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"Using Theater as a vehicle for Social change, Kenyatta is powerful & poignant, entertaining & educational, heartfelt & humorous, the show celebrates our common humanity." Cape Cod Times.

Santa Monica Playhouse is proud to present welcome the Fall with one performance of film, television and stage personality Stogie Kenyatta’s acclaimed NAACP Award-Winning solo show about African-American artist-activist Paul Robeson. Robeson – internationally renowned actor, recording artist, concert singer, football player, All-American athlete and Phi Beta Kappa Society laureate at Rutgers University, was witness to the artistic wonders of the Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz/Be-bop era, the horrors of the slave trade, the shame of the Holocaust, McCarthyism, blacklists, racism and oppression.

Robeson’s life’s work celebrates our common humanity as he fought globally for social justice. “Armed with nothing more than the strength of his convictions and his vision of a world where men live as brothers, his message was his life," says Kenyatta. “He shows us that in spite of our differences, we still have more in common than we do in conflict.” Jamaican born and Brooklyn bred Stogie Kenyatta has been seen on everything from sitcoms and film to soap operas, from Bernie Mac and Jake and the Fat Man to HBO’s Tyson (Co-star) to The Bold and The Beautiful. He co-headlined a USO comedy tour in Tokyo, Japan and Okinawa. “The World Is My Home – The Life of Paul Robeson” had its first performance at the National Civil Rights Museum and has become the number one show on the American college scene, honoring a great American hero.

Forum to Highlight Heart-based Philanthropic Engagement
A virtual community forum to be held Friday, September 8 at 7 pm PT (on zoom) will feature Lori Barra, Executive Director of the Isabel Allende Foundation (IAF), Ryan Wells, U.S. Executive Director of Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF), and Elizabeth Share, Founder of Wise Giving and philanthropic advisor to IAF. The presenters will take us behind the scenes as they discuss the process of how a donor, advisor, and nonprofit work together to achieve a shared vision. Barra, Wells, and Share will also highlight NYF’s Caste Equality Project which works to empower Nepali Dalit communities.
Isabel Allende established her foundation in 1996 to honor her late daughter’s ideals of service and compassion. The Isabel Allende Foundation supports nonprofits that provide vulnerable women and children access to healthcare, education, protection from violence and reproductive self-determination. Nepal Youth Foundation is one of those nonprofits. Isabel writes “it is a wonderful truth that the things we want most in life – a sense of purpose, happiness and hope – are most easily attained by giving them to others.”

California Lutheran University proudly presents "Echoes of History," featuring solo artist Janet Neuwalder, a Senior Adjunct Faculty member. This exhibition unveils installations resembling impactful memorials, paying tribute to her family's profound experiences. Neuwalder expertly weaves historical threads with the enduring human spirit. Join us for the gallery reception on September 7, 5:30-7:00 PM, with refreshments. All are welcome.

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice’s 39th Annual “Light Up a Life” event will take place on December 9th in Camarillo. This celebration provides comfort, solace and an opportunity for those who have lost someone to honor their loved one’s memory.

“Pure, lively (and live) entertainment! It is remarkable to see two dozen children abandon their electronic devices to watch a live stage performance and, when prompted, hear their advice and warnings called out to the heroine. SNOWHITE at Santa Monica Playhouse provides such a theatrical (and non-CGI) experience!” Tolucan Times.
The Rudie-DeCarlo musical fairytale for all ages is a captivating tale of companionship, coming-of-age, and the magical bond between mothers and daughters takes audiences on a magical adventure as everyone’s beloved young heroine journeys to find herself, her mother, and her true destiny, aided by Seven Silly Companions and a Most Magical Mirror.
No evil Stepmother, no shadowy forests or villainous potions; just a wondrously humorous and touching story of friendship, dedication and discovery, as Snowhite, and the audience, learn that love does, indeed, conquer all, even though it can sometimes be found in the most unlikely places. Audience member M. Ferrante exclaims, “Awesome! Great message!"
Members of the internationally renowned Actors' Repertory Theatre Meghan Nealon (Into the Woods, Shakespeare’s Other Women), Cydne Moore (Beauty and the Beast, Absolutely Halloween), Michala Peltz (No Returns, Absolutely Halloween) and Megan Wright (Ever After Take 2, A Christmas Carol) join guest artists Bethany Dream (Bye Bye Birdie, Gypsy), Izabella Paz (&Medea, A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Inner City Shakespeare Ensemble), and Filipina-American actress Julia Masterson (Evita, Circle Mirror Transformation) as Snowhite. Written & directed by Playhouse Co-Artistic Directors Chris DeCarlo and Evelyn Rudie.

Birthday parties, hosted by gaily-costumed fairytale characters, are available with every performance. All current protocols are observed.

Santa Monica Playhouse, celebrating 63 years of continuous operation, is supported in part by the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Arts Commission, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the Ahmanson Foundation, the Rotary Club Foundation and Playhouse PALS.

“Pure, lively (and live) entertainment! It is remarkable to see two dozen children abandon their electronic devices to watch a live stage performance and, when prompted, hear their advice and warnings called out to the heroine. SNOWHITE at Santa Monica Playhouse provides such a theatrical (and non-CGI) experience.” Tolucan Times. It’s SNOWHITE, a captivating Rudie-DeCarlo musical fairytale for girls, boys, and young-at-heart audiences of all ages.

A charming tale of companionship, coming-of-age, and the magical bond between mothers and daughters, SNOWHITE takes audiences on a magical adventure as everyone’s most beloved young heroine journeys to find herself, her mother, and her true destiny, aided by Seven Silly Companions and a Most Magical Mirror. No evil Stepmother here, no shadowy forests or villainous potions; just a wondrously humorous and touching story of friendship, dedication and discovery, as Snowhite, and the audience, learn that love does, indeed, conquer all, even though it can sometimes be found in the most unlikely places.

“Sure to delight, enchant and entertain!” LA SPLASH

Modeled on the original 1812 Brothers Grimm tale, SNOWHITE examines stereotypes, familial bonds, ethics, friendship, the power of commitment, and the value of tolerance and understanding. Beautifully-detailed Medieval costumes by award-winning designer Ashley Hayes and sparkling special effects by James Cooper add to the historical authenticity of this exciting interactive family-friendly production.

Special birthday parties, hosted by gaily-costumed fairytale characters, are available for every performance. All current protocols are observed.

Blurring the lines between classical and contemporary, San Francisco-based Alonzo King LINES Ballet is renowned for its impeccable technique, captivating dancers and rich visual works. Alonzo King’s newest creation, Deep River, uses spiritual music from Black and Jewish traditions alongside original compositions by Jason Moran to assert the power of hope in the face of seemingly impossible odds. The piece premiered last year to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary and is described by King as a reminder that “love is the ocean that we rose from, swim in, and will one day return to” – and that love can set us free.

Singer and instrumentalist Rhiannon Giddens’ iconic brand of folk music spotlights people whose contributions to American musical history have been overlooked or erased, and advocates for a more accurate understanding of the country’s musical origins through art. A two-time Grammy Award winner, MacArthur fellow and composer, she was awarded the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her debut opera Omar. Her highly-anticipated new solo album, You’re the One, releases in August.

For 50 years, San Francisco’s Kronos Quartet has challenged and reimagined what a string quartet can be, centering its work around the key issues of our time. Kronos has commissioned, performed and recorded works that engage with topics such as war and destruction, the climate crisis, social injustice and spirituality. Now, the multi-Grammy Award-winning quartet marks its anniversary with a program of new commissions, signature works from its vast repertoire, and pieces from its Fifty for the Future project.

Two Superpowers: Navigating China and America in the New Age of Uncertainty

Starbucks is opening a new store in China every 15 hours and TikTok is redefining American social media – even as tensions build over Taiwan, cyberhacking and threats to global health. For the first time in a generation, the world has entered an era dominated by two superpowers. Unlike rivals in the Cold War, the U.S. and China are also entwined on an unprecedented scale. Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award and numerous other honors for his reporting on China, Evan Osnos, one of our preeminent analysts of global affairs and U.S. politics, combines deep knowledge with up-to-the-minute insights to assess the new global balance of power. Are China and America on a collision course, or can we find common ground?