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11 unusual facts about Pasadena Playhouse


Ben Savage

Savage's stage debut was in The Laughter Epidemic at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Daniel Truhitte

After high school, Truhitte received a scholarship to the Pasadena Playhouse.

Gwen Munro

While in Los Angeles Munro also played the lead role in a production at the Pasadena Playhouse of Dear Bill by Australian writer Jim Warwick.

Hans Heinrich von Twardowski

In the 1930s, Twardowski directed and appeared in the stage productions of The Brothers Karamazov and Old Heidelberg in the Pasadena Playhouse.

Helmut Dantine

He began his U.S. acting career at the Pasadena Playhouse, where he was spotted by a talent scout and signed to a Warner Bros. contract.

Iris Rainer Dart

She wrote the book and lyrics for the 2009 stage musical, Laughing Matters, for the Pasadena Playhouse, California.

Michael Manuel

He has worked with the Mark Taper Forum, South Coast Repertory, Empty Space Theatre, Seattle Rep, Cornerstone Theatre Company, Pasadena Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival, A Noise Within (where he received both Dramalogue and LADC awards), Interact Theatre Company, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Manhattan Theatre Club, Yale Repertory Theatre, and many others.

Poni Adams

Adams was born in San Antonio, Texas, and received a full scholarship to Juilliard, which she turned down to spend years studying at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Ralph Senensky

He studied at the Pasadena Playhouse and worked as a stage director before directing for television.

Ray Abruzzo

He was seen on the stage of the Pasadena Playhouse in the play, Mauritius, by Theresa Rebeck (playing through April 26, 2009) He also played the title role in Lombardi.

Valora Noland

After graduating from Santa Cruz High School, she was accepted by the Pasadena Playhouse, and while studying there for a year and a half, settled on "Valora Noland" for her stage name.


Alson S. Clark

In addition to landscape paintings, Alson Clark painted murals for the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, and the fire curtain of the Pasadena Playhouse, depicting a Spanish galleon in full sail.

Amanda McBroom

McBroom is also known for her collaborations as lyricist with songwriter Michele Brourman, including some of the songs in the The Land Before Time film series, Balto II: Wolf Quest, and the musical Dangerous Beauty based on the film of the same name, which was scheduled to have its world premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse in February 2011.

Florence Bates

In the mid-1930s, Bates auditioned for and won the role of Miss Bates in a Pasadena Playhouse adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma.

Leonard Foglia

In the fall of 2009, Foglia will be directing the world premiere musical "Laughing Matters" by Iris Rainer Dart at the Pasadena Playhouse in California.

Nilo Cruz

Some of the theatres that have developed and performed his works include New York’s Public Theater, New York Theatre Workshop, Pasadena Playhouse, McCarter Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Repertory, The Alliance, New Theatre, Florida Stage and the Coconut Grove Playhouse.