Pasadena Playhouse Announces Stephen Eich As Executive Director As Of 7/1

Pasadena Playhouse Board of Directors (Board Chairman Michele Dedeaux Engemann and Vice-Chairman Sheila Grether-Marion) announced today that Stephen Eich has been named Executive Director of Pasadena Playhouse. Eich will assume his new position on July 1, 2009.

As Executive Director, Eich, in partnership with Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, will manage all business and administrative functions of The Playhouse. He will work closely with the Board and staff to continue to increase the theatre's capital to assure The Playhouse's growth and ongoing success.

"The Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome Stephen Eich into the Pasadena Playhouse family. As our new Executive Director, Stephen brings his theatre expertise, thoughtful collaborative style and keen managerial skills to our stage and boardroom. We look to him, in partnership with our outstanding Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, to broaden the national and international prestige that the Pasadena Playhouse celebrates today," said Pasadena Playhouse Board Chairman Michele Dedeaux Engemann. "At this exciting time, the entire Board is dedicated to supporting Stephen, Sheldon, the Pasadena Playhouse administration and the Pasadena community, as we move forward to even greater success."

Pasadena Playhouse Artistic Director Sheldon Epps added, "I welcome Stephen to his new position at The Playhouse with tremendous excitement, and great anticipation for the rewards that our new partnership will bring to this theatre. Stephen joins our company at a time when The Playhouse is enjoying tremendous artistic vitality, and overwhelming theatrical productivity and vigor - both on our stage here and indeed on stages all over the world." Epps continued, "I have great confidence that the wealth of experience, knowledge and respect that he will now offer to our theatre will help us all to push The Playhouse to even more dazzling levels of stability and accomplishment. We are fortunate to have this deeply passionate and accomplished man of the theatre as part of our Playhouse team."

"I am extremely excited to become a part of the significant and important legacy of the Pasadena Playhouse. The ongoing artistic excellence of this organization, led by Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, coupled with the passion and commitment of their dedicated Board of Directors and a skilled administrative staff provides a great foundation on which to build continued success. I look forward with great enthusiasm to contributing to the dynamic future of this great company," said newly appointed Pasadena Playhouse Executive Director Stephen Eich.

Mr. Eich is a producer, manager, teacher, and director with 30 years experience in both the commercial and not-for-profit professional theatre. From 1979 to 1995, he was the Managing Director of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company where he produced over 125 productions including the 1990 Tony Award-winning Best Play, The Grapes of Wrath. While there he oversaw the emergence of an internationally recognized award-winning theater, built a new $9.5 million dollar home for the company and secured the theater's administrative future. He produced Steve Martin's award-winning Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Steppenwolf before taking it to Los Angeles' Westwood Playhouse, then to New York, Chicago, San Francisco and England.

He was co-producer of Paul Simon's Broadway musical The Capeman, and produced two concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York featuring the national voices of Puerto Rico. From 2000-2008, Mr. Eich was the Managing Director of The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. This year, he produced the critically acclaimed world premiere of Mark Roberts' Rantoul and Die in Los Angeles with Don Foster, Executive Producer/writer of CBS's "Two and a Half Men."

Stephen received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science in Theater Education from Illinois State University.

A national search began several months ago for an Executive Director, when former Pasadena Playhouse Managing Director Brian Colburn resigned to take a new position at Seattle's Intiman Theatre. The search was conducted by Arts Consulting Group, Inc., a firm based in Los Angeles with offices across the United States. ACG President Bruce D. Thibodeau said, "It has been such a pleasure to work with Pasadena Playhouse Artistic Director Sheldon Epps, the Board and staff throughout this invigorating search process. Stephen Eich brings a depth and breadth of national experience to the Executive Director role, and we look forward to a bright future for him and the entire Pasadena Playhouse family."

Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theater of California, is one of the great institutions of the American theatre since 1917. Pasadena Playhouse remains committed to the development and presentation of a diverse variety of theatrical productions at the highest level of artistry. By cultivating and utilizing the unique resources inherent in our greater community, Pasadena Playhouse will preserve and amplify the powerful voice of theatre, assuring its vitality for generations to come.

Pasadena Playhouse's commitment to cultural and theatrical diversity is reflected in seasons featuring Tony and Pulitzer award-winning plays, as well as in outreach and artistic programs, which have doubled in size in the last two years.

In recent years, The Playhouse has become instrumental in launching new works and landmark revivals for the American theatre. Highlights since 2005 include the launch of the national tour of Purlie (with the Goodman Theatre), the world premiere of Sister Act the Musical (with the ALLIANCE THEATRE, which opened this Spring in the West End), the world premiere of Ray Charles Live! (opening on Broadway in 2010), the world premiere of Looped starring Valerie Harper (currently playing at Arena Stage in Washington D.C., prior to a Broadway opening in the 2009-10 season) and Vanities, a new musical (opening Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre in July 2009).

For more information visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.

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