A MESSAGE FROM CHRISTOPHER ASHLEY
THE RICH FAMILY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE
Dear Playhouse Friends,
After 18 years co-leading this amazing organization, it is hard to believe this will be the final season I’ll be sharing with you as Artistic Director. It’s a bittersweet moment, but I assure you, these six productions — programmed in partnership with Artistic Producing Director Eric Keen-Louie and the Artistic team — are truly extraordinary and will leave you feeling moved and inspired.
We’ll launch the new slate with the West Coast premiere of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play Purpose, a biting and funny play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins that was the toast of the 2025 Broadway season. Next up will be The Monsters, Ngozi Anyanwu’s poetic and searing new play that explores a sibling relationship through the dynamic lens of Mixed Martial Arts. We’ll also be mounting the world premiere of A Black-billed Cuckoo, a humorous, deeply affecting play by Mat Smart — the 13th piece to make the jump from our DNA New Work Series to the subscription slate.
The season will also feature three fascinating world-premiere musicals: The Family Album, a powerful and soulful Playhouse commission featuring a book by Sam Chanse and music and lyrics by MILCK and AG; GRIM, a delightfully irreverent and heart-forward piece about the exploits of the Grim Reaper’s daughter, featuring an exhilarating book and score by a rock star creative team; and Particle Fever, an adrenaline-fueled new musical, with book by Tony Award winner David Henry Hwang (Yellow Face) and music and lyrics by Bear McCreary (Outlander) and Zoe Sarnak. Based on the widely-acclaimed documentary, this intriguing new piece is a love letter to the zeal and sense of wonder that drives our search for meaning in the universe.
As I look back on my time at the Playhouse, I want to express my profound gratitude to the people who make this theatre what it is: our board of trustees, who remain steadfastly committed to our mission; my trusted and tireless co-leader Debby Buchholz and our unparalleled staff, who lifts everything we do with unflagging energy and boundless skill; and, of course, to all of you, our devoted subscribers, who never cease to amaze me with your passion and loyalty. You have helped make the Playhouse the place to see what’s new and next in American theatre, I can’t thank you enough for this incredibly rewarding chapter in my life. A huge piece of my heart will always remain with La Jolla Playhouse. I look forward to witnessing the triumphs of this upcoming season — and all the wonderful seasons to come.
Thank you again for your tremendous ongoing support of the Playhouse,
Christopher Ashley
The Rich Family Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse
