desire, Come Fall in Love, Bob Fosse's Dancin', The Gardens of Anuncia, Life After, The Heart of Rock and Roll, American Mariachi, Benny and Joon, October Sky, Rain, The Metromaniacs, The White Snake, The Last Goodbye (The Old Globe); Kiss Me Kate (Hartford Stage). Education: UC San Diego.

PLAYHOUSE LEADERSHIP

Christopher Ashley, (he/him) The Rich Family Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse has served as La Jolla Playhouse’s Artistic Director since 2007. During his tenure, he directed the world premieres of Come From Away, 3 Summers of Lincoln, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, Babbitt, Diana: The Musical, Memphis, Escape to Margaritaville, The Squirrels, A Dram of Drummhicit, Restoration , as well as As You Like It, His Girl Friday, Glengarry Glen Ross, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Freaky Friday . He also spearheaded the Playhouse’s Without Walls (WOW) initiative, the DNA New Work Series and the Resident Theatre program. Mr. Ashley recently directed Come From Away Diana: The Musical for Netflix. Other screen credits include the feature films Jeffrey and Lucky Stiff, and the American Playhouse production of Blown Sideways Through Life for PBS. Mr. Ashley’s Broadway credits include Come From Away (Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Diana: The Musical, Escape to Margaritaville, Memphis (Tony Award nomination), Xanadu, Leap of Faith (Drama Desk Award nomination), All Shook Up and The Rocky Horror Show (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations). He also helmed productions of Come From Away in London (Olivier Award nomination), Toronto, Australia and on national tour. Other national tours include Escape to Margaritaville, Memphis, Xanadu, All Shook Up and Seussical: The Musical Additional New York stage credits include Blown Sideways Through Life, Jeffrey (Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards), The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla (Lucille Lortel Award nomination), Regrets Only, Wonder of the World, Communicating Doors, Bunny Bunny, The Night Hank Williams Died and Fires in the Mirror (Lucille Lortel Award), among others. Mr. Ashley is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Director Fellowship and an NEA/ TCG Director Fellowship.

Debby Buchholz, (she/her) Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse joined the Playhouse in 2002, serving first as General Manager before becoming Managing Director. She is President of the League of Resident Theaters (LORT) and a member of its Executive Committee. She is a recipient of a San Diego Women Who Mean Business Award from The San Diego Business Journal. Prior to joining La Jolla Playhouse, she served as Counsel to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. She was a faculty member of the Smithsonian Institution’s program on Legal Problems of Museum Administration. Prior to The Kennedy Center, she served as a corporate attorney in New York City and Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of UC San Diego and Harvard Law School. Ms. Buchholz and her husband, noted author and White House economic policy advisor Todd Buchholz, live in Solana Beach.

Eric Keen-Louie, (he/him) Artistic Producing Director joined the Playhouse in 2018 as Producing Director, before becoming Executive Producer in 2021. He previously worked at The Old Globe (Associate Producer and Associate Artistic Director) and The Public Theater (Assistant to the Associate Producer and Director of Special Projects). He assisted Broadway producer Margo Lion on Hairspray and Caroline, or Change. He is a graduate of Columbia University where he received his M.F.A. in Theatre Management & Producing as a Dean’s Fellow and New York University where he earned a B.A. in Dramatic Literature. He serves as Vice President on the National Alliance of Musical Theatre’s Board of Directors. He is a proud third-generation Chinese-American and is married to Anthony Keen-Louie, a local mediator and Associate Ombuds at UC Santa Cruz.

Des McAnuff, (he/him) Director Emeritus is a two-time Tony Award-winning director and served as La Jolla Playhouse’s Artistic Director from 1983 through 1994, and from 2001 through April 2007 where he staged over 30 productions of classics, new plays and musicals. Under his leadership, the Playhouse garnered the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. He is also the former Artistic Director of Canada’s Stratford Festival and co-founder of Broadway’s Dodgers. Broadway: Ain’t Too Proud, Summer, Doctor Zhivago, Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys and Dolls, Aaron Sorkin’s The Farnsworth Invention, Jersey Boys (Tony and Olivier Awards: Best Musical), Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays (Tony Award: Best Special Theatrical Event), Dracula the Musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Who’s Tommy (Tony and Olivier Awards: Best Director), A Walk in the Woods, Big River (Tony Awards: Best Director, Best Musical). Selected New York: Fetch Clay, Make Man (NYTW); multiple productions at The Public and BAM. Stratford highlights: A Word or Two, Caesar and Cleopatra, The Tempest (all with Christopher Plummer), Twelfth Night (with Brian Dennehy). Opera: Faust (The Met, ENO). TV: 700 Sundays (HBO). Film: Cousin Bette (director, with Jessica Lange), The Iron Giant (producer, BAFTA Award) and Quills (executive producer). He has an honorary doctorate from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), and in 2012, he was awarded Canada’s Governor Generals National Arts Center Award and the Order of Canada. His new version of The Who’s Tommy recently opened on Broadway in March, 2024.

La Jolla Playhouse is a place where artists and audiences come together to create what’s new and next in the American theatre, from Tony Award-winning productions, to imaginative programs for young audiences, to interactive experiences outside our theatre walls. Founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, the Playhouse is currently led by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley, the Rich Family Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse, and Managing Director Debby Buchholz. The Playhouse is internationally renowned for the development of new works, including mounting 120 world premieres, commissioning more than 70 new works, and sending 37 productions to Broadway – among them the hit musical Come From Away – garnering a total of 42 Tony Awards, as well as the 1993 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

Enhance your Playhouse experience by attending these free events. Simply book your performance for one of the following dates:

TALKBACK TUESDAYS

Participate in a lively discussion with performers and Playhouse staff members immediately following these performances.

Tuesday, September 2 and 9 after the 7:30pm show

DISCOVERY SUNDAY

Join special guest speakers post-performance as they engage audience members in a moderated discussion exploring the themes in the play.

Sunday, September 14 after the 1:00pm show

ORGAN DONORS SAVE LIVES

The Heart covers 24 suspenseful hours in San Diego, where we follow a life-saving organ donation journey.

Did you know that over 48,000 organ and tissue donations occur per year in the United States? In California, there are over 2,100 donations per year, and in 2023 more than 430 lives were saved thanks to 140 San Diego donors. Among these donations were 57 hearts.

Organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas and kidneys can be donated, extending life to those in need. To learn more about organ donation, or to check/update your organ donor status, please scan the QR code for information and resources at such organizations as Lifesharing, UC San Diego Health, Donate Life California and more.

ACCESS PERFORMANCE

A select Saturday matinee of each show is designated as a relaxed performance, and live American Sign Language interpretation and closed captioning is available for those who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing. Audio description for those who are blind or have low vision is available upon request with prior notice. Find more info at lajollaplayhouse.org/access.

Saturday, September 6 at 2:00pm

WE’RE ALL BUILDING THIS STORY TOGETHER

A conversation between The Heart’s writing team (Anne Eisendrath, Ian Eisendrath and Kait Kerrigan) and Director of Artistic Development Gabriel Greene.

GG: What drew you to Maylis de Kerangal’s novel, and how did you imagine it coming to life as a musical?

AE: Our first producers, Stephen and Paula Reynolds, had worked with us on the early development of a project about a heart transplant that ultimately didn’t work out. They generously wanted to continue to support both Ian and me in a project, and we started talking to Kait about some new ideas. After a few conversations, Paula asked for us to meet on zoom – this was all during the pandemic – and she said, “I really think you should go back to the heart transplant.”

KK: To be completely honest, I was really nervous, especially knowing that we were revisiting a topic that they all had a shared history with, but I wasn’t about to turn down a project without trying to find my “in”! I thought about what interested an audience member like me. I wanted to know how it happens – what is the medical process? And I really wanted us to start from new source material. So I googled, like, “medically accurate heart transplant novel, fast-paced, hospital, doctor’s perspective…”

IE: I feel like you also said “not saccharine.” [laughter]

KK: Maylis de Kerangal’s novel was the first thing that came up. All the reviews were like, “This is so medically accurate, it takes place in 24 hours, it follows all these different characters.” I got excited and I came back to

Anne and Ian and I was like, “I think it’s like A Chorus Line meets a heart transplant!” [laughter] It felt like La Ronde, it had this sense of a relay race. We were all texting each other within the first 50 pages. The novel is so beautifully structured; I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that screamed that it wanted to be a musical more.

IE: Maylis’ novel so beautifully balances heightened poeticism with everyday reality and naturalism. It reminded me of my most cherished experience in the theatre, Come From Away. While the material is wildly different, both pieces share the DNA of uber-theatrical, music- and ensemble-driven storytelling rooted in real-life situations, stakes and events. They also both sound like a potentially terrible idea when you first pitch it! I have a trusted friend in theatre development whose first response to the idea was skepticism and concern, but after he saw the first reading of the piece, he became an incredible champion of the show.

GG: I could see how it presented a challenge; its protagonist – the focus of the journey – is an organ instead of a person. Did that feel like a limitation or a strength?

KK: For me, that felt like a strength from the jump. I love structural challenges and the compression of time; I love the fact that there’s a 24hour clock and a concentrated place. It’s a very exciting kind of storytelling. The thing we’ve come back to over and over again is that the protagonist is whoever’s keeping the heart beating – that’s what makes it unique and it

also makes perfect sense. They all have one job, so whoever has that job at that moment is your protagonist and we’re following that person. During the developmental process, every time we screwed up, it was because we didn’t follow the heart. And it means that you can go deeply into someone’s life for a short amount of time and then you may never see them again. But we care so much about a character when they’re a part of making that heart continue to beat.

GG: Anne, you’ve had an affinity for electronic music dating back to college. Why did that style of music feel like a natural fit for this story?

AE: I have to say, originally, I just wanted to use electronic music because of my deep love for it. It was Ian who said, “But wait, we’re in a hospital so there’s natural beeps and buzzes, there’s a heart that beats like a kick drum, there’s the lush sounds an ocean evokes, the sultry atmosphere of a dance club.” We discovered that electronic music could be a completely organic and warranted choice, and it opened up all kinds of possibilities to play and innovate, to juxtapose technology with nature and raw emotion. I think that’s how most of the music evolved. What if we do this? What if we try this? There was always the desire to push the boundaries, to mix and bend genres.

IE: We’ve often talked about the major shift that has taken place in how we consume music today and how that needs to make its way into the theatre space.

AE: You’ve just jogged my memory – about 10 or 15 years ago, Ian and I were talking to one of our professors from college, an incredible musical theatre historian. He was musing on the future of Broadway and he said to us, “I see these young students coming to my class and they’re listening to music through their earbuds, and so the old musical theatre orchestrations just aren’t hitting them emotionally like they used to.” And that was a light bulb moment for me, because that’s how I feel too. That’s how we consume our music today. We’re walking around with this heavily-produced music coming straight into our ears and it becomes the cinematic soundtrack to our lives; we’re all in our own movies. And so we’ve been thinking about how we can bring that experience into a musical theater piece.

KK: One of the things that sometimes gets leveled at electronica is that there’s a sameness to it. But what’s really beautiful in what you’re bringing to your lush electropop sound is that it’s cinematic and it does have a very dramatic architecture to it. The way the sound builds from scene into song is one of my favorite things about the whole score. It almost never stops – or if it does stop, it’s incredibly intentional.

GG: You have a remarkable ensemble of just nine actors portraying the full scope of people who come into contact with the heart. Are there thematic connections around which roles an actor was given?

KK: That was one of the things that got me so excited about this show. We’ve tried to create character arcs that will be woven by the audience’s connection to the actor – where you see resonances of a character’s journey even in the doubled characters. One of my favorite examples, which came pretty late in the process, is the way we double the actor playing Simon, whose heart drives the show. We only double him a couple times, but when we do, it’s incredibly intentional and I think it’s going to be really moving.

There’s just something really fun about being able to play in that space. I think about it as these people who are telling you the story of this heart

that all of them have impacted or been impacted by. They all have the collective goal of telling this story. It creates space for an audience to enter with us and be a part of the storytelling of it. There’s a heartbeat to each of us, which connects us with the actors, and with this story, and builds a sense of community.

IE: Anne and I both have a background in choral and ensemble music. One of the things that really excited us both about telling this story with a nine-person powerhouse cast was the opportunity to mix choral soundscapes with electronica and EDM, which I haven’t really heard before. I also love how these nine actors, all of whom are stars in their own right, seamlessly shift between being a soloist at the center at the narrative to being part of the ensemble fabric. It’s almost a musical representation of interdependence and interconnectivity that the story really speaks to.

GG: Is there anything about this present moment that makes you feel it’s a particularly urgent time to share this story?

IE: For me, it’s a show about choosing life. Every character is using whatever power and agency they have to keep the heart beating. Simon’s parents choose to continue the life of his heart, Claire chooses to accept a new lease on life (with all of the risks and unknowns implicit in that decision), our many medical professionals are constantly taking actions to promote life. For me, this is a story about the utter preciousness of life and the responsibility we each have to live it fully as long as it is ours.

KK: We were talking today with some of the actors about the idea of taking responsibility and choosing to be responsible – choosing to care, choosing to be alive in a way that is accountable. All of that feels essential and blessedly apolitical. And yet, in the moment we’re living through, we lose track of those essentials. I think there’s something simple and deeply human about this story: the sense that we’re all building this story together, and that we’re all impacted by one heart. It’s a show that actively chooses to let you cry, and then cuts it with humor, because that’s what life is. We go back and forth between these moments of life being completely mundane, to being absolutely devastating, to laughing five minutes later. That’s how we survive.

AE: These characters all have specific and unique roles in taking this heart forward to the next level. If at any point one of these characters falls behind in their mission to protect this heart, the show is over and death wins. And it’s a beautiful picture of how we all count, we all matter, and we can all do something to make the world a better place. We all have that ability to create goodness in the world. 

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MISSION STATEMENT

La Jolla Playhouse advances theatre as an art form, telling stories that inspire empathy and create a dialogue toward a more just future. With our intrepid spirit and eclectic, artist-driven approach we will continue to cultivate a local, national and global following with an insatiable appetite for audacious work.

We provide unfettered creative opportunities for a community of artists of all backgrounds and abilities. We are committed to being a permanent safe harbor for unsafe and surprising work, offering a glimpse of the new and the next in American theatre.

VALUES STATEMENT

Welcome to La Jolla Playhouse, where we believe that stories enhance the human experience, instill empathy and help us see the world in new ways. We respect all races, ethnicities, cultures, physical/cognitive abilities, ages, genders and identities, and endeavor to be an anti-racist and accessible organization that removes barriers to engagement. As a community of life-long learners who celebrate the spirit of play, we innovate and collaborate to bring theatre to life.

We practice empathy by listening, challenging our assumptions and staying open to all perspectives.

We respect and recognize the complexities of all lived experiences, identities and cultural backgrounds. We honor the Kumeyaay Nation, the original caretakers of the land on which our theaters sit. We will fight against anti-blackness, the many forms of racism directed at BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and all types of discrimination and harassment, to be a more inclusive space where everyone feels welcome onstage and off.

We work with our community to identify, understand and address ways to make our theatre more equitable and accessible.

We infuse the spirit of play into everything we do, sparking creativity, fun and life-long learning.

We innovate and take risks to propel theatre as an art form and as a pathway toward fostering belonging and enhancing human connection.

We collaborate by prioritizing inclusive practices from which diverse voices, talents and ideas can strengthen engagement and creative thinking.

We vow to grow and embrace these values. When we falter, we will hold ourselves accountable through transparent communication, measurable outcomes, self-reflection and humility. With great joy and a strong sense of responsibility, we commit to these values in every aspect of our work.

WHY I SUPPORT THE PLAYHOUSE

Welcome to La Jolla Playhouse! We are thrilled to have you in the audience for our third show of the 2025/2026 season: The Heart, a world-premiere musical directed by our beloved Christopher Ashley.

I’ve had the privilege of supporting the Playhouse for many years with my family, and I’ve been a member of the Board since 2023.

As someone who works in the arts, I’m proud to support La Jolla Playhouse because of the essential role it plays in developing the future of theatre. It’s a space where bold, original ideas are not only encouraged but brought to life with creativity and purpose. The Playhouse has a strong track record of launching productions that go on to Broadway, thanks to its deep commitment to nurturing new talent and pushing artistic boundaries. Supporting institutions like this ensures that innovative, impactful storytelling continues to thrive on stage.

Whether this is your first show at the Playhouse or have been a loyal subscriber for twenty years, we're thrilled to have you with us. Enjoy the show!

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

DENISE BEVERS

Board Chair

SCOTT STANTON, Mintz

First Vice-Chair

KAREN SILBERMAN

Second Vice-Chair

RALPH BRYAN*

Treasurer

ANNIE ELLIS

Secretary

TRUSTEES

Weston Anson

Christopher Ashley**

Laurielynn Bar nett**

Michael Bartell

David Brenner

Sanford Burnham Prebys

Janice Brown

Debby Buchholz**

Lisa Casey

Ann Cathcart Chaplin, Qualcomm

Randall Clark*, Sempra

Mary Coleman**

Stephan Coleman, PNC Bank

Doug Dawson

Edward A. Dennis, Ph.D.

Susan Dubé

Hal Dunning

Emily Einhorn

Ray Flores**

Judy Garrett

Robert Gleason

The Lodge at Torrey Pines

Justin Gleiberman

Lynn E. Gorguze

Rachel Greenwald

Luke Gulley, Show Imaging

Kay Gurtin

Clark Guy Bank of America Private Bank

Dean Haas

Osborn Hurston

Debby Jacobs

Sheri L. Jamieson*

Pradeep K. Khosla, Ph.D.**

Chancellor, UC San Diego

Veronica Leff

Lynelle Lynch*

Margret McBride*

Steven Nagelberg

Lorne Polger

Byron Pollitt

David I. Reynoso**

Becky Robbins

Phil Rudolph

Robin Rusinko

Tim Scott

Shane Shelley, Morrison Foerster

Suzi Sterner**, UC San Diego

Greta Treadgold

Marjorie Mae Treger**

Erin Trenda, Cooley, LLP

Delicia Turner Sonnenberg**

Mary Walshok, Ph.D.

Hanaa Zahran, US Bank

Debbie Zeligson

Barbara ZoBell

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Robert Caplan

Peter Cowhey, Ph.D.

Ivan Gayler

Jeanne Jones

Julie Potiker

Steven M. Strauss*

Geri Ann Warnke*

Robert Wright, Esq.

EMERITUS TRUSTEES

Rita Bronowski (1917-2010)

David Copley (1952-2012)

Ted Cranston (1940-2012)

Milton Fredman (1920-2005)

Ewart W. Goodwin, Jr.* (1938- 2019)

Joel Holliday* (1939-2022)

Joan Jacobs (1933-2024)

Marian Jones Longstreth (1906-1997)

Hughes Potiker (1925-2005)

Sheila Potiker (1930-2011)

Jeffrey Ressler* (1943-2022)

Ellen Revelle (1910-2009)

Roger Revelle (1909-1991)

Willard P. VanderLaan, M.D.* (1917-2012)

Arthur Wagner, Ph.D. (1923-2015)

Mandell Weiss (1891-1993)

1947 FOUNDERS

Mel Ferrer

Dorothy McGuire

Gregory Peck

*Past Chair of the Board **Ex-Officio

List as of April 2025

PRODUCTION SPONSORS

Marlene and Gary Cohen

From the moment we read this amazing script, we knew we wanted to sponsor The Heart. Even more appealing was the story takes place in San Diego, which provides much local flavor delivered so well by La Jolla Playhouse. Organ transplants are touching everybody’s life in some way or some time; so, it’s now TIME to musically and emotionally educate and explore these life changing events.

Sheri L. Jamieson

I’m always honored to support the work of Christopher Ashley, and this world-premiere musical is no exception. With remarkable depth and authenticity, Chris and the entire creative team have crafted a production that invites us to live fully in the present and consider the lasting impact of our lives.

Karen and Jeff Silberman

It is our pleasure to support The Heart, a new musical directed by our very own Christopher Ashley. This world-premiere musical highlights and celebrates the work of La Jolla Playhouse and their dedication to supporting the new and the next in American theatre.

At Show Imaging, we believe in the transformative power of live experiences to connect us to what matters most, each other. The Heart is a moving reminder of how one act can ripple through many lives, mirroring our belief in the impact of authentic, human-centered storytelling. We’re proud to support La Jolla Playhouse in creating world-class experiences that inspire connection, compassion, and community.

This play is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award which gives world premieres extra funds for an extended rehearsal time. The program rewards excellent scripts in the hope that with a more polished performance, they will join the American canon of frequently produced plays.

Supported in part by the Frank Young Fund for New Musicals, a program of National Alliance for Musical Theatre (namt.org), with funding from The Hollywood Pantages, a Nederlander Theatre

FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

$100,000 +

$50,000 - $99,999

Laurents / Hatcher Foundation

Mandell Weiss Charitable Trust

$25,000 - $49,999

Parker Foundation

San Diego Foundation

$10,000 - $24,999

California Arts Council

David C. Copley Foundation

Peggy and Robert Matthews Foundation

National Alliance for Musical Theatre

Performing Arts Fund NL

Price Philanthropies Foundation

San Diego Scottish Rite Community Foundation

Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation

William Hall Tippett and Ruth Rathell Tippett Foundation

$5,000 - $9,999

Charles & Ruth Billingsley Foundation

City of Carlsbad’s Cultural Arts Office

Dutch Culture USA

Goodwin Family Memorial Trust

John and Marcia Price Family Foundation

Sutherland Foundation

$1,000 - $4,999

Creative West

Samuel I. & John Henry Fox Foundation

Kiwanis Club of La Jolla

Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation

$250 - $999

Actors' Equity Foundation

List as of July 2025

CORPORATE CIRCLE

ANNUAL SUPPORT FROM INDIVIDUALS

THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR'S

CIRCLE - $100,000 AND ABOVE

Denise and Lon Bevers

Theodor S. and Audrey S. Geisel Fund

Kay and Bill Gurtin

Jeanne L. Herberger, Ph.D.

Debby and Hal Jacobs

Joan and Irwin Jacobs

Sheri L. Jamieson

La Atalaya Fund

Rebecca Moores

Foundation

Paula and Brian Powers

Jordan Ressler Charitable Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

SEASON SPONSORS -

$50,000+

Weston Anson and Alice

Mitchell

Melissa and Michael Bartell

Gail and Ralph Bryan

Marlene and Gary Cohen

Hal and Hilary Dunning

Greg and Marike Fitzgerald Charitable Fund

Estate of Pauline Foster

Hanna and Mark Gleiberman

Lynn Gorguze and Scott Peters

Veronica and Miguel Leff, Esq.

Perlmeter Family Foundation

Maryanne and Irwin Pfister

Robin and Larry Rusinko

Karen and Jeff Silberman

The Stockdale Family

Molli Wagner

Pamela J. Wagner and Hans Tegebo

Peggy Ann Wallace

PLAYWRIGHTS CIRCLE -

$25,000+

Christopher Ashley and Ranjit Bahadur

Roberta C. Baade Charitable Fund

The Paula Marie Black Endowment for Women's Voices in the Art of Theatre

Debby and Todd Buchholz

Drs. Edward and Martha Dennis

Brian and Silvija* Devine

Susan E. Dubé

Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs

Jeff and Annie Jacobs

Paul E Jacobs

Stacy Brackon Jacobs

Joy and Eric Laws

Jeff and Carolyn Levin

Lynelle and William Lynch

Margret and Nevins McBride

Teresa and Byron Pollitt

Tricia and Mark Rothschild

Stern Leichter Foundation

Philip and Margarita Wilkinson

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE -

$15,000+

Anonymous

Tony and Margaret Acampora

Randy Camp and Susan Tousi

Lisa and David Casey

Big Blue Sky Foundation

Karen and Donald Cohn

Amy Corton and Carl Eibl

Daniel and Emily Einhorn

Annie and Charles Ellis

Sonali and Eric Fain

Michael and Susanna Flaster

Bill and Judy Garrett

Justin Gleiberman

David and Claire Guggenheim

Dean J. Haas

Dwight Hare and Stephanie Bergsma

Osborn Hurston

Jay Jeffcoat

Lorne Polger and Lori Weiner

Julie and Lowell Potiker Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

Becky Lynne Robbins

Charitable Fund

Colette and Ivor Royston

Phil Rudolph

Swanna and Alan Saltiel, Dan Cameron Family Foundation

Stan Siegel

Margie and Bill Strauss

Iris and Matthew* Strauss

Greta and Steve Treadgold

Mary Lindenstein Walshok, Ph.D.

Sheryl and Harvey P. White

DIRECTORS CIRCLE - $10,000+

Alex and Zsuzsanna Balazs

Gary and Barbara Blake

Family Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

Janice Brown

Holly McGrath, Highland Partners Charitable Fund

Pamela B. Burkholz

Randall Clark

Robin and Leo Eisenberg Family

Dan and Phyllis Epstein

Gail Fliesbach

Jan and Helane Fronek

Wendy Gillespie

Alan and Marleigh Gleicher

Mrs. Ewart (Chip) Goodwin

Lamees Hamdan

Tammy and Larry Hershfield

Adam and Amy Jacobs

JM Foundation

Sherry and Larry Kline, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation

Andrew and Mackenzie

Linville, Linville Family Foundation

Christy and Alan Molasky

Jim and Susan Morris

Lee and Stuart Posnock

Karen Quiñones, The Quiñones Family Trust

Judy Robbins

Tammy and Cameron Rooke

Don and Stacy Rosenberg

Laleh Roudi

Lynn Schenk

Joseph Schuman

Linda J and Jeffrey M Shohet

Karen and Stuart Tanz

Steven Strauss and Lise

Wilson

Leatrice Wolf

Barbara ZoBell

CELEBRATION CIRCLE$5,000+

Anonymous

Lisa and Steven Altman

Stephen Miller Baird, MD and

Carol Davidson Baird

Mireille and Steven Barnard

Mary and Rolf Benirschke

Joan and Jeremy Berg

David Bialis and Diana Breister

Nancy and Matt Browar

Christa Burke

Robert Caplan and Carol

Randolph

Dr. Marilyn R Carlson

Pamela and Edward Carnot

Maureen and Lawrence Cavaiola

Michelle Crosby and Guity

Balow

Nancy Cunningham

Elaine S. Darwin

Jendy Dennis Endowment Fund

Marty and Shel Diller

Nina and Bob Doede

Dr. Margo Emami and Mr. Edward Lizano

Pam Farr and Buford

Alexander

Drs. Bessie and Ron Floyd

Maria Frase

Fuson Family Fund at Schwab

Charitable

David Newman and Samantha

Goldstein, The Jasada Foundation

Beth Goodman

Beverly Goodman

Carrie and Jim Greenstein

Starr and John Grundy

Ivy Hanson, Hanson Family

Charity Fund

Gerald and Ingrid Hoffmeister Fund, The San Diego Foundation

Rosanne and Joel* Holliday

George and Maryka Hoover

Gail and Doug Hutcheson

Marguerite Jackson Dill

Conner Jacobs

Lindsey Jacobs and Nolan Weinberg

Gina and Kent Johnson

Kathy and Rob Jones

Kavanaugh Family Foundation

Lynda and Richard Kerr

Pradeep Khosla and Thespine Kavoulakis

Shirley King and Arthur Olson

Michael H Kossman

Tig Krekel and Sherry Bahrambeygui

Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Labowe, Labowe Family Foundation

Karen and Mark Liebowitz

Sheila and Jeffrey Lipinsky and Family

Barbara Loonin

Leslye and Scott Lyons

Tiffany Medina and Bruce Weisman

Daphne Muchnic

Steve and Jerri Nagelberg

Wendy Nash

Grant and Aradhna Oliphant, Prebys Foundation

Andrea and Lawrence Oster

Susan C. Parker

Bernard Paul and Maria

Sardina

Dr. Julie Prazich and Dr. Sara Rosenthal

Jeannie and Gerry Ranglas

Jay and Julie Sarno

Tim and Emily Scott

Alex Seaver

Gad and Suzan Shaanan

Leslie Simon

Dawn and Ira Smalberg

Dr. Doris Trauner and Mr. Richard Stanford

Elizabeth and Joseph Taft Foundation

David and Tina Thomas

Erin Trenda

Dean Ujihara Charitable Fund

Geri Ann Warnke and Donald Frey

David and Sharon Wax

Linda Rankin and Rod Whitlow

Richard Winkler

Michael and Lisa Witz

Jill and Bruno Wolfenzon

Meryl and George Young

Debbie S. Zeligson

Diane and Robert Zeps

ACTORS CIRCLE -

$2,500+

Anonymous

Dede and Mike Alpert

Dr. Kim E. Barrett

Joni and Miles Benickes

Liz Bernal and Suzanne LaTour

Steve L. Black and Kristen Richards-Black

Cindy and Steve Blumkin

Barbara L. Borden

Michele Braatz

Julie and George Bronstein, The ARJ Fund of The San Diego Foundation

Loyce R. Bruce

John and Jackie Bucksbaum

John and Nancy Jo Cappetta

Gary and Lynette Cederquist

Carol and Jeff Chang

Janet and Maarten Chrispeels

Diane Clarke

Stanley Cohen and Mark Whitacre

Marilyn Colby and Evans Family Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

Peter Cowhey and Margaret McKeown

Stacy Cromidas and Ruth Gilbert

Brian Danielson

Ana De Vedia

Karen B. Dow

Mark and Jenny Dowling

Dr. Robert* and Mrs. Ann

Dynes

Jill and Jeffrey Essakow

Paula Fitzgerald and Chris Nielsen

Marjorie Fox

Dr. Benjamin and Sue Frishberg

In memory of Dennis L. Field

Joyce M Gattas, Ph.D.

Susan Gembrowski Baker and Rex Baker

Barbara and Joseph Giammona

Pat and Norm Gillespie

Jim Gilmore

Robert Gleason and Marc Matys

Kimberly and Jeffrey Goldman

Bernard and Judith Greenspan

Jamie Henson and Robert Houskeeper

Richard Heyman and Anne Daigle

Col. Michael and Diana Hill

Claudia Baranowski and Tom Horvath

Jess Jacobs and Bryan Keller

Larry Katz

Dr. Warren and Karen Kessler

Amy and Bill Koman

Ms. Gale M. Krause, in memory of Jim Krause

Linda Lenhard and Mark Kritchevsky

Helen and Sig Kupka

Samara and Paul Larson

Dr. K.B Lim and Linda Lee Lim Foundation

Lori and Joe Mahler

Edna and Daniel Maneval

Holley and Robert Martens, Sandstone Foundation

Valorie McClelland

Dennis A. McConnell

Valorie Miller, in memory of Lisa Uribe

Ilene Mittman, in memory of Dr. Charles Mittman

Kelly and Mike Moore

Judith B. Morgan

Gregg and Cindy Motsenbocker

Arlene and Louis Navias

Mark C. Niblack, MD

Mary Adams O'Connell, in honor of Louise and Brad Edgerton

Dr. Walter Olsen and Dr. Zdenka Fronek

Janet and Larry Pollack

Claudia Prescott

Dr. William and Marisa Rastetter

True Life Center

Dr. Joseph and Carol Sabatini

Scarano Family Foundation at The San Diego Foundation

Neil R. Senturia and Barbara

Bry

Teresa Shaffer

Richard Shapiro and Marsha Janger

Maureen Elizabeth Sheehan

Alan and Esther Siman

Dr. Ed and Evelyn Singer

Dr. Robert Singer, in memory of Judith Harris

Susan and Gerald Slavet

Tom Templeton and Mary Ena Erlenborn

Jim and Kathy Waring

Hanaa Zahran and Dr. Richard Leung

Howard and Christy Zatkin

Helene and Allan Ziman Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

Howard and Judy Ziment

Emma and Leo Zuckerman

INNER CIRCLE

- $1,000+

Anonymous Hon. Louise De Carl Adler

Philip Anderson and Verónica

Valdés

Lynell Antrim

Sharon Ashley

Lisa Celia Balderston

Clare Redlinger

Julie Hall, Oklahoma City Community Foundation

Judith Bambace and Brian Trotier

Doug Dawson

Mrs. Valerie Ewell Armstrong and Mr. Sam Armstrong

Rick Sandstrom and Sandy Timmons

Koji and Angela Fukumura

Nishma and John Held

Alisa and David Barba, Barba Charitable Fund

Alain D Baron and Marilyn M Baron

Social Doctor

Barbara Young Beebe

Chad Benefield, Marilyn and William Young Foundation

Jane and Michael Benton

Carolyn and Giovanni Bertussi

Anthony Bollotta, Bollotta

Entertainment

Nina and Tony Borwick

Paige Bosacki Santos

Tatiana and David Brenner

Merritt Brizolis

Johanna Brody

Jeanne Burton

Cheryl and Greg Carlson

Cathy and Michael Casteel

Kyle Chan and Cathy Swindlehurst

Kay Chandler

Katherine and Dane Chapin

Sue Lasbury, in memory of John C. Cochran

Liz Nederander Coden and Daniel J. Coden, MD

Wayne Saville and Laura Colban

Daniel E. Collins and Nancy Shimamoto

Christopher Cook

Coral Courts Donor Advised Fund, Corinna Cotsen and Lee Rosenbaum

Denis M. Crane, in memory of Rilla Crane

Maile and Brett D'Arcy

Gerral and Anne David

Denise and Gary David

Brett and Jennifer Dickinson

Wally and Linda Dieckmann

Bob Duffield

Anne and Chris Duhaime, in honor of Rebecca Duhaime

Gail Ebner and Tom Stockfisch

Toby Eisenberg

Doris and Peter Ellsworth, Legler Benbough Fund, San Diego Foundation

Rachel and Michael Esposito

Steven Q Evans

Jennifer and Kurt Eve

Terry Fechter

Karen and Steven Feitelberg

Dieter Fischer's Mercedes Service, Inc.

Dr. Laurie Forrest

Susan Forsburg and Lisa Churchill

Robert and Mona Freels

Barbie and Dan Friedman

Catherine R. Friedman

Barbie and Dan Friedman

Fran and Nick Frost

Anne and Mark Smith

Ira and Cheryl Gaines

Steven and Cheryl Garfin

Martha and Bill Gilmer

Kathy and Gregg Glaser

GlobalStar

Fred and Lisa Goldberg

Drs. Tom and Cindy Goodman, in honor of Whitney Goodman

The Lloyd Gorcey Charitable Foundation, Inc. in memory of Lloyd Gorcey

Judi Gottschalk

Carmel Gouveia

George C. Guerra

Luke Gulley

Kendall Hall, Fred Jones

Family Foundation

Cherie Halladay

Professor Marc and Mr James

Harden

Jeff and Joel Harms

Dr. Carol A. Harter and Mr.

William D. Smith

Thomas Harvey and Bonnie Drolet

Tom and Lynn Hawkins

Marcia Hazan and Mark Cammell

Ray and Kate Hong

Mark and Frances Huettinger

Robert and Pat Hughes

Aaron and Susan Huniu

Nora Jaffe

Operating Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

Neil and Vivien Joebchen

Wendy Johnson

Dario and Dan Jones

Lewis and Patricia Judd

Angela and Matt Kilman

Cynthia King and John Graul

Gail and George Knox

Mike Krupp

Anne M and Richard C Kruse

Gautam and Anjali Lalani

Chuck Laughlin

Mick and Sherrie Laver

Tracey Lazarus

Brian and Joanna Leddin

Dixon and Pat Lee

Michael Lee and Katharine

Cline

Jim Lennox and Brad Woodford

Pamela Hamilton Lester

Rebecca Le Vasseur

Gerald and Ann Lipschitz

Jasna Markovac and Gary Miller

Wallace McCloskey

Rob McManus

Dr. Ken Melville and Dr. Sabina Wallach

Marci and Ronnie Morgan

Greg and Andrea Moser

Ann L. Mound

Chandra Mukerji

Stephen Cary Nagler

Ann Nathan

Lyn Nelson

Robert C. Nelson and Jean Fujisaki

Kyomi O'Connor

Mike and Joy O'Neil

F. Richard Pappas

Drs. Kim Kerr and Paul Pearigen

Dr. William and Beth Penny

Meredith Pierce and Bobby Ocampo

Wendy S. Pincus

Lori and Kenneth Polin

Family Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation

Adele Rabin

Jennifer and Tom Ranglas

Sanjiv Nanda and Urmi Ray

Russ and Marty Ries

Dr. Stephen and Cheryl Rockwood

Manuel and Liz Rodriguez

Bingo and Gino Roncelli

David A. Roth and Toni D. Wolinsky

Joy Rottenstein

Oliver Ryder

Bill and Dorian Sailer

Kristine and Denis Salmon

Beverly Sanborn, in memory of Warren Sanborn

Scott Sandel and James Marich

Tom Shapiro and Madeleine Grynsztejn, in honor of Flossie Cohen

Mitchell and Elizabeth Siegler

Debbie and Dr. Darren Sigal

Leslie Branman-Smith

Mark and Elaine Smith

Rod and Dolores Smith

Marion So

John and Lynn Spafford

Nancy and Alan Spector

Scott M. Stanton

Dale and Mark Steele

Michael and Pamela Swartout

Judy Sweet

Al and Stephanie Tarkington

Marie Tartar and Steve Eilenberg

John and Gail Tauscher

Place D. Tegland

Caroline Thornton and Mark Sornson

Janet Toon

Ray Lee and Teresa Trucchi

Alyce and Tom Vessey

Cynthia Walk

Denise Walsh

Bobbi Warren

Diana Weiss-Wisdom and Gabriel Wisdom

Sharon Weremiuk

Graydon and Dorothy Wetzler

Joyce H. Williams

Wayne Wilson

Jennifer Winward

Elaine Wolfe

Carolyn and Peter Woodbury

Barry and Barb Zemel

Karen and Sidney ZisookWayne Wilson

Jennifer Winward

Elaine Wolfe

Barry and Barb Zemel

Karen and Sidney Zisook

CENTER STAGE CLUB - $500 AND UP Anonymous • Barb and Jon Achenbaum• Jack Adcox • Sharon and Terry Allen • Robin Allgren, MD PhD • Sheila Amend • Barbara Arledge • Robert Baizer and Diane Jacobs Baizer • Gil and Annabelle Balaoing • Francis and Diane Bardsley • Gerlinde and Greg Beuerlein • Alice W. Brown • Tonya Carlos • Chris Cheever, in memory of Andy Thomas • Lorraine Chuman and Stephen Mikolajczyk • Bowers Jewelers • Bob Cunningham • Marcus and Ann De Barros • Don and Julie DeMent • Dannielle Dickinson • Kim and A.T. Ditty • Eric and Kristine Doan • Jodi and Tom Dobron • Rosalyn and Tim Dong • James and Marti Eisenberg • Barbara and Eric Emont • Mary and Jon Epsten • Debroah and J Faulkner • Annie Finch • Beth Fischer • Gregory and Monica Foerster • Judith and William Friedel • Shannon-Frink Family Gift Fund • Deanne Gage • Aruna and Sabodh Garg • Hortense Gerardo • Bonnie Gibbs • Russell H Ginns • Drs. Charles and Nancy Girvin • M J Gorman • Stephen and Karen Gray • Ed Greulich • Pat and Pepper Guevara • Terry Gulden and Renée Comeau • Elsa and Keith Hall • Cynthia Hamilton • Margo Hebald • Sarah Herr • Strait Hicklin • Bryan Hill • Dr. Peter and Mrs. Megan Hoagland • Robert and Carla Hoblit • Hughes Family Foundation, in honor of Robin and Larry Rusinko • Beth Hulsart and Stephen L'Heureux • Randy and Carrol Jackson • Michael and Linda Karin • Rick and Beth Kent • Laura Killmer • Jerry and Martha Krasne • Drs. Janice and Matt Kurth • Evelyn and Bill Lamden • Patti Lamm and Sheldon Newhouse • Richard Leib and Sharon Rosen Leib Family Fund of JCF • Bena Leslie • Marshall and Judy Lewis Fund, Jewish Community Foundation • Zita Liebermensch • Scott and Pamela Linton • Susan and Peter Mallory • Jeanne Maltese • Patsy and David Marino • Larry McDonald and Clare White-McDonald • Maggi McKerrow, in memory of Judie McDonald • David and Patricia Meyers • Nathan Meyers • Norma and Scott Miller • Evelyn Mishuck • Robert and JoAnn Mogg • Dr. and Mrs. Robert B Moore • Laura Morkan • David Morris • Susan Muha • Esther R. Nahama • Sherry Nicholas • Barbara and Donald Niemann • Bob Nowlan • Eric and Benedicte Otterson • Drs. Genevieve and Kelly Parsons • Pamela Partlow and Bruce Maigatter • Ms. Virginia S. Patch • Sheila and Ken Poggenburg • Marc Poland and Ellie Werner • Laura and Mike Ravine • Carla and Rudolph Rehm • Patrick Ritto • Mark and Lia Robinson • Jodyne Roseman • Bob and Beth Rosenfeld • Sharon Ruhnau • Ann Schall • Barbara and Guy Shaw • Emily and Lia Shen • Alan Shorr and Marcia Wagner • Marshall and Leslie Sigesmund • Beverly and Howard Silldorf • Elizabeth Simmons and Sekhar Chivukula • Drs. Ron and Marilyn Simon • Barbara Slater • Linda Small • Annie So • Norman and Judith Solomon • Gary and Susan Spoto • Bob Steck • Charles Stephens and Eric Meijer • Dr. Nancy Stewart, in memory of Dr. Charles Stewart • Jefferson Stone • Lisa Noelle Stone and Matthew A. Lab • Stephen and Patricia Sulivan • Jennifer E Tillman • William Tong and Marilyn Newhoff • Rick Van Noy • John Venekamp and Clifford Schireson • Joseph Viery and Steve Cusato • Ruth Passow Warburg • Dr. Ruth S. Waterman • Ted Scott and Joan Weber • Jean M Wilkinson • LeAnn and Sam Williams • Carey Winston • Philip and Claire Wise • Susan and Jock Wright • Brendan and Kaye Wynne • Steven and Cindy Zisser

Reflects giving to Annual Fund, Gala Underwriting and Paddle Raises from January 2024 – July 2025. We apologize for any errors or accidental omissions. Please contact the Individual Giving Office at (858) 550-1070 x134 if you would like to change your listing.

IN LOVING MEMORY Jordan Ressler, 1981-2004

A Film and Theatre graduate from Cornell University, Jordan was an adventurer with a passion for the arts. Here at La Jolla Playhouse, he served as an assistant to Des McAnuff on Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays and was the script supervisor for Jersey Boys

The Jordan Ressler Charitable Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation was established by his parents, Vivien and Jeffrey Ressler, to honor their son and his love of theatre and film.

Easy Ways to Join:

• A gift from your will or trust

• Life insurance beneficiary

• IRA designation

YOUR LEGACY AT LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE

La Jolla Playhouse is proud to announce the evolution of our planned giving community: The Revelle Society is now the Playhouse Legacy Circle. While our name has changed, our mission remains steadfast — to ensure the future of visionary theatre through transformative philanthropy.

We’re dedicated to innovation and accessibility — your legacy can sustain this mission.

Join the Playhouse Legacy Circle by including us in your estate plan. Your planned gift fuels our Subscription Season, Learning & Engagement programs, and inspires future generations.

To learn more about the Playhouse Legacy Circle, please email legacycircle@ljp.org or call (858) 228-3083

• Savings/brokerage account transfer

• Life income plan

Benefits:

• Invitations to special events

• Exclusive Legacy Circle pin

• Recognition in Playhouse publications

• Pride in securing our artistic future

Contact: Jennifer Ledfors, Planned Giving and Endowment Manager | jledfors@ljp.org | (858) 228-3083

SUPPORT NEW WORK AT THE PLAYHOUSE

NATIVE VOICES

August 2025

A celebration of Indigenous playwrights from across North America sharing their stories of being Native today.

LATINX NEW PLAY FESTIVAL

November 21 – 23, 2025

This festival expands the presence of LatinX stories on the American stage, shared through public readings.

DNA NEW WORK SERIES

December 4 – 14, 2025

Playwrights and directors are invited to the Playhouse for intensive work to develop their new projects. The annual event culminates in a series of free readings and workshops.

To join the New Work Development program and learn about your special benefits, contact Taylor Lehmkuhl, Individual Giving Manager, at (858) 228-3086 or tlehmkuhl@ljp.org

INTERNSHIPS AT LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

La Jolla Playhouse proudly offers paid internships for developing professionals to gain invaluable industry experience by learning sideby-side with extraordinary artists, administrators and technicians. Internships are available during the school year and over the summer in nearly every Playhouse department, from Artistic to Marketing to Production. For more information, please visit lajollaplayhouse.org/ internships

Left: 2025 Summer Intern cohort

Community Programs

The Playhouse partners with members of local affinity groups to create productions for, by, with and in the communities we serve. In addition, we provide creative opportunities for artistic development and growth for various community groups.

In-School Programs

The Playhouse partners with school districts across San Diego County to place professional teaching artists in schools for intensive artist residencies aimed at providing young people with meaningful opportunities to learn about theatre. Through the Kennedy Center’s Partner in Education program, the San Diego County Office of Education and LJP team up to provide professional development for educators on how to enhance their existing lessons with theatre strategies.

JumpStart Theatre

This three-year program provides curriculum and mentorship for a team of middle school teachers to produce musicals in their schools for the first time. After three years, the school receives continued support to maintain a viable theatre program. Supported by the Peggy and Roberts Matthews Foundation and the Sutherland Foundation.

Performance Outreach Program (POP) Tour

Each year, the Playhouse commissions a new play that addresses real concerns of today’s youth and brings a professional production to schools and community centers across San Diego County. Supported by US Bank.

Spotlight On Playhouse teaching artists lead classes for adults on Improv, Musical Theatre, Acting and Technical Theatre.

Student Matinees Special student matinees of selected mainstage productions are offered throughout the school year. An online engagement guide, pre- or post-show workshops, and a post-show talkback provides a deeper understanding on how a new play is uniquely developed with Playhouse staff. Supported by California Arts Council.

Tech Theatre Training Each summer, the Playhouse hosts technical theatre training to provide exposure to career pathways in theatre production to students who are part of the SD County Juvenile Court and Community Schools and members of the military community.  We also provide professional learning opportunities in technical theatre to educators.

Young Performers’ Conservatory and Junior Conservatory (YPC) Summer intensive programs that guide young artists in the process of creating theatre and that prepares performers college theatre programs; and Tech Theatre, which introduces young people to the various aspects of technical theatre. Supported by the Jordan Ressler Endowment Fund, and the Roberto Quiñones, Jr. Scholarship Fund.

For more information on La Jolla Playhouse’s Learning & Engagement Programs, please email learningandengagement@ljp.org and view our free resources for educators and families on our website.

PATRON SERVICES

ACCESSIBILITY

Designated wheelchair-accessible seating is available and accessible parking is provided by UC San Diego in the Theatre District Parking Structure. Wheelchair seat locations are available for wheelchair users and a companion. Additionally, a golf cart is available to assist patrons with accessibility needs to and from the drop-off location. You may pull into the Passenger/Ride Share Drop-Off area and a greeter will assist you. The Playhouse offers assisted listening devices free of charge at the Patron Information Booth for any patron who would like amplified sound (subject to availability). Please provide a credit card or ID for temporary deposit.

Listening Devices Provided in Part by

CHILDREN under the age of 6 are not permitted in the theatre during performances unless otherwise posted. Unaccompanied minors ages 12 and under are not permitted in the theatre. Out of respect for fellow audience members and the performers, babes in arms are not permitted in the theatre during performances.

CONCESSIONS AND DINING

Start your night off right with bar and concessions service from James' Place: serving beer, wine, sodas and individuallywrapped snacks. Additionally, James’ Place provides dining service starting at 5:00pm before evening performances.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Please visit lajollaplayhouse.org/ healthandsafety for our latest policy updates.

LATE SEATING

Should you arrive late for any performance or need to leave your seat during the performance, you may be asked to wait in the lobby until an appropriate moment. To minimize any disturbance to actors or other patrons, you may stand or be seated in the first available location by House Management even if not your assigned location. Please be advised that some performances may not allow for late seating or return to your assigned seat.

PARKING

For the latest parking information, please go to lajollaplayhouse.org/parking

PATRON SERVICES is located in the lobby or courtyard of each theatre. A volunteer is available to distribute assisted listening devices and answer questions.

PHOTOGRAPHY/RECORDING DEVICES

Photography and video or audio recording of performances is strictly prohibited.

PLEASE SILENCE or turn off all electronic devices, including cell phones and watches, before the performance.

SAFETY IN THE THEATRE DISTRICT

La Jolla Playhouse is constantly working with UC San Diego Police Department and Transportation and Parking Services to maintain a safe and secure environment in the parking lots. Patrons are welcome to use the UC San Diego escort service by contacting UC San Diego Community Service Officers (CSOs) at (858) 534-9255 (WALK). Further questions regarding security, please contact UC San Diego Police at (858) 5344357 (HELP).

BEGINS SEPTEMBER 16

WHO’VEFRIGHTENEDME

BEGINS OCTOBER 28

A world-premiere musical based on the iconic 1988 film with music by Cyndi Lauper. When three mysterious men begin appearing in their new home, Ty and Nora’s preparations for parenthood begin to collapse.

PLAYHOUSE STAFF

ARTISTIC

Artistic Producing Director Eric Keen-Louie

Director of Artistic Development Gabriel Greene*

Director of Experiences and Activations

Mia Fiorella*

Associate Producer Amy Ashton

Executive Assistant to Christopher Ashley

Rick VanNoy*

Producing Associate/Local Casting Director Hannah Reinert

Director Emeritus Des McAnuff

Directing Fellow Jacole Kitchen

Artistic Interns Haley Love Dunning, Lucy Whitehead

Commissioned Artists Todd Almond, Jeff Augustin, Sam Chanse, Fernanda Coppel, Kenneth Lin, Mona Mansour, Jess McLeod, MILCK, Lisa Peterson, Theresa Rebeck, Harrison David Rivers, Claudia Shear, Octavio Solis, Jonathan Spector, Benjamin Velez, Keith Wallace, Kristina Wong, Lauren Yee LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT

Director of Learning and Engagement

Bridget Cavaiola Stone

Learning and Engagement Manager Ebony Erickson

Learning and Engagement Assistant Ness Haro

Learning and Engagement Intern

Isadora Swann

Teaching Artists Julie Benitez, Lex Bezdeka, Leticia De Anda, Nicole Diaz-Pellot, Shairi Engle, Kevyn Fernandez, Kristen Fogle, Shawn Foote, Melissa Glasgow, Kirsten Giard, Abby Leigh Huffstetler, Jeffrey Ingman, Erica Kahn, Justin Lang, Jeffrey Scott Parsons, Lorena Santana, Gill Sotu, Emily Stamets, Trevor Tevel, Marjorie Treger

ASL Interpretation Deaf Community Services

ADMINISTRATION

General Manager Ryan Meisheid

Associate General Manager Erica Martin

Corporate/Legal Counsel Robert C. Wright, Wright & L’Estrange

Theatre/Legal Counsel F. Richard Pappas, Esq. COMPANY MANAGEMENT

Company Manager Grace Lehman

Assistant Company Managers Charlotte Perkis, Austin Mahn

General/Company Management Intern Olivia Stevens

FINANCE

Chief Financial Officer Patricia O’Shaughnessy

Controller Jared Jackson

Accounts Payable Manager Sharon Ratelle*

Human Resources Manager Jennifer Boaz

Payroll Matthew Zapata

Christopher Ashley*

The Rich Family Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse

COMMUNICATIONS

Director of Public Relations Becky Biegelsen*

Director of Sales & Marketing Stephanie Zappala

Associate Director of Sales & Marketing

Sonia Diaz

Senior Communications Manager

Grace Madamba*

Senior Multimedia Designer Nancy Showers*

Multimedia Designer Phyllis Sa

Marketing Database and Insights Manager

Dani Meister

Social Media and Content Manager

Samantha Laurent

Marketing Manager Alexis Alabado

Marketing Assistant Kate Ng

Marketing Intern Shruti Sharma

Patron Services Sales Specialist Paul Preston*

Sales Concierge William Guiney

PATRON SERVICES

Associate Director of Ticketing Services

Pearl Hang*

Senior Patron Services Manager Travis Guss*

Patron Services Assistant Manager/Group Sales

Specialist Bill Washington*

Lead Patron Services Representatives

Rachel Lasker, Claire Michael

Patron Services Representatives Mollie Davis, Devon Gonzales, Atalaya Gonzalez

OPERATIONS

Director of Operations Ned Collins*

Operations Manager John Craft*

Network Systems Specialist Daryl “Scooter” Davis

Office Administrator Debbie Berg-Swaton

FRONT OF HOUSE

House Manager Braulio Fernandez-Flores

Assistant House Managers Simonne Darbonne, Emily Klemmetsen, Amy Marquez, Olivia Newell

Audience Concierges Chris Ferreria, Sashank

Kanchustambam, Sam Lebedev, Angela Park, Teya Searles, Avery Simonian, Emmett Torpey, Katie Lopes, Emerson Clarke, Sydney Cicchitto, Katelin Shum

ASL Volunteer Esther Shen

PHILANTHROPY

Director of Philanthropy Keely Daximillion

Deputy Director of Philanthropy

Rebecca Pierce Goodman

Assistant Director, Philanthropy Operations

Tony Dixon*

Individual Giving Manager Taylor Lehmkuhl

Special Events Manager Haleigh Stewart

Planned Giving and Endowment Manager

Jennifer Ledfors

Corporate Relations Manager Sarah Raider-Wexler

Grants Specialist Dylan Gervais

Donor Relations Coordinator Kayla Alperson

Special Events Coordinator Gabriella Johnson

Philanthropy Coordinator Anna Stanton

Events Assistants Mark Dyachuk, Pier Garma, Lila Gavares, Trey Rosemond

Special Events Intern Alison Holmes

Institutional Giving Intern Sofia Jean Gomez

Philanthropy Intern Tiffany Rasch

THE HEART CREW

Lead Show Carpenter David Johnson

Scenic Carpenter Swing Keegan Graham

Lead Props Runner Arlene Banuelos

Props Runner Melony Picart

Props Swing Kevyn Fernandez

Lead Wardrobe Jan Mah

Wardrobe Crew Christi Stewart

Wardrobe Crew Swing Junior Bergman

Follow Spot/Lead Electrician Michelle Aguilar

Follow Spot Operator Jasmyne Birdsong

Light Board Operator Alex Cluff

Electrics Swing Sandra Navarro

Electrics Swing Michelle Luongo

Moving Light Programmer B Yamashita

Debby Buchholz*

Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse

PRODUCTION

Director of Production Becca Duhaime*

Production Manager Annette Nixon

Assistant Production Manager Julian Diaz

Production Office Manager Topaz Cooks

Resident Stage Manager Alexa Burn

Production Management Intern Casey Hall-Landers

Stage Management Intern Tess Twomey

SCENE SHOP

Technical Director Jared Roberts

Assistant Technical Director Cathy Lee

Lead Carpenter Nicholas Savage

Scenery Specialist David Weiner*

Scenery Shop Foreman Christopher Chauvet

Carpenters Jacob Becker, Jeffrey Becker, Michael Brodsky, Jesse James Constantino, Richard Gonsalves, Ryan Gordon, Keegan Graham, David Johnson, Mark Murphy, Heather Rawolle, Rob Schneider, Elias Solis

Welders Diego Sierra, Wally Wallace, Ava Roethe Riggers Marcus Laskey, Rob Schneider, Jesse Setterberg, Antonio Valenzuela

Charge Artist Jennifer Imbler*

Lead Scenic Artist Melissa Nalbach*

Scenic Artists Mary Jhun, Kally Mihova, Alyssa Armstrong, Caroline Kvaas

PROPERTIES SHOP

Prop Supervisor Deb Hatch*

Lead Props Rai Feltmann, Zlatko Mitev

Prop Artisans Arlene Banuelos, Melony Picart, Jacob Sampson

COSTUME SHOP

Production Costumes Jennifer Ables

Associate Costumes Desiree Hatfield-Buckley*

Assistant Costumes Claire Peterson, Heather Nunn

Lead Draper Sara Lindsey

First Hand Cody Grasher

Head Crafts Tess Mattraw

Stitchers Sonya Levin, Faith Steenbergen

ELECTRICS

Production Electrician Kristyn Kennedy*

Moving Light Programmer B Yamashita

Electricians Michelle Aguilar, Alex Cluff, Nicholas Shelton, Jasmyne Birdsong, Sandra Navarro, Hannah Beerfas, Michelle Luongo, Kevin Orlof, Joel Britt, Delaney McCowen, Spencer Khan

SOUND/VIDEO

Production Sound & Video Dan Barsky

Lead Audio Daniel Silva

Assistant Lead Audio Mae Le

Video Engineer Sarah Rad

Video Programmer Devin Kinch, Brian McMullen

Video Consultants Disco Pixel

Audio Technicians Camille Houze, Alanna Idano-Panos, David Silva

Video Technicians Aimee Lee Calavera, Chris Jaggers, Maya Gaby Alejandro Muguia, Sebastian Rubi

* Ten years or more with La Jolla Playhouse

A1 / Sound Engineer Chris Lüßmann

A2 Mae Le

Video Operator Sarah Rad

Deck Video Aimee Lee Calavera

Video Swing Maya Gabby

Audio Swing Jeremy Nelson

DIMENSION

and DISCOVERY

New approaches to classic musicals give audiences fresh perspectives on enduring shows. by LIBBY SLATE

THE BROADWAY MUSICAL classic

West Side Story presented by an opera company? The 1940s fairy tale Brigadoon taking place in the 21st century? And a production of Come From Away where all of the actors, not just the customary onstage band members, play musical instruments? Why not? The very nature of the performing arts is a call to creativity, and Southern California audiences will have the opportunity

to experience new approaches to familiar—and one not so familiar— musicals this season.

Take beloved West Side Story, which launches L.A. Opera’s 2025-’26 season, running through Oct. 12 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles.

The Romeo and Juliet-inspired love story—with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim—is set amid New York

City gang warfare. The work, which premiered on Broadway in 1957, won two Tony Awards and inspired two film adaptations. The 1961 original won 10 Oscars; the 2021 remake garnered one.

Surprise! Bernstein originally conceived the show as an opera but deemed the idea unrealistic; playwright Arthur Laurents and directorchoreographer Jerome Robbins had always envisioned a musical.

“Most major opera companies in the U.S. have done or are doing West Side Story,” notes L.A. Opera music director James Conlon, who will conduct. “It took a moment in time before the imagined barriers between musicals and opera were broken down, but they are now.”

This engagement is a co-production of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera and the Glimmerglass Festival.

Washington National Opera artistic director Francesca Zambello directs the production, which stars operatic singers Gabriella Reyes and Duke Kim as Maria

and Tony, respectively; the rest of the main cast is a mix of musical theater and dance performers.

Emmy Award-winning choreographer Joshua Bergasse reproduces Robbins’ choreography.

The L.A. Opera Orchestra, numbering about 50, adds a grand-opera feel, especially as compared

to ever-shrinking musical theater ensembles.

“Most people overlook the fact that the American musical is directly descended from forms of opera that alternate spoken dialogues with music,” Conlon points out. He cites German Singspiel, a musical theater genre; operetta; French opéra

comique; and the British Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas.

Though Italian composers preferred sung recitative to dialogue, Bizet’s French opera Carmen and Mozart’s German-language works did include dialogue.

“There is no reason that West Side Story, a work of

Reimagining Food Assistance

SHOW TRENDS

undeniable genius, should not be produced on operatic stages,” Conlon says.

The conflict between the New York-born Jets gang and Puerto Rican immigrant Sharks remains all too relevant today.

The upcoming spring 2026 production of Brigadoon at Pasadena Playhouse is a world premiere. Its book adaptation by actress-singer-author Alexandra Silber also emphasizes contemporary culture and sensibilities.

The basic story remains the same: Tommy and Jeff, best friends from New York traveling the Scottish Highlands, come upon the village of Brigadoon, which comes to life for one day every 100 years. Tommy falls in love with resident Fiona and must decide whether to stay or leave.

The original musical— book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, music by Frederick Loewe—opened on Broadway in 1947 and was last revived in 1980.

The show’s one Tony Award, for choreography, was won by Agnes de Mille—who, prior to her Broadway career, directed at Pasadena Playhouse.

Playhouse producing artistic director Danny Feldman wanted to stage Brigadoon not just because it’s a personal favorite, but because, he says, “it’s a cornerstone American musical—one of the defining musicals when you think of the art form.

“It squarely fits in

with the mission of our American Musical project, which is to produce these classic musicals at grand scale,” Feldman says. “It’s not only so that audiences get to see them again, but more importantly, so that another group of people who have never seen them can experience them.”

Feldman saw “new colors” to the show with this new adaptation; it’s not just an adult fairy tale.

Silber’s book highlights

grief and loss, fueled by her own father’s death when she was 18, and is steeped in Scottish culture. The Los Angeles native trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and for Brigadoon researched Scottish lore and history.

Silber also wanted to contemporize the show.

CHOREOGRAPHED BY SARAH O’GLEBY DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER ASHLEY

The ultimate corporate Cinderella story.

Tess McGill is a Staten Island secretary with big dreams and ideas, but when her scheming boss steals one, Tess seizes the chance to prove herself, making a bold business move that could change her life forever.

“I thought, if there are things I could do to flesh out some of these stories, increase the stakes, stand inside each character, give them human richness and update them from their beautiful original prototypes—but also give them our 21st-century sensibility of what we crave from character—then this story would sing again in 2025 and next year,” she says.

The New York portions

This sharp and hilarious world-premiere adaptation of the iconic 1988 film features an exhilarating original score by the legendary Cyndi Lauper, a smart book from award-winning playwright Theresa Rebeck, and direction by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley. Working Girl is just as much about the power of friendship as it is about chasing ambition and success.

BEGINS OCT 28 BUY TODAY AT

take place in the present day rather than the 1940s.

As a nod to the Scottish societal matriarchy of the village’s era, one key character has been changed from a man to a woman.

Tommy and Fiona are nearing 40, with midlife questions and concerns. Jeff’s defining cynicism and excessive drinking now arise from his grief and anger at his wife’s recent death.

The village remains set in a distant time, and the Lerner-Loewe score is largely intact.

In these current turbulent times, Silber hopes audiences will leave the theater realizing “the power of love in all its forms,” and will have “the deep desire to call, write, text, connect with someone they’ve lost.”

Grief and loss could certainly propel Come

From Away, the real-life story of the days following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001; 38 planes were diverted to isolated Gander, Newfoundland, and the residents suddenly had to cope with

thousands of stranded passengers.

Book authors-composers-lyricists Irene Sankoff and David Hein instead focused on a more uplifting perspective: the sense of community that is created when strangers draw together.

The original opened on Broadway in 2017 and won a Tony Award for Christopher Ashley’s directing. A completely re-staged version of the show runs at the La Mirada Theatre in La Mirada through Oct. 12.

One major change in the new version is that, in addition to the eightpiece band of professional musicians, all 12 cast members play at least one musical instrument.

La Mirada directorchoreographer Richard J. Hinds has been with the original production as associate choreographer from its 2015 beginnings at La Jolla Playhouse, co-produced with Seattle Repertory Theatre. The La Mirada production first played the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine this

SHOW TRENDS

past summer.

When Hinds helped to re-open the Sydney, Australia production after the pandemic lockdown, the company performed the opening number at an event joined by a full orchestra.

“Hearing it played with that large orchestra, it really took on a sound that was almost cinematic,” Hinds recalls. “I thought, there could be moments that the show could swell and have a slightly richer sound. That was exciting to me.

“Music is such a part of the culture there, it seemed to go hand in hand that our actors could play instruments—not as their characters, but as an extension of an emotion in the show.”

New choreography accommodates the actors’ movements while they hold their instruments.

The production design, by Nate Bertone, features large newspaper reproductions and smaller detailed images placed to envelope the actors in the world of 2001 Gander. A set-unit design based on Hinds’ idea of a children’s pop-up book moves the scenes along, and reveals surprise after surprise for the audience.

The show’s themes remain pertinent even for those born after 9/11, Hinds believes.

“There always seems to be some event that happens, where that message of compassion and love and community, people coming together to support strangers during a time of crisis, becomes relevant,” he says. “My goal is that people will be filled with hope, and go out in the community and do good deeds for others.

“It’s the simplest thing.”

THE CONRAD

Home of La Jolla Music Society

Cyndi Lauper

Ballet Preljocaj: GRAVITY

Sunday, November 9 · 7 PM

Set to music ranging from Bach to Daft Punk, GRAVITY explores ideas of attraction through technical brilliance, creative boldness, and raw athleticism.

An enthralling performance” — Vanity Fair

Friday, November 14 • 6 PM

Enjoy a full-length screening of the beloved movie accompanied by live performances! A unique on-stage musical ensemble of top Hollywood studio musicians, Polynesian rhythm masters, and vocalists celebrates the music and songs from this award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios classic. Tickets start at $25!

brought onto the project before Ashley, and he says she’s a perfect match for the show. “If you’re going to write a score set in the ’80s with the exuberant counterculture strong female vibe, she’s the one you want,” he says. “Working with her directly is wild, though. You’ll spend hours workshopping in the afternoon; and then she’ll say, ‘Come to my concert tonight at Madison Square Garden.’

To see her on stage is really something—she’s a volcano of energy and playfulness and soul. It’s a real joy to work with her.”

Says Lauper of her reaction when first approached to write the songs for the musical: “I saw and loved the movie when it originally came out in 1988. And I loved the idea of turning it into a musical since, unfortunately, this story is just as relevant for women as it was when it was released almost 40 years ago. We have to remind ourselves that there are still glass

ceilings to be broken, and we have to stick together and be loud about it.

It’s one of the reasons I responded so much to the story then, and one of the reasons I respond so much to this version of the story now. This version is still set in the ‘80s, so it’s been really fun to revisit that 1980s sound for some of the music!”

“The musical sticks pretty closely to the story of the film,” Ashley says. “If we tried to update it to today, we would have to really change that story, seeing as how we’re now in the world of the internet, and so on. But it’s relevant and still works for today. We lean a bit more into the friendship of Tess and Cyn (played in the film by Melanie Griffith and Joan Cusack); while still honoring the film in many ways.”

Having already directed the premieres of the shows 3 Summers of Lincoln and The Heart at LJP this year, Ashley is making sure he’s going out in a flurry of activity.

“It’s been a year filled with emotional conversations with many people,” he says. “You’re in a relationship with the people you work with, and that’s what I wanted all along. As a freelance director in my 20s and 30s, it was exciting, but your interaction with the audience is only two hours long. When I came here I was hungry for a deeper relationship

19-20

with an audience, a staff and board, and it’s been a complicated and rich conversation over the decades. I have loved the way that conversation has moved and evolved and gotten richer and richer through the years.”

Roundabout Theatre Company comprises three Broadway and two off-Broadway theaters. “The opportunity to fill those with artists I love, whom I think have something crucial to say to the current moment, is incredibly exciting,” says Ashley. “The level of artists who have worked there is extraordinary. I’m excited to continue and build on those relationships.

“What an amazing moment to make theater,” he adds. “The action of bringing people together in an audience to experience a story together feels almost revolutionary at this moment. Let’s come

together, explore community, explore ideas, and figure out a path forward.

“My time at the Playhouse has been really central in my life. I have loved working with my partner Debby Buchholz, our Managing Director. She is inventive and imaginative and disciplined and smart about people—the best kind of partner. The Playhouse in my time here wouldn’t be what it was without her.

“The people here, the experiences, stories told on these stages, conversations in the lobby with audience and board, have really shaped who I am and how I think about the world. It’s been an absolute privilege.”

Working Girl will premiere at La Jolla Playhouse’s Mandell Weiss Theatre, slated for Oct. 28-Nov. 30, 2025.

For more info and tickets, visit lajollaplayhouse.org

REPROGRAMMED!

Performances Magazine unveils a digital program platform for shows and concerts

DROP DOWN MENU Table of app contents.

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Stay arts-engaged, access past programs.

THE ESSENTIALS

Acts, scenes, synopses, repertory and notes.

CONTRIBUTORS

Donors and sponsors who make it all possible—you!

NO RUSTLING PAGES, no killing trees . . . the digital Performances program platform has proved to be one of the more enduring recent theater innovations.

The touchless platform provides the programs for 20 Southern California performing-arts organizations, from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Ahmanson Theatre to San Diego Opera, where the app made its debut.

Among a variety of features, it provides cast and player bios, donor and season updates, and numerous

other arts-centric features.

Audiences receive a link and a code word that instantly activate the app; QR codes are posted, too.

Screens go dark when curtains go up and return when house lights come back on.

Updates—such as repertory changes, understudy substitutions and significant new donations —can be made right up to showtime, no inserts necessary.

Other plusses include video and audio streams, translations and expanded biographies.

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For those who consider printed programs to be keepsakes, a limited number, as well as commemorative issues for special events, continue to be produced. Collectibles!

Meanwhile, there is less deforestation, consumption of petroleum inks and programs headed for landfills.

For the ecologically minded, the platform gets a standing ovation.

The digital Performances is but one more reason for audience excitement. Activate your link and enjoy the shows. CALEB WACHS