Community Corner

Malibu Playhouse: 'If We Build It, They Will Come'

The Malibu Playhouse on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu has fallen into disrepair and is in need of donations.

The Malibu Playhouse, known for its acclaimed productions, has fallen into disrepair and is in need of some serious renovations.

A campaign was started up by Artist Director Gene Franklin Smith on indiegogo.com, an international crowdfunding platform, to raise the $50,000 needed to spruce it up. 

"If we build it, they will come," Rick Wasserman said in a video encouraging donors to step up. 

More than 100 donors have already raised $15,900, and the campaign ends at 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 27, according to indiegogo.com

The need for the repairs are outlined in an explanation on the campaign's website:


When the theater was constructed, a half-moon-shaped stage was built.  This stage offers unique unimpeded sight lines for the audience, but it was constructed with a sloping rake, which means it's 7 inches high at the front of the stage and 13 inches at the back wall.  (If you place a ball at the back wall, it will roll on its own to the audience's feet!)The raked stage is impractical -- building sets to fit the weird angle is expensive and time-consuming -- and it's also very dangerous.  Several actors and dancers have sustained injuries during performances.Also, when the theater was built, the lighting grid was installed too high, which means that the tops of actors' heads are lit but everything else remains in shadow.Years ago, a large dressing room was added on, but without much-needed donations, it is in a sad state: moldy and frayed carpet, limited electricity, crumbling shelves, insufficient storage and no secure lock-up.

The Malibu Playhouse was founded in 1991 by theater icon Charles Marowitz and Jackie Bridgeman. 

To donate visit: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/malibu-playhouse-needs-tlc


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