David Ellenstein named new Interim Artistic Director of Laguna Playhouse
Laguna Playhouse and its Board of Directors announced today that North Coast Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director, David Ellenstein, has been named Interim Artistic Director for the Playhouse for the period of Oct. 3 through Jan. 1, 2023.
“We are thrilled to have David and his remarkable talent guide us through this transition until we find a new Artistic Director for the Playhouse,” Laguna Playhouse Board of Directors said in a release. “Mr. Ellenstein will help us select our 2023-2024 season and monitor all artistic and production needs of the current season.”
Ellenstein will continue as Artistic Director of North Coast Repertory Theatre during this transition. A new Artistic Director will be announced shortly.
Born into a theatrical family, David Ellenstein has worked in theatres across the country. Since 2003, Ellenstein has been the Artistic Director of North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach, Calif. He is the former Artistic Director of Los Angeles Repertory Company and Arizona Jewish Theatre. A veteran of over 300 theatrical productions, he has worked at theatres across the country for nearly five decades, including Coconut Grove Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Alabama, Great Lakes and California Shakespeare Festivals, Portland Stage, 59E59, The Meadowbrook Theatre, Colony Theatre and Laguna Playhouse.
Among the more than 60 productions that Ellenstein has directed at North Coast Rep, his favorites include The Remarkable Mister Holmes, which he co-authored, An Iliad, Dr. Glas (Streaming), Becoming Cuba (World Premiere), The Father (West Coast Premiere), Travels with My Aunt, Words by: Ira Gershwin (World Premiere), Freud’s Last Session, Becoming Dr. Ruthand A Funny thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. At other venues, memorable productions include The Glass Menagerie (Alabama Shakespeare), A Shayna Maidel (Gaslamp Quarter Theatre), The Chosen (Papermill Playhouse, The Coconut Grove Playhouse), Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Renaissance Theatre), Conversations With My Father (Portland Repertory Theatre), Cyrano de Bergerac (Southwest Theatre Company), Chapatti and Alexandros (Laguna Playhouse).
Ellenstein’s favorite roles as an actor include Andre Botvinck in A Walk In The Woods, Max Prince in Laughter on the 23rd Floor and Matt in Talley’s Folly at North Coast Rep, title roles in Hamlet at Los Angeles Theatre Center and Los Angeles Repertory Company; Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at Moonlight Stage, Richard III at California Shakespeare Festival; Einstein in Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Laguna Playhouse; Calisto in The Illusion and Harker in Dracula at the Arizona Theatre Company; Jonathan in Sight Unseen at North Coast Rep and Portland Repertory Theatre. David has appeared in more than two dozen roles in film and television and has been guest faculty for several universities, including California State Northridge and Cal Arts.
