R.I.P. Pasadena Playhouse

As those of you who live in Los Angeles may already know, the Pasadena Playhouse is bankrupt and will be closing it’s doors this Sunday night after the last performance of Camelot.

This hit me pretty hard because I used to work for the Playhouse a couple of years ago and used to see their shows on a regular basis. And there had quite a few hit shows while that I was privileged to see:


Of course, they weren’t ALL great – I can’t apologize enough to those I made go with me to see “MASK” – but I’m gonna miss the place once it closes.


This also means the Furious Theatre Company (which I have to admit, I enjoyed more) might be evicted from their home as well. (although I see that they’re still going on with their first production, opening February 17th)


I quit working there in 2009 because the stress of having two jobs was finally getting to me (although I still volunteer there as a New Generations Docent). But I still keep in touch with a lot of people who still work there…..for a few more days. They’re all essentially losing their jobs – and they received about as much notice as the people who found out from the article in the L.A. Times. (One of the many problems with the recent Management of this theatre)


The people who I really feel sorry for, though, are their subscribers: these are people who paid for a full season of plays and basically just (over)paid to see the one show.

Anyway, the reason I mention all of this is because I wanted to plug the Campaign to Save the Pasadena Playhouse (accepting pledges) to anyone and everyone who thinks that the “State Theatre of California” should be re-opened: Pledge Here

No pressure, though. I hate people who push their “worthy causes” onto others through guilt, etc. so it’d be hypocritical if I did the same. I haven’t pledged yet since I’m still balancing all my “monies,” but I’m going to once I figure out how much I still have left in the bank.


The silver lining about all this is that the Pasadena Playhouse is still considered a historical landmark so the theatre itself isn’t going anywhere, it’s just shutting down. (Much like the Derby did when it closed last year) The Playhouse actually closed down a while back and was re-opened when a generous campaign / new management came to revitalize it back in the 1980s, so hopefully it’ll happen again.


Till then, though….!