Laguna Playhouse Awarded Grant by Laguna Beach Community

The Laguna Playhouse has been awarded a $5,000 "Capacity Building and Capital Projects" grant from the Laguna Beach Community Foundation.

Laguna Playhouse Executive Director Karen Wood offers, "We are honored to receive this community-driven grant and offer heartfelt thanks for the Foundation's continued support of The Playhouse and our efforts in building community and enriching lives through shared cultural experiences."

The mission statement of the Laguna Beach Community Foundation is to encourage philanthropy in the greater Laguna Beach area through its charitable organizations and residents.

"The Laguna Playhouse has a long, rich history of providing intriguing and entertaining theatrical performances" states Darrcy Loveland, Esq., President and CEO of The Laguna Beach Community Foundation. "The residents are lucky to have The Playhouse conveniently located in Laguna Beach. The Laguna Beach Community Foundation is pleased to provide The Playhouse with a grant to support capacity building and capital projects."

The Laguna Playhouse: 949-497-2787; www.lagunaplayhouse.com. The theatre is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The box office is open Tuesday through Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m(open until 8 pm on performance days).

The Moulton Theatre Physical Address is 606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, CA 92651.

Founded in 1920 and celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2011-2012, The Laguna Playhouse is one of the oldest continuously-operating theatres on the West Coast. In January 2011, The Laguna Playhouse was honored at the Laguna Spirit Awards and received The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce Premiere Business of the Year award.

More than 100,000 theatergoers annually attend performances at the Laguna Playhouse. Its continued artistic excellence, audience popularity and critical acclaim have helped make The Playhouse one of Southern California's most important nonprofit theatre companies. The Playhouse has produced national tours of The Belle of Amherst (with Julie Harris) and Copenhagen, and has presented many world, national and regional premieres.

Over the years, the Laguna Playhouse has garnered numerous awards from LA Drama Critics Circle, NAACP, Backstage, OC Weekly, and many more, and was named Best Arts Organization by ArtsOC. Notable performers that have performed at The Laguna Playhouse include Bette Davis, Harrison Ford, Charles Durning, Marlo Thomas, Roddy McDowell, Rita Rudner, Cloris Leachman, and Sally Struthers.

The Laguna Playhouse is noted for its Youth Theater Education and Outreach programs. In 1989, its Youth Theater was recognized as "Outstanding Children's Theatre" by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. The theater's touring production, TheatreReach, brings books to life on stage for elementary school children throughout southern California.