Geffen Playhouse

Geffen Playhouse at UCLA
Address 10886 Le Conte Avenue
Los Angeles, California
United States
Coordinates 34°03′49″N 118°26′41″W / 34.0636°N 118.4447°WCoordinates: 34°03′49″N 118°26′41″W / 34.0636°N 118.4447°W
Owner UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Operator Geffen Playhouse Inc.
Type Regional theater
Capacity Gil Cates Theater: 512
Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre:149
Construction
Opened 1970s
Reopened 1995
Rebuilt 2005
Website
geffenplayhouse.com

The Geffen Playhouse (or the Geffen) is a not-for-profit theater company producing in two venues - both owned by University of California Los Angeles. It is located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

Architecture

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 12 structures built in Westwood Village, it was designed by architect Stiles O. Clements.[1]

History

Originally named the Westwood Playhouse, UCLA purchased the property 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) Producing Director. The theater was renamed in 1995 after media mogul David Geffen donated $5 million, one of the largest philanthropic donations ever made to an already constructed theater.[2][3]

In 2002, the David Geffen Foundation made a $5-million lead gift towards an eventually $17-million capital campaign to renovate the theater. The renovation was completed and the Geffen reopened on November 16, 2005; the historic character of the theater was maintained, but the interior was gutted. The renovation resulted in the main 500 seat theater being retained, as well as the new 125-seat Audrey Skirball-Kenis Theater being added.[4]

The Geffen Playhouse offers five plays per season in the Gil Cates Theater and three plays per season in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater. It also produces and presents special events in both venues on occasion. The theater is known for having well known film and television actors in their productions. Some of the actors and actresses who have appeared in recent productions at the theater include: Jason Alexander, Debbie Allen, Annette Bening, Dana Delany, Roma Downey, Peter Falk, Neil Patrick Harris, David Hyde-Pierce, Carrie Fisher, Rebecca Pidgeon, Martin Short, Alicia Silverstone, Rita Wilson, and James Van Der Beek.

Awards and nominations

Awards Production Nominations Wins Notes
2009 Ovation Awards Louis & Keely, Live at the Sahara 5 3 Won for Best Production, Lead Actor, and Lead Actress
2009 Ovation Awards Beethoven As I Knew Him 2 1 Won for Sound Design (Erik Carstensen)
2009 Ovation Awards Farragut North 2 0
2009 Ovation Awards Time Stands Still 2 0
2009 Ovation Awards 1 0 Nominated for Best Season
2010 Ovation Awards Equivocation 8 3 Won for Best Production, Featured Actor, and Lighting Design
2010 Ovation Awards Through the Night 5 2 Won for Lead Actor and Sound Design
2011 Ovation Awards Extraordinary Chambers 5 0
2011 Ovation Awards Superior Donuts 4 0
2012 Ovation Awards Good People 8 0
2012 Ovation Awards The Jacksonian 1 0
2012 Ovation Awards Radiance: The Passion Of Marie Curie 1 0
2012 Ovation Awards The Pianist Of Willesden Lane 1 0
2012 Ovation Awards 1 0 Nominated for Best Season
2013 Ovation Awards American Buffalo 2 0
2013 Ovation Awards Yes, Prime Minister 1 0
2013 Ovation Awards Miss Julie 1 0

External links

References

  1. ↑ Geffen Playhouse - Westwood, retrieved 2007-02-22
  2. ↑ Torres, Jesse, Geffen Playhouse, retrieved 2007-02-22
  3. ↑ Padilla, Jessica, New Geffen gift benefits playhouse (– Scholar search), archived from the original on September 1, 2006, retrieved 2007-02-22
  4. ↑ Diem, Erica (2005-10-06), Geffen nearly set to reopen its doors (– Scholar search), retrieved 2007-02-22