Pasadena Playhouse
ABOUT: Pasadena Playhouse is under the guidance of Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, whose commitment to cultural and theatrical diversity brings vitality and direction to the theatre. This commitment is reflected in seasons featuring Tony and Pulitzer award-winning plays as well as in outreach and artistic programs, which have doubled in size in the last two years.
"...The Playhouse...is thriving artistically, with a multicultural and youthful audience any theatre would envy. In the [recent] past, a sold-out production of Fences starring Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett and directed by Epps won rave reviews throughout Southern California, while a premiere co-production (with Atlanta's Alliance Theatre) of SISTER ACT: The Musical, and a rewritten revival of Cole Porter's Can-Can, broke box-office records. Meanwhile, the director's ongoing "legacy of artistic and theatrical diversity" won him and the Playhouse a $125,000 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award this past July [2007]." - American Theatre Magazine
"From the moment you enter the courtyard, there is sense of being present at a live, special event. This is partly due to the diverse group of audience members whose energy reflects the eagerness to participate in the evening." - LA Stage Magazine on Pasadena Playhouse
"I am a huge fan of Pasadena Playhouse and artistic director Sheldon Epps and the daring, passionate approach he has brought to the Playhouse." - Jason Alexander, actor and Artistic Director of Reprise! Broadway's Best
DIVERSITY PROJECT: THE SHELDON EPPS THEATRICAL DIVERSITY PROJECT was created in 2005 to support the Playhouse Artistic Director's vision to build a legacy of artistic and theatrical diversity at Pasadena Playhouse. This initiative ensures the continuation of eclectic and dynamic productions that might not otherwise be possible within the given resources of the theatre.
Sheldon Epps' vision for the theatre has always been to reach beyond ethnic diversity and seek out, encourage and engage writers, actors, directors and designers of unique cultural, racial, social and ethnic backgrounds.
Over the past two years, in honor of this great vision, the Diversity Project has helped support new play development, fund productions by minority and women playwrights and allowed access to our theatre for underprivileged youth. In 2006, founding Diversity Project members celebrated at the Inaugural Event in conjunction with the production of August Wilson's Fences, starring Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne.
This year's Diversity Project Celebration took place on Tuesday, March 13, 2007. Premiere patrons enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Twin Palms Pasadena, while a lively pre-show reception took place on the Playhouse patio. Celebrity hosts Loretta Devine and Jenifer Lewis joined Playhouse Artistic Director, Sheldon Epps, onstage to honor playwright Charles Randolph-Wright. This recognition took place just before the curtain went up on the West Coast premiere production of Wright's Cuttin' Up. The evening was an unbelievable success, and all involved were thrilled by the greater awareness brought to the important initiatives of the Sheldon Epps Theatrical Diversity Project.
Address:
Pasadena Playhouse
39 South El Molino Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
Phone: (626) 356-7529
Fax: (626) 792-6142
Web: www.pasadenaplayhouse.org
