Laguna Beach nonprofits will have the opportunity to hold events at the Laguna Playhouse for at least 10 weeks a year, in exchange for a one-time $500,000 city contribution to help cover operating costs.
Discussed for a while, the City Council recently voted unanimously to proceed with the funding after ironing out specifics related to ticket surcharge pricing, the number of weeks a nonprofit could book events, and concession proceeds. The first $250,000 was paid out in January, and the second will be in May.
The council also concluded that, if there was interest in exceeding the 10-week limit, playhouse officials and the city manager could work out an arrangement that would be equitable for all. Each nonprofit interested in booking time may use the venue no more than three weeks per year, and the cost to book a day is $2,800.
“There are opportunities that nonprofits have never had to get 10 weeks a year,” said Councilmember Bob Whalen. “It’s going to be a big win.”
The playhouse requested funding from the city to help keep the city-owned, 104-year-old venue sustainable.
The request came as part of a new business model aimed at making the playhouse more profitable. The funding comes with a new lease agreement with the city that runs through June 30, 2043, and provides for greater public access to the venue.
Adele Adkins, the playhouse’s managing director, said this week that when she took the role late last year, the venue, like many other regional theaters, was at a moment of “real financial vulnerability.”
“The request to the city was about stabilizing an important cultural asset while we put long-term revenue and operating strategies in place,” she said in an email. “The support helps ensure the playhouse remains a viable, shared resource for the entire community.”
In September, playhouse officials announced that David Ellenstein, who had been its artistic director since 2023, would retire from his post, saying at the time that the venue planned to pursue a different artistic direction.
The theater under Adkins will shift some of its programming to musicals and blockbusters to appeal to a younger audience, which, Adkins said, is essential for long-term sustainability.
“Musicals and recognizable titles are effective entry points for younger and first-time patrons, and we are also elevating production values to deliver a stronger ‘wow’ factor for audiences,” she said.
The playhouse’s upcoming season reflects “well-known musical titles alongside a strong play title,” Adkins said. A full schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.
“We are also opening the season with a blockbuster world-premiere musical, with an outside producer, with the hope of a future Broadway life,” she added. “Together, these choices support both audience growth and long-term financial health.”
The new lease with the city — bringing in local nonprofits to share their unique programming — is central to Adkins’ vision, she said, by increasing access, activating the space more fully, and strengthening the playhouse’s role as a cultural hub. She also said it will add to the playhouse’s own programming.
“I believe deeply that the arts are strongest when they work together rather than in isolation,” she said, adding that for more than 20 years, her career has been about bringing varios artisitic disciplines together in collaboration.
“Whether it’s theater, dance, music, or education, collaboration is at the heart of what I believe in,” she said. “It strengthens institutions, expands audiences, and creates a richer cultural life for the entire community.”
Among the nonprofits that expressed interest in using the venue is KXFM 104.7, a community radio station in Laguna Beach. Billy Fried, the chair of the station, said he first approached Adkins to explore hosting its Laguna Achievement Festival.
“They’re not sharing their schedule,” he said. “They’re basically telling me, ‘ Tell us what dates you want, and we’ll tell you if that’s available.’”
Fried said that hamstrings the nonprofits and the playhouse is “being very protective of their dates.”
Fried said he had hoped to get a couple of dates in September when he wants to hold a music festival linked to other venues in town, but was told that was the start of the playhouse’s season and therefore unavailable. He said he then asked about the summer and was told, “That’s completely booked,” and was then given random dates in May that he said “don’t work for the station.”
While Fried said he is enthusiastic about local nonprofits having a chance to use the playhouse, he worries the agreement with the city may not be as favorable as it appears.
Adkins, who came to the playhouse in September, said she is confident that scheduling issues can be worked out through careful planning.
“We will be opening 10 weeks per season to local arts nonprofits, including setup and teardown days,” she said. “I believe this provides ample time and flexibility to meaningfully accommodate arts organizations throughout the community.”
But she added she understands why questions regarding scheduling have come up.
“I’m always happy to sit down, walk through the calendar, and make sure everyone feels heard and understands how the model works,” she said. “My goal is to strengthen relationships and create a framework that works for the long term, for the playhouse and for the broader arts community.”