ABOUT US
Huntington Beach Playhouse
at the Huntington Beach Central Library Theater
The Huntington Beach Playhouse offers a wide variety of live theatre experiences to the community. We present dramatic, comedy and musical productions and offer opportunities for people of all ages to advance their stagecraft and technical skills.
We also depend on many volunteers to support the theater and provide scholarships to assist students in their pursuit of education in the dramatic arts.
Huntington Beach Playhouse is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization. That means your contributions can be tax-deductible! Your help is needed, so why not give to support the arts in your community today? Click here to learn more.
Huntington Beach Playhouse (HBPH) is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board is elected annually by those who have joined the general membership; membership is open to all interested individuals and costs just $20 per year. In addition to the Board, we depend upon the support of volunteers to assist with program selection, fundraising, set construction, wardrobe fitting, ushering and numerous other activities necessary to produce a full season of shows. You may contact the members of the Board by e-mail at the addresses shown below.
Huntington Beach Playhouse Staff
Betty Greene – Box Office Manager
Nancy Standeford – Box Office Staff
Laurie Fisher – Office Manager
Joni Stockinger – Costume Mistress
Jon Hyrkas – Lighting Designer
Dan Baird – Sound Designer
Marty and Mary Eckmann – Master Carpenters
Larry Shaugnessy – Master Carpenter
Cecily Gish – Volunteer Coordinator
Huntington Beach Playhouse Board of Directors
2010-2011
Jolyn Turner – President
Chris Grisey – Secretary
Anne Culpepper – Producing Board Member
Jan R. Fournier – Encore Committee Chair
Harold Gooder – Producing Board Member
Mike Grisey – Facilities Co-Manager/Fundraising
Terry Gunn – Producing Board Member
Beverley Lucero – Producing Board Member
Daniel Lucero – Producing Board Member
How It All Began
It all started in 1962-63, when a Citizen's Advisory Committee was organized to assist the mayor with planning for growth in Huntington Beach, which then was known as the "fastest growing city in Orange County." A cultural committee was organized and community theater was discussed as something for the future, after other more urgent problems were solved. But one of the committee members, Helen Susman, was anxious to get going and she invited anyone interested in forming a community theater group to meet at her home on February 28, 1963. Nine people showed up and on that evening Huntington Beach Playhouse received its name, its officers, its projects, and its tomorrows. The first General Membership Meeting was held on March 11, 1963 at which time the group grew to 24 members. It was decided that the first play to be performed would be the Mary Chase comedy, "Harvey". To raise funds for royalties and facility rental, Francis Merriman, the Treasurer, hosted a benefit luncheon and fashion show at the country club. With the profits from the luncheon and loans from several board members, Harvey was produced and performed on June 27, 28 & 29, 1963 in the Music Room of the Huntington Beach High School.
The next play was George Kelly's famous character study, The Show Off, performed during September/October 1963 in the Music Room of the Huntington Marina High School. Following that was Roman Candle which was performed on January 10, 11, 17 & 18, 1964 at still another location, the Memorial Hall in downtown Huntington Beach. A great success followed in April/May 1964 with the Ayn Rand courtroom play, The Night Of January 16th. The appropriate location was the Municipal Court and the play ran 4 weekends. We were becoming quite a hit and it soon became apparent that a real home was needed for the Huntington Beach Playhouse.
On The Move
It wasn't long before the General Manager of the Huntington Beach Company, Mr. Edmund Hartsook, offered HBPH the use of "the barn" on Main Street, with lots of parking space and great potential. A community landmark, it was just what the name implied: an old barn complete with a white owl and families of pigeons perched in the rafters gazing down on the humans huddling in blankets for board meetings and rehearsals. Stalag 17 was the first production and every playhouse member worked to convert the barn into a thrust stage theater with risers on three sides. By opening night, July 24, 1964, the essentials were there; seats, painted walls, dressing areas and primitive lighting. The barn's interior ruggedness offered a good atmosphere for the show's prison camp setting. There was one necessity that was really primitive; a portable chemical "Johnny" was set up down the hill. But, the public came, saw, and was completely conquered; community theater had "arrived" in Huntington Beach! Performances continued in the barn until 1976 when it was lost to redevelopment. Between 1976-78, HBPH performed dinner theater shows at the Hyatt Hotel on Pacific Coast Highway in Seal Beach.
In 1978, we relocated to the Seacliff Shopping Center, across the street from where the old barn had stood, and we renovated a storefront building. HBPH opened its doors again with a cute little comedy/farce, Boeing, Boeing, directed by Phil de Barros. As progress would have, in 1986 we found ourselves searching for another home. With the help of many dedicated volunteers, Board members and friends, we were able to secure the then vacant Gisler School, which we maintained until 1993.
A Home At Last
In the early '90s, after many meetings and lots of negotiation, we were able to persuade the City of Huntington Beach to include a theater in the new Huntington Beach Central Library. And we worked out a long-term agreement (20 years) with the City to rent that location for our theatrical performances. In 1994, we opened our season with Neil Simon's, Rumors in the new Central Library Theater. The show was an instant success and was voted the Patron's Choice for 1994! Since that time, we have continued to use the Central Park Library Theater for our main stage productions, and have often used the outdoor Central Park Amphitheater for Shakespeare in the Park productions.
With our vibrant new Board of Directors at the helm, we have begun to reinvigorate HBPH with an energy and drive to keep the Huntington Beach Playhouse fresh and relevant. We’re constantly striving to produce the highest quality plays and musicals that can be found on a community theater level. We are thankful to have such a welcoming community and look forward to producing even more dazzling productions with your spectacular talents!
Past Seasons
Gypsy
It’s A Wonderful Life - A Radio Play
2007
Little Shop of Horrors
Lend Me A Tenor
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
...And Then There Was Nun
HMS Pinafore
The Cemetery Club
The Legalities of Love
‘Twas With A Twist
2004
Stars In Your Eyes
Proposals
The Dining Room
The Desk Set
The Pirates of Penzance
Laura
Over The River
2001
Cabaret
Daddy’s Dyin’ (Who’s Got The Will?)
Blithe Spirit
The Odd Couple
Joseph...Technicolor Dreamcoat
Bus Stop
The Philadelphia Story
1998
Lend Me A Tenor
Inherit The Wind
Damn Yankees
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Unexpected Guests
Oklahoma!
Inspecting Carol
Gifts
1995
Nunsense
Accomplice
Jake’s Women
Into The Woods
A Few Good Men
Noises Off
The Tempest
Dates From Hell
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
1992
Little Shop of Horrors
Blithe Spirit
Sleuth
Stop The World...I Want To Get Off
The Hast Heart
1989
The Gin Game
Rehearsal For Murder
Of Mice And Men
Vanities
They’re Playing Our Song
1986
All Because of Agatha
Pajama Tops
Catch Me If You Can
Play On
Where’s Charley?
1983
Design For Murder
Marriage-Go-Round
Tribute
Carousel
Opal Is A Diamond
1980
Laura
The Imaginary Invalid
Bus Stop
Move Over, Mrs. Markham
California Suite
A Funny Thing Happened...Forum
Forty Carats
The Way To Christmas
1977
Norman, Is That You?
My Daughter Is Rated S
1974
Mrs. Gibbons’ Boys
Rain
Third Best Sport
The Land of The Dragon
Not Now, Darling
The Bat
1971
Generation
Roshomon
Rip Van Winkle
Plaza Suite
Arsenic and Old Lace
1968
Night Must Fall
Two Blind Mice
The Petrified Forest
Sir Slob and The Princess
1965
Ten Little Indians
A Thousand Clowns
Guest In The House
The Gazebo
2009
The Sound of Music
Arsenic & Old Lace
My Three Angels
The Diary of Anne Frank
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
The Odd Couple
It’s A Wonderful Life - A Live Radio Play
2006
A Grand Night For Singing
Alone Together
Moon Over Buffalo
You Can’t Take It With You
Surf City, U.S.A.!
Cash On Delivery
Auntie Mame
Christmas In The Land of Oz
A Song For Christmas
2003
West Side Story
Don’t Dress For Dinner
Mister Roberts
Heaven Can Wait
Quilters
Picnic
Ten Little Indians
2000
Evita
Painting Churches
Legends
Comedy of Errors
Love’s Labours Lost
Design For Murder
The Last Night of Ballyhoo
Proposals
1997
Guys and Dolls
The Man Who Came To Dinner
Barefoot In The Park
South Pacific
The Taming of The Shrew
Beau Jest
Dark Side
Dial M For Murder
Heidi
1994
Rumors
Stalag 17
Prelude To A Kiss
The Music Man
Mousetrap
Amadeus
Two Gentlemen of Verona
1991
The Man of La Mancha
Wait Until Dark
Steel Magnolias
Division Street
The Robber Bridegroom
1988
The Sunshine Boys
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Agatha Christie Made Me Do It
Playing Doctor
A Chorus Line
1985
The Farmer’s Daughter
Natalie Needs A Nightie
Tantalus
Best of Friends
A Room Full of Roses
No Hard Feelings
The Pirates of Penzance
1982
Angel Street
Ring Around The Moon
Visit To A Small Planet
A Man For All Seasons
The Gazebo
El Grande De Coca-Cola
Two and Two Make Sex
Visions of Sugar Plums
1979
Boing, Boing
Beginner’s Luck
The Second Time Around
1976
How The Other Half Loves
The Little Foxes
A Shot In The Dark
Harvey
1973
Heaven Can Wait
Middle of The Night
Exit The Body
The Emperor’s New Clothes
Cactus Flower
Monique
1970
Impossible Years
Waltz of The Toreadors
Hansel and Gretel
Once More With Feeling
My Three Angels
1967
Born Yesterday
Dracula
See How They Run
Boy Meets Girl
1964
Roman Candle
The Night of January 16th
Stalag 17
The Desk Set
2011
Oliver!
Run For Your Wife
Proof
Seussical
The Miss Firecracker Contest
Treasure Island
2008
The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas
The Good Doctor
Steel Magnolias
Under Papa’s Picture
Born To Ride The Waves
Luann
The Night of January 16th
Dracula-LA
2005
Bye, Bye Birdie
The Second Time Around
The Crucible
Plaza Suite
Hello Dolly!
The Golden Dream
Let Him Sleep ‘Til It’s Time...Funeral
Cancel Christmas
2002
A Chorus Line
No Sex, Please...We’re British
A Man For All Seasons
Squabbles
Ladies In Retirement
The Foreigner
1999
First Night
The Man of La Mancha
The Rainmaker
Arsenic and Old Lace
Much Ado About Nothing
Grease
The Haunting of Hill House
Laughter On The 23rd Floor
1996
A Funny Thing Happened...Forum
The Elephant Man
How The Other Half Loves
My Fair Lady
Murder By Misadventure
Romeo and Juliet
1993
Anything Goes
The Lion In Winter
Teahouse of The August Moon
The All Night Strut
On Golden Pond
1990
Camelot
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
The Taming of The Shrew
Murder By Natural Causes
Fools
1987
Life With Father
Dirty Work at The Crossroads
A Murder Is Announced
Dames at Sea
1984
Picnic
The Robin Hood Caper
Night Watch
Right Bed, Wrong Husband
Gramercy Ghost
Mrs. Gibbons’ Boys
West Side Story
1981
Double Door
A Bad Year for Tomatoes
The Paisley Convertible
The Heiress
Murder In The Magnolias
Guys and Dolls
Love, Sex and The I.R.S.
Visions of Sugar Plums
1978
How The Other Half Loves
1975
90-Day Mistress
Another Part of The Forest
My Daughter, Your Son
Rumpelstiltskin
Finishing Touches
Dear Friends
1972
The Girl In The Freudian Slip
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
Catch Me If You Can
Winnie The Pooh
Mary, Mary
Wait Until Dark
1969
Barefoot In The Park
Breath of Spring
Tom Sawyer
Fool’s Paradise
Invitation To A Murder
1966
Champagne Complex
Anniversary Waltz
Happy Times
The Rainmaker
1963
Harvey
The Show Off
Huntington Beach Playhouse
7111 Talbert Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
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(714)375-0696 - Box Office
(714) 375-0698 fax
HBPH Annex
18411 “F” Gothard Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
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(714)847-4357 Office
(714) 247-0457 fax
