LAGUNA BEACH, CA -- The Laguna Playhouse has announced plans to expand its educational programs through the appointment of Donna Inglima as its new Education Director.
The Playhouse has long been known for the quality of its educational programs for young people -- particularly its Youth Theatre, under the continued direction of Joe Lauderdale. In recent years, it has also developed a successful program of touring elementary and middle schools in Orange County. Thanks to support from such contributors as the Leo Freedman Foundation and Target Stores, the Playhouse will be expanding its touring program under Inglima's leadership.
Inglima served as Assistant Professor of Drama at Syracuse University from 1989-96, and as Educational Director of the Berkshire Theatre Festival in Stockbridge, MA. from 1995-97. During the past two years, she has been a faculty member at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. She holds an MFA in Drama from Syracuse University and is a professional actress and director with numerous credits in both regional and New York theatre.
The Playhouse's Youth Theatre will present The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Dec. 11-23. Written by Barbara Robinson and directed by Kathy Cannarouzzi-Harris, the family show is about "one woman's effort to put on the annual Christmas pageant despite having to cast the Herdman kids, probably the meanest, nastiest, most inventively awful kids in the history of the world," said a company spokesperson.
Call (949) 497-2787. In other Laguna news, in their 1998 annual meeting, The League of Resident Theatres (LORT) admitted the company as their 69th member nationwide. LORT handles collective bargaining with theatrical unions and acts as a clearing house for information on artistic and management questions for its members. Many of the major U.S. resident theatres, including The Guthrie, The Goodman, D.C.'s Arena Stage, Houston's Alley Theatre and The Mark Taper Forum belong to the organization.
-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent
