Performances for Youth

Student Matinees

The Playhouse offers special student matinees of selected mainstage productions throughout the school year. Virtual Study guides, pre-matinee Educator Nights, post-performance workshops and talkbacks are included in the experience Please note that all student matinees for our 2024-2025 season are for high school students in grades 9-12.

2024-25 STUDENT MATINEE DATES

PRIMARY TRUST
October 17th, 2024 at 10:30 am

By Eboni Booth
Directed by Knud Adams

Show Description
Kenneth, a 36-year-old bookstore worker in a small upstate New York town, spends his evenings sipping mai tais at the local tiki bar with his best friend Bert. When he’s suddenly laid off, Kenneth faces challenges he has long avoided—with transformative and heart-warming results. Primary Trust is a touching story of new beginnings, old (and new) friends, and finding the courage to see the world for the first time.

Important Dates
Application Deadline: Monday, August 25, 2024
Schools Notified of Acceptance: Monday, September 1, 2024
Educator Night: Tuesday, September 24th 5:30-9:30 pm

To Apply: Please follow the directions linked here.

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YOUR LOCAL THEATER PRESENTS: A CHRISTMAS CAROL BY CHARLES DICKENS, AGAIN
December 5th, 2024 at 10:30 am

By Anna Ouyang Moench
Directed by Les Waters

Show Description
Eddie is a young actor, fresh out of Juilliard and ready to make his mark on the American Theatre. His dreams are within reach… sort of. First he’s just going to do this regional production of A Christmas Carol. As the years pass, Eddie finds himself back at the same local theatre, over and over and over again. Much remains the same: the play, the stage manager, the green room — though Eddie finds himself in different costumes as he ages through the male roles over the course of his career.

Anna Ouyang Moench’s comedic and moving new play is a love letter to actors, artists and dreamers of all professions who make sacrifices large and small in service of their work… and ultimately wonder whether it was worth it.

Important Dates
Application Deadline: Monday, September 9, 2024
Schools Notified of Acceptance: Monday, September 13, 2024
Educator Night: Tuesday, November 19th, 5:30-9:30 pm

To Apply: Please follow the directions linked here.

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3 SUMMERS OF LINCOLN
March 20th, 2025 at 10:30 am

Book by Joe DiPietro
Lyrics by Daniel J. Watts & Joe DiPietro
Music by Crystal Monee Hall
Directed by Christopher Ashley

Show Description
Summer, 1862. The bloody conflict that was supposed to last only 90 days has now been raging for more than a year. President Abraham Lincoln must find a way to end the Civil War. Enter powerful abolitionist Frederick Douglass. If he can meet Lincoln face to face, he can help the president cement a vision of the future that ends slavery along with the war — all while preserving the union. Just three meetings took place between the two men — pivotal conversations between two fierce and equally brilliant leaders that shaped the course of history.

Important Dates
Application Deadline: Monday, December 9, 2024
Schools Notified of Acceptance: Thursday, December 12, 2024
Educator Night: TBD, 5:30-9:30 pm

Applications will be posted shortly.

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To be added to our educator list to be notified of our matinee program, please email: [email protected] with your Name, School Name, Grades/Subjects, and email address.

Student Matinee Frequently Asked Questions

POP Tour

One of La Jolla Playhouse’s signature Education programs, the Performance Outreach Program (POP) Tour is an annual world-premiere, Playhouse-commissioned production that brings the magic of theatre to San Diego classrooms. Launched in 1987, the POP Tour can be accessed by schools, libraries and community centers. Prior to each performance, a Playhouse teaching artist visits each school, either in person or virtually, to engage students in an interactive workshop that explores issues and themes at the core of the play. The Playhouse also provides schools with an interactive standards-based engagement guide that enables educators to integrate the play into their curriculum, including exciting interviews with the cast and the creative team. Ideal for students in grades 3 – 6.

POP TOUR 2024

ABEBA IN THE TALL GRASS
By Jonathan Norton
Directed by Nikki Mirza

The 2024 POP Tour, Abeba in the Tall Grass by Jonathan Norton, is a captivating new play that centers around Abeba, a fifth-grade aspiring horticulturist, and the urban garden that has become her sacred space. When her sanctuary becomes invaded by a couple of goof-offs from school who have been tasked to work in the garden over spring break as discipline, Abeba hatches a plan to teach these boys a lesson, and a little respect for produce. However, in return, Abeba herself learns an important life lesson. Like plants need water and light to flourish, people need friendship and community to thrive.

Learn More and Book Now!

Virtual Performance Experiences for High School Students

The following recorded performances from our Digital WOW series are a great way for high school-age students to enjoy theatre. Plus, they’re all FREE!


The Society of Wonder
The Totally Fake Latino News with Culture Clash
Walks of Life

Banner photo credit: (L-R) Shaun Tuazon, Jyl Kaneshiro and Rachael VanWormer in La Jolla Playhouse’s 2017 Performance Outreach Program (POP) Tour production of #SuperShinySara; photo by Jamie Lytle.

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