The firms of RoTo Architects, Inc. and Fisher Merriman Sehgal Yanez, Inc. (FMSY) have been selected by La Jolla Playhouse as the design team for the construction of the Playhouse's new Play Development and Education Center. This large-scale facility, to be named in honor of Joan and Irwin Jacobs, will contain a 200-seat multi-use "black box" theatre, a new home for the Playhouse's expanded education and outreach programs, rehearsal rooms, classrooms, supplemental production space, additional shop space, a restaurant and administrative offices.The new building, erected on land donated by the University of California, San Diego, will be shared by the Playhouse and UCSD. When it is finished, it will complete the UCSD Theatre District/Mandell Weiss Performing Arts Complex and be a center of creativity shared by the Playhouse, the UCSD Department of Theatre and Dance and the entire San Diego community. Groundbreaking is scheduled to begin in early 2001.

The architects were chosen by a joint Playhouse and UCSD Building Advisory Committee headed by Walt Jones, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance. The design for the building will be unveiled in Fall 2000. The playhouse's website-- www.lajollaplayhouse.com--will feature regular updates on the design process.

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent