2021 Annual Impact Report by Geffen Playhouse

2021 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y

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THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS PG. 6

ARTISTIC PROGRAMS PG. 7

GEFFEN STAYHOUSE PG. 17

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PG. 23

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION PG. 31

BACKSTAGE AT THE GEFFEN PG. 35

4 Blue13 Dance Company at Backstage at the Geffen 2021

L A YHOUSE P N E F F E G

E A Y R S 5 2 U N O T C I NG... D N A

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HAS THE POWER TO: SHOW US THAT WE CAN “ THEATER CREATE OUR OWN STORIES AND ALSO LEARN HOW TO

CHANGE OUR FUTURE, AS WELL TO LEARN SOME HISTORY. 10TH GRADER, DAVID STARR JORDAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Thank you for being part of the Geffen Playhouse community! We could not have achieved all that we have in the past 25 years without your incredible support, curiosity, involvement, creativity, and absolute love of the arts. It is because of you that we continue to reach new heights with our artistic programs, broaden our outreach with our community and education engagements, and inspire new audiences with virtual and in-person performances. We look forward to celebrating the next 25 years and more with you! 6

”

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ARTISTIC PROGRAMS THE WRITERS’ ROOM

Cast of Boni B. Alvarez's Sticky Rice Reading (The Writers' Room 19/20)

Time Stands Still (Playwright Commission 2009)

PLAYWRIGHT COMMISSIONS ART LIVES HERE

7 Horror Without End! Featured Work #1 (2021)

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THE WRITERS’ ROOM 2021/2022 PLAYWRIGHTS

THE WRITERS’ ROOM Now in its fourth year, this program brings Los Angeles-based playwrights into community with each other through a year-long residency. The Writers' Room program was launched in the 2018/2019 season, as a product of the Geffen’s deep commitment to supporting new plays and specifically to fostering bold, relevant work by the vibrant artistic community of this city.

Vivian Barnes

Lisa Sanaye Dring

Weston Gaylord

Alexandra Kalinowski

During a one-year residency, playwright members gather monthly to share their work and receive feedback from their peers in a forum facilitated by Rachel Wiegardt-Egel, the Geffen’s Director of New Play Development.

GET TO KNOW OUR PAST WRITERS’ ROOM PARTICIPANTS: geffenplayhouse.org/blog/2020-2021-writers-room-announced

Tova Katz

Katie Lindsay

Nicholas Pilapil

Michael Shayan

GET TO KNOW OUR CURRENT WRITERS’ ROOM PARTICIPANTS: geffenplayhouse.org/blog/2021-2022-writers-room-playwrights-announced 9

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ABOUT THE WRITERS’ ROOM

TESTIMONIALS

WE ARE THE ONLY APPLICATION-BASED WRITERS GROUP IN LOS ANGELES WITH INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT In addition to the feedback of their fellow writers, members receive dramaturgical support from the theater’s artistic staff, a ticket to all Gil Cates Theater shows at the Geffen for the season in which their residency takes place, and the opportunity to further develop their work with a director and actors in a culminating reading that may be open to the public. EACH YEAR, WE RECEIVE ABOUT 150-200 APPLICATIONS The Writers’ Room is open to all playwrights who currently reside in Los Angeles. When considering applications, we take into account the fundamental importance of having a balance of voices in the group in addition to the strength of each applicant’s writing sample and project proposal. Playwrights of all writing styles, ethnicities, genders, abilities, and ages are encouraged to apply. WE PROVIDE SPACE AND SUPPORT TO WRITERS Writers who have previously participated in the program have spoken of it as being essential to building their Los Angeles theater community and developing bold and ambitious work.

DIANA BURBANO It’s so valuable to be in community with writers at any time. Writing can be such a lonely process. Having a cohort to read your play, get to know your wants and needs with the play, and ask just the right questions to spark forward movement is always valuable, but during the pandemic, it became a lifeline. I could forget the fear and panic of the day-to-day, and concentrate on what I was missing so much: The Theatre. My colleagues are such a varied group of people. I am comfortable talking to all of them and to Rachel, digging into hard ideas and growing the work. It was a thrill to have an L.A.-based cohort, because L.A. theatre makers are spectacular! Vivid, exciting, different in so many ways, I feel that the writers in The Writers’ Room are a perfect showcase for the exciting L.A. POV.

ALI VITERBI I was part of the 2020/2021 Writers’ Room. While I was excited to gather monthly with fellow L.A. playwrights at the Geffen in person, of course 2020 didn't allow for that. What I got instead, however, was even richer. In a year with so much isolation, I found community. I entered the Room unsure of what to expect, and particularly unsure how I could possibly be creative when it felt like the world was in flames. However, the community and feedback The Writers’ Room offered allowed me to not only write, but write a full play over the course of the fellowship. I looked forward each month to chatting with the amazing writers in our Zoom home and hearing their incredible plays take shape. The Writers’ Room was my theatrical respite in a year without theater, and I'm so very grateful for it.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WRITERS’ ROOM VISIT: geffenplayhouse.org/tickets/new-plays/the-writers-room 11 19/20 reading of Chloé Hung's Alien of Extraordinary Ability

A goofy photo of The Writers' Room 20/21 cohort on Zoom

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PLAYWRIGHT COMMISSIONS “

When a theater commissions an artist, it essentially is saying, ‘We believe in your work and we're committed to your creative future, whatever comes next.' A commission also means having company along the path to discovering a new story and bringing it to life. LAUREN YEE, GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE COMMISSIONED PLAYWRIGHT

”

We are proud to have the following artists under commission: Rachel Bonds

Matthew Lopez

Jiehae Park

Jen Silverman

Colman Domingo

Martyna Majok

John Pollono

David Wiener

Michael Golamco

Chelsea Marcantel

Zoe Sarnak

Lauren Yee

Meghan Kennedy

Stacy Osei-Kuffour

Robert Schenkkan

Anna Ziegler

PAST PRODUCTIONS OF COMMISSIONED WORK:

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ARTISTS CURRENTLY UNDER COMMISSION AND OUR OTHER NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES: geffenplayhouse.org/tickets/new-plays 13 Beth Hawkes, Eugene Young, and cast of Revenge Song

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ART LIVES HERE As part of Geffen Playhouse’s inaugural Art Lives Here project, four Los Angeles artists have been invited to create original artworks to be displayed in our lobby welcoming back audiences during our 25th Anniversary Season.

Art Lives Here Featured Work #1

HORROR WITHOUT END! DOUBLING ARTISTS: BECK+COL ON DISPLAY Nov. 9 – Dec. 12, 2021

We celebrate the diversity in our audiences and our productions, and it is our mission to create, foster, and nourish an environment that is open and welcoming for all. We are a home for the arts, and we believe our physical space should also reflect and be representative of our ongoing commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything we do and the communities we support.

READ MORE ABOUT ART LIVES HERE: geffenplayhouse.org/education/artliveshere 16

THE CREATION OF

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GEFFEN STAYHOUSE WORLD PREMIERES Indian American chef/

David Kwong's Artistic Director Matt Shakman, Executive Director Gil Cates, Jr.,

author Sri Rao's cooking

puzzle-making show

and storytelling show,

Inside the Box

Bollywood Kitchen

Associate Artistic Director Amy Levinson, and Production Manager Isaac Katzanek explain how the Geffen Playhouse

The murder mystery

transformed into a virtual

Citizen Detective

theater during the pandemic.

written and directed

Obie Award-winning multimedia artist Jared Mezzocchi’s

by Chelsea Marcantel

terrifying tale

(The Writers’ Room

Someone Else’s House

2018/2019) Rather than go completely dark amid the COVID-19 shutdowns in March of 2020, our artistic team began brainstorming highly interactive, virtual content, which included launching the Geffen Stayhouse World Premiere production of The Present, written by and starring master illusionist Helder Guimarães and directed by the legendary Frank Marshall in May 2020. This highly acclaimed, sold-out production extended three times and closed with a special grand finale performance that was streamed to over 6,000 households around the world! 17

The Door You Never Saw Before, a “choosical musical” by Matt Schatz (The Writers’ Room 2018/2019)—our first interactive Theater for Young Audiences production for children ages 6 and up!

A magical sequel with Helder titled The Future

A LOOK BACK ON GEFFEN STAYHOUSE

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GEFFEN STAYHOUSE FUN FACTS Geffen Stayhouse expanded into a full seven-show season where audiences in all 50 states and over 40 countries participated in over 800 performances. The Present won a Webby Award for Best Narrative Experience: Virtual & Remote. The Webby Awards, "The Internet's Highest Honor," according to the New York Times, have been recognizing leading Internet professionals, visionaries, and creative celebrities since the dawn of the internet. Someone Else’s House, a pioneer of interactive, virtual theater, continued after the Geffen with a second production at TheaterWorks Hartford!

“

The acclaimed theater company Geffen Playhouse has been a light for theater lovers this season where the theater lights are still out and under the name Geffen Stayhouse they have produced an astonishing variety of virtual and interactive plays for all tastes including magic, mystery and horror shows. LATINO EDGE

Geffen Playhouse looks back on the Geffen "Stayhouse" in the year of the pandemic. Audiences in all 50 states and over 40 countries participated in over 800 performances.

”

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EDUCATION & COMMUNITY THEATER IN EDUCATION HAS THE POWER TO IGNITE CHANGE

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CORE BELIEFS • Theater creates educational transformations for students both inside and outside of the classroom.

• Theater arts opens doors to creative exploration and personal discoveries and should be experienced and shared with as many people as possible.

• Access to well-designed theater arts experiences can develop life-long appreciation and advocacy for theater in schools, organizations, and communities.

• Theater is a one-of-a-kind tool for learning, connecting, and profoundly enriching the lives of people of all ages. • Theater arts can ignite positive change within schools and communities.

EDUCATION IMPACT HIGH SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS:

LITERACY PROJECT VETERANS WRITING & PERFORMANCE PROJECT LIGHTS UP 21

geffenplayhouse.org/education

youtube.com/watch?v=oL1QmcTlTsM

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HIGH SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM This program blends Theater Arts learning with English Language Arts learning. Students build their creative voices and engage with teaching artists to deepen their ability to respond to the theater experience through writing, workshops, and performing monologues. Students had the opportunity to participate in three different theater-making modules this past school year (Fall, Winter, Spring), which included cultural identity monologue writing and performance skills, character development, scene building, improvisation and culminating performances. All theater-making sessions were facilitated virtually through live classes on Zoom, taught by Geffen Playhouse Master Teaching Artists, from September 2020 through May 2021.

EXCERPTS FROM FINDING YOUR VOICE PARADISE BLUE WORKSHOP

Where do you find home? How do you make a home feel like home? • A place you can be and feel safe. • Having a place where you belong. • We create a safe space by surrounding ourselves with positive people, and practicing good habits.

What is community? What does community mean to you?

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING STUDENTS BACK TO OUR THEATERS THIS YEAR! Student Matinee of Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole (2018)

How has gentrification affected your own community?

• People coming together to create relationships and also create rules for all to follow.

• Gentrification minimizes job opportunities for people. • Diversity of culture is reduced.

• Family, Project, Food, Culture, Love, Protection.

• History is forgotten/obstructed. 24

“CHANGING LIVES AND BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN IDEAS AND BEHAVIORS IS A GREAT GIFT THAT WE EACH RECEIVE THROUGH THIS INCREDIBLE PROGRAM.”

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LITERACY PROJECT

BARBARA HARRISON, ST. MONICA SENIOR MINISTRIES LIGHTS UP PROGRAM PARTICIPANT

This program empowers students as readers, writers, and critical thinkers while engaging in and attending a full season of plays at the Geffen. Students experience theater workshops and one-on-one coaching in essay and monologue writing. For the 2020/2021 school year, all 10th graders experienced a season of virtual world premiere artistic content, as well as theater-making modules taught by master teaching artists live via Zoom that included monologue writing and performance skills, character development, scene building, creative movement, vocal articulation, improvisation and more—all built around themes of cultural identity and superheroes. Students developed experience, comfort and confidence in expressing themselves creatively, thinking critically and sharing their own stories with their peers.

“ “ “

I am thankful for those who came into our class and broadened our creative horizons, for the workshops to get our minds rolling, and just being granted the creative liberty to let our minds wander. This year has been packed with stress and expectations but with this, we weren’t expected to be pristine, only authentic. The Geffen created a space of happiness through virtual interactions and I enjoyed myself participating in the classes when they visited. My experience with the Geffen Playhouse is always amazing and exceptional. I enjoy everything they always teach me. Their workshops always give me a different perspective and allow me to explore different creative aspects that are all within me. I enjoyed this workshop with the Geffen because it allowed me to express my creative side, which I haven't managed to do in the past few months due to COVID. It seemed like a bit of a challenge at first to try and get myself to open my creative side and create a character, but once I got it going the ideas went flowing into my head. 25

” ” ”

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VETERANS WRITING & PERFORMANCE PROJECT

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VETERANS PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS One word to summarize your workshop experience: • Therapeutic, freeing, and fun! Informative, educational, cathartic, hopeful. What parts were fun? What parts were scary? How did you overcome it? • I left with a feeling of accomplishment. To take something from scratch, out of thin air. • It helped me to reflect on myself, who I am. • Free-writing exercises were very helpful, starting with Cultural Identity, and narrowing in on one thing. Very interesting experience and inspired me to do more free-writing. • The experience after the performance was like opening the window of myself open a bit, and letting the audience get to know me. By writing my story, I opened the window of who I am and felt the breeze of, “it's really nice to get to know you.” What are the next steps for you with this story that you have worked on? What are the next steps in your artistry? • Enjoyed the opportunity to talk and acknowledge my disability, but not focus on the disability. The focus was how I got through it. A new way to look at my life. This is a big part of who I am. What advice would you give to incoming vets about this program?

An eight week theater intensive in which veterans have the opportunity to build community, artistic expression, and audience education through powerful storytelling.

• It was structured and I learned. I loved how every week this was a safe place. Trust, be willing to work, and share. It's all part of the process.

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LIGHTS UP This program provides access to live theater and its power to educate, provoke thought, inspire change, and build community. Serves over 1,000 community members from non-profit and social service organizations across Los Angeles with limited access.

“

The Light’s Up program has been a wonderful complement to our literacy programing. During the COVID pandemic, we appreciated that the Geffen continued to offer writing workshops and access to virtual theatrical events to our program participants. We are especially excited for the return to live shows.

”

TARA CROW, LITERACY PROGRAMS ASSISTANT SANTA MONICA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Testimonies from Lights Up particpants who were able to join us for a performance of Paradise Blue:

“

What a fabulous experience for the youth and parent who attended. Most had never been to a live play except for 1 or 2 school productions, or a rare opportunity once before. None had ever to the Geffen. We were all so delighted!

”

“

Lights Up members were fortunate to be able to see this exceptional play. My group members very much appreciated this privilege and your efforts in making this happen.

”

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (DEI) INITIATIVE

COMMUNITY & CONVERSATIONS

We have prioritized a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative to create positive progress and inspire necessary change within and outside of our organization. In the summer of 2020, Geffen Playhouse hired Diane Burbie and The Aspire Group, who have facilitated several DEI workshops for our staff, Board, and artists. Our DEI Committee was founded and is made up of two Board members, two staff members, two artists and our two executive leaders to help us act and with next steps, based on what we learned from our DEI sessions with The Aspire Group. The committee has been meeting once a week since the end of October 2020 to map out priorities for moving the institution forward with this initiative, creating a safe space for Geffen staff, artists, and community members to gather and learn from one another.

In September, we held our first public (but still virtual) Community & Conversations event where we create space to have in-depth conversations centered around diversity, equity, and inclusion in all facets of theater-making. Our two guest speakers: Kristin Sakoda, the Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture, and Marc Bamuthi Joseph, a poet, playwright, a 2017 TED Global Fellow, and one of America’s vital voices in performance, arts education, and artistic curation.

MISSION STATEMENT Geffen Playhouse is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural life of Los Angeles through plays and educational programs that inform, entertain, and inspire.

OUR COMMITMENT

KRISTIN SAKODA

MARC BAMUTHI JOSEPH

Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture

Poet, playwright, a 2017 TED Global Fellow

INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In recognition of the essential examination of systemic racism and injustices, we at Geffen Playhouse commit to continued analysis and expansion of our own institutional practices in order to be part of the solution. Our vision for the Geffen is that people of all races, faiths, sexual orientations, abilities, genders and backgrounds find it an easily accessible and highly relevant source of art that reflects the dynamic human experience and galvanizes a more equitable and vibrant community. In adopting this statement, we are amplifying our strategic and ongoing commitment to improving and increasing the cultural diversity, equity and inclusion of our audiences, staff, artists, board, and programming.

OCTOBER 11, 2021 — Today, we honor and celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day while reflecting upon our own role in a complicated and often devastating history of oppression enacted upon diverse populations of Native people in Los Angeles and beyond. Geffen Playhouse acknowledges and is grateful for the sacred Indigenous lands belonging to the Kizh, Tongva and Chumash Nations upon which our playhouse sits. As an institution of art and culture, we are working towards being a space where Native voices can be uplifted, amplified, and heard.

Read Full Policy: geffenplayhouse.org/about/diversity-equity-inclusion/policy

To learn more about the Native land you occupy: native-land.ca

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OUR ACTION Being committed is taking action. Being committed is a willingness to learn, grow and evolve as an arts organization, embracing myriad points of view that reflect the inherent diversity in every community. One of our first action steps was the formation of a Geffen Playhouse Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in October 2020, made up of Geffen artists, staff and Board members. The Committee meets on a regular basis and provides input and insight for all facets of the theater, ranging from the art produced on our stages to individual employee programs. Since its formation, the Committee has been responsible for the creation of our DEI statement, developing and implementing a formal, accountable company-wide Diversity and Equity Policy, as well as bringing new voices and perspectives to the Geffen family with Community and Conversations guest forums and a book club focused on relevant works. These are just a few key highlights and the Committee’s work is ongoing.

TO LEARN MORE: geffenplayhouse.org/about/diversity-equity-inclusion 34

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BACKSTAGE AT THE GEFFEN 2021 In August, we were able to host our first in-person Backstage at the Geffen in two years with stellar talent hitting the stage, like 11-year-old BritishZulu drummer Nandi Bushell, host Tone Bell, Sharon Lawrence, Jon M. Chu, Kathleen Turner, and more. Geffen Playhouse raised critical funds for the theater's education, community engagement and artistic initiatives at its 19th annual Backstage at the Geffen fundraiser held August 7. Lin-Manuel Miranda presented the Artistic Impact Award to National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, and Laura Dern presented the Distinction in Service Award to Hon. Nicole Avant and Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos.

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THEATER HAS THE POWER TO: “

... provide a gentle, nurturing space to create in the midst of a truly frightening and chaotic time. The warmth and care shown to the writers in the program gave a sense of community, joyfulness, and artistic rigor in equal measure.

”

MEGHAN BROWN, THE WRITERS’ ROOM 2020/2021

“

... connect you to your ensemble and your team. I would recommend it to younger Veterans getting started in Hollywood. Go in, trust the experience, see what happens. PARTICIPANT, VETERANS WRITING & PERFORMANCE PROJECT 2021

“

THANK YOU!

”

...help me to tap into a creative side of myself that I haven't used in a long time…allow me to create my own character that had a voice and personality of its own completely separate from me. STUDENT, WESTCHESTER ENRICHED SCIENCES MAGNETS

”

OUR IMMENSE GRATITUDE TO OUR COMMUNITY OF FRIENDS, ARTISTS, PARTNERS, EDUCATORS, AND SUPPORTERS FOR INVESTING IN OUR MISSION.

“ONWARD AND UPWARD WITH THE ARTS.” GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE FOUNDER AND PRODUCING DIRECTOR GIL CATES

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