The Malibu Playhouse will be taking a dramatically different approach to the way it operates beginning with the 2015-16 show season — instead of hiring the next Creative Director as a regular, “permanent” staff member, a new one will be brought in every six months.
The playhouse team is also planning a series of events unlike anything they’ve done before — not just plays, but comedy nights, benefits, collaborations with local universities, film screenings, a multidisciplinary new work mini-festival, and members-only promotional events that may include private dinners with the casts, cocktail parties and “meet and greets.
The first “Guest Artistic Director” — who will be responsible for choosing all of the plays and programs presented during his half-year stint from November 2015 to June 2016 — is Jeremy Skidmore, a well-known theater director with over 16 years of experience, previously with the Theater Alliance of Washington, D.C.
“I just moved here from the East Coast to diversify the kind of work I’m doing across theater, film, television and education, so this opportunity could not be more perfect or well-timed,” Skidmore said in a phone interview with The Malibu Times. “Washington, D.C. is much more theater-centric than L.A., but L.A. has more actors. I’m excited to have a much larger pool to draw from, but you’re also competing with other mediums. That’s a big shift for me.
“The purpose of Malibu Playhouse’s change to Guest Creative Directors is to attract artistic talent among those working in a variety of industries that may not be able to commit to full-time employment,” Skidmore explained. “The six-month period of time has an opportunity to attract really interesting people that otherwise might not be able to take the job.”
Skidmore first visited Malibu Playhouse in June. “For a 99-seat theater, it has a certain air to it — it has high ceilings, it’s rustic,” he observed. “I picked plays specifically to work in that space and be enjoyable to a Malibu audience.”
He also watched some productions at the theater, including “A Man and his Prostate” with Ed Asner. “That was super fun,” Skidmore said.
Prior to beginning his six months in Malibu in November, Skidmore is directing the play “Mansfield Park” at USC.
“We’re delighted to have Jeremy at the helm for the new direction the Malibu Playhouse is taking,” Andi Howard-Ringe, Board of Directors chairperson, said. “This is a very exciting time for us, because there are so many great things coming this next year.”
Skidmore has already chosen the productions for his portion of the 2015-16 season. Beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving is “Wonderful Life!,” a critically acclaimed one-man show based on the holiday classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
“I’m like a curator,” Skidmore said. “I have a specific budget and six months of time, and I can do whatever I want.”
In 2016, Skidmore will put on “Mary’s Wedding,” which will feature an actual wedding before each show, and “Pavilion,” which is billed as having “a high school reunion party unlike any other … since you never know which of Malibu’s celebrity local heroes will show up.”
Several events are planned at the Playhouse prior to Skidmore coming on board. On Sept. 11, there will be a reading tribute to the firefighters of 9/11 called “The Guys” by Anne Nelson, starring Ray Abruzzo of TV’s “Sopranos” and “Transparent,” and Wendie Malick of “Hot in Cleveland,” directed by Dan Lauria. A portion of the proceeds from the evening will be donated to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
From Oct. 1 to Nov. 15, a co-production of “Monster!” will be enacted by appointment only to students fourth grade and up. On Halloween night, there will be a screening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” with costumes and bags of props for audience participation.
The Malibu Playhouse was originally founded by Charles Marowitz and Jacqueline Bridgeman in 1990, with all productions staged at Pepperdine University. After Marowitz stepped down in 2002, it moved to its present location on PCH, taking over the former Shepherd-by-the-Sea Lutheran Church, which was converted to a 99-seat theater. In 2013, the Board of Directors changed the name from Malibu Stage Co. to Malibu Playhouse. Due to high turnover in the Artistic Director position, the board took over that role for 2014-15 until deciding on the Guest Artistic Director approach.
For tickets, schedules, events and membership information, go to malibuplayhouse.org.
