Introduction

In 2002 the Santa Monica Playhouse will be celebrating its fortieth anniversary at its current site on Fourth Street in downtown. Their current lease is up and their landlord has given them eighteen months in which to raise the $300,000-500,000 to facilitate the purchase of the facility. If they do not raise this sum, their rent will go up by twenty percent making it impossible for them to stay. They are asking for an unspecified level of financial assistance from the City.

Background

The Playhouse is a non-profit professional theatre and educational conservancy, concentrating its efforts in three areas: the creation of live theatre, an educational conservatory program, and community outreach. The Santa Monica Playhouse presents approximately ten theatrical performances per week of between four to eight different productions. They present ten productions annually involving Santa Monica’s oldest professional acting company the Actors Repertory Program, the New Playwrights Series, the Jewish Heritage Program and the International Cultural Exchange Program. They also present six musicals for children and families annually. The dozen Theatre for Youth Programs promote the awareness of the power of theatre as a tool for life. Through the Playhouse’s STEP Program, artists teach theatre and performance at local elementary and middle schools.

Discussion

The Santa Monica Playhouse has been a regular recipient of the Cultural Affairs Division’s Community Arts Grants and is in its second year of the Cultural/Arts Organizational Support Program. Combined current funding in both programs is $9,050 this fiscal year. Currently there is no City funding program in place to support this request.

Prepared By:

Barbara Stinchfield, Director, Community and Cultural Services

Maria Luisa de Herrera, Manager, Cultural Affairs