Geffen Playhouse

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Geffen Playhouse
Map
Address10886 Le Conte Avenue
Los Angeles, California
United States
Coordinates34°03′49″N 118°26′41″W / 34.0636°N 118.4447°W / 34.0636; -118.4447
OwnerUCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
OperatorGeffen Playhouse Inc.
TypeRegional theater
CapacityGil Cates Theater: 512
Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre:149
Construction
Built1929
Opened1970s
Reopened1995
Rebuilt2005
Website
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.[1]

Venues, performances

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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

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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.[2]

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,[3] 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.[4] 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.[5]

In March 2010, the Playhouse's board of directors named the main stage the Gil Cates Theater.[6] Cates died in October 2011.[7] Gil Cates, Jr. was appointed executive director in 2015.[8]

Matt Shakman was appointed artistic director in August 2017, followed by Tarell Alvin McCraney in September 2023.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Geffen Playhouse". Geffen Playhouse Press Release. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  2. ^ Geffen Playhouse - Westwood, retrieved February 22, 2007
  3. ^ Loynd, Ray (October 17, 1990). "STAGE REVIEW : 'Pad': Strong Execution of Inge Drama". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  4. ^ Padilla, Jessica, New Geffen gift benefits playhouse, archived from the original on September 1, 2006, retrieved February 22, 2007
  5. ^ Diem, Erica (October 5, 2005). "Geffen nearly set to reopen its doors". Daily Bruin. UCLA students. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  6. ^ Jones, Kenneth (March 23, 2010). "Geffen's Mainstage Is Now the Gil Cates Theater". Playbill. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  7. ^ "Gil Cates dies at 77; producer, director and showman". Los Angeles Times. November 2, 2011. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  8. ^ "Gil Cates Jr. named executive director of Geffen Playhouse". Los Angeles Times. June 12, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  9. ^ "Playwright and 'Moonlight' screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney to lead Geffen Playhouse". Los Angeles Times. September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
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