Geffen Playhouse
{{Short description|American non-profit theatre company}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox theatre
| name = Geffen Playhouse
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = GeffenPlayhouse01.JPG
| image_size = 250
| image_alt =
| caption =
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| address = 10886 Le Conte Avenue
| city = Los Angeles, California
| country = United States
| designation =
| coordinates = {{coord|34.0636|N|118.4447|W|display=inline,title|type:landmark}}
| architect =
| owner = UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
| tenant =
| operator = Geffen Playhouse Inc.
| capacity = Gil Cates Theater: 512
Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre:149
| type = Regional theater
| built = 1929
| opened = 1970s
| reopened = 1995
| yearsactive =
| rebuilt = 2005
| closed =
| demolished =
| othernames =
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| website = {{URL|http://geffenplayhouse.com}}
}}
The Geffen Playhouse is a not-for-profit theater company founded in Los Angeles, California by Gilbert Cates in 1995.
It produces plays in two theaters in Geffen Playhouse, which is owned by University of California Los Angeles. The Playhouse is located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named for donor David Geffen. The current executive director is Gil Cates Jr.{{cite web |title=Geffen Playhouse |url=http://www.geffenplayhouse.org/html_press_releases.php?id=721 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816064032/http://www.geffenplayhouse.org/html_press_releases.php?id=721 |archive-date=August 16, 2017 |access-date=16 August 2017 |publisher=Geffen Playhouse Press Release}}
Venues, performances
The Geffen Playhouse offers five plays per season in the Gil Cates Theater and three plays per season in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater, as well as producing special events in both venues.
History
The Geffen Playhouse was built in 1929 as the Masonic Affiliates Club, or the MAC, for students and alumni at UCLA. One of the first twelve structures built in Westwood Village, it was designed by architect Stiles O. Clements.{{Citation | title = Geffen Playhouse - Westwood | url=http://www.calendarlive.com/stage/78725,0,975041.location?coll=cl-stage-util | access-date = 2007-02-22 }}
Its courtyard fountain is a piece from Malibu Potteries. The pattern on the lower tier of the Geffen's fountain appears in the Adamson House dining room, while the pattern on the upper tier can be seen on the east exterior face of the dining room, bordering a Moorish arch window.
Originally named the Contempo Theatre, and later the Westwood Playhouse,{{cite news |last1=Loynd |first1=Ray |title=STAGE REVIEW : 'Pad': Strong Execution of Inge Drama |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-17-ca-2290-story.html |access-date=26 June 2020 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=17 October 1990}} the property was purchased by UCLA in 1993. UCLA's then-chancellor, Charles E. Young, appointed Gil Cates, founder and former president of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, as its producing director.
The theater was renamed in 1995 after media mogul David Geffen donated $5 million.{{Citation | last = Padilla | first = Jessica | title = New Geffen gift benefits playhouse | url=http://www.today.ucla.edu/2002/020625geffen.html | access-date = 2007-02-22 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060901085654/http://www.today.ucla.edu/2002/020625geffen.html |archive-date = September 1, 2006|url-status=dead}} In 2002, the David Geffen Foundation made a $5-million lead gift towards an eventual $17-million capital campaign to renovate the theater. The Geffen reopened on November 16, 2005 with the main 500-seat theater retained and a new 125-seat Audrey Skirball-Kenis Theater added.{{Cite web |last=Diem |first=Erica |date=Oct 5, 2005 |title=Geffen nearly set to reopen its doors |url=https://dailybruin.com/2005/10/05/geffen-nearly-set-to-reopen-it |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240215233810/https://dailybruin.com/2005/10/05/geffen-nearly-set-to-reopen-it |archive-date=2024-02-15 |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=Daily Bruin |publisher=UCLA students}}
In March 2010, the Playhouse's board of directors named the main stage the Gil Cates Theater.{{Cite web |title=Geffen's Mainstage Is Now the Gil Cates Theater |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/geffens-mainstage-is-now-the-gil-cates-theater-167056 |access-date=2015-06-02 |date=March 23, 2010 |last=Jones |first=Kenneth |publisher=Playbill}} Cates died in October 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-gil-cates-20111102-story.html|title=Gil Cates dies at 77; producer, director and showman|date=2011-11-02|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-25}} Gil Cates, Jr. was appointed executive director in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-gil-cates-jr-geffen-playhouse-20150611-story.html|title=Gil Cates Jr. named executive director of Geffen Playhouse|date=2015-06-12|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-25}}
Matt Shakman was appointed artistic director in August 2017, followed by Tarell Alvin McCraney in September 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-12 |title=Playwright and 'Moonlight' screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney to lead Geffen Playhouse |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-09-12/tarell-alvin-mccraney-playwright-moonlight-screenwriter-new-artistic-director-geffen-playhouse |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}
References
External links
- [https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/ Geffen Playhouse website]
- [http://www.tft.ucla.edu/ UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television website]
{{UCLA}}
{{Westwood, Los Angeles}}
Category:Theatres in Los Angeles
Category:University of California, Los Angeles buildings and structures
Category:University of California, Los Angeles
Category:Performing groups established in 1993
Category:Westwood, Los Angeles