About | Boston Court Pasadena

Colony Collapse (2016)

Mission

Boston Court creates and nurtures innovative, boundary-pushing art that invokes the power of collective imagination to illuminate our common humanity.

Vision

Expanding our capacity for empathy and change.

Artistic Ethos

We’re passionate about the heightened, the lyrical, the never-seen-before, the boundary-breaking. We’re drawn to art that excavates the depth of human existence or dances in and out of ineffable wonder. We fall for the imaginative, the impossible, the incandescent. We love the absurd. We swoon for the cerebral. We bow down to heartbreak and humor, especially when we don’t see them coming. Show us the magic of what’s real and the tangibility of what’s ethereal.

HISTORY

We opened our doors in 2003 after philanthropist Z. Clark Branson decided to give back to the Pasadena community that fostered his love of the arts from a young age. Mr. Branson built a state-of-the-art facility that includes a 99-seat Main Stage and an 80-seat flexible space. A non-profit entity (The Theatre at Boston Court d/b/a Boston Court Pasadena) was created and charged with maintaining the facility as well as programming and funding its operations.

Each year, we produce a season of more than 100 exciting performances in theatre and music, including an Emerging Artists Series and a New Play Reading Festival. We also showcase rotating visual art exhibits that complement the themes of our music and theatre programming.

VIRTUAL BUILDING TOUR

Join Managing Director Cheryl Rizzo for a hysterical tour through the building we miss so much.

The Theatre at Boston Court (d/b/a Boston Court Pasadena) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation, volunteering time, or would simply like further information, call 626.683.6801 or click below.

DONATE

VALUES

Where we Stand

Land Acknowledgement

Boston Court Pasadena is located on the unceded lands of the Tongva, Gabrielino, and Kizh peoples, specifically the lands of the Hahamog’na band of the Tongva tribe. We honor and uplift these still-enduring communities and we are grateful for their stewardship of these lands.

Kuuyam nahwá’a is a Tongva peoples concept that means guest exchange, a belief that when given a chance to affect history in a positive way that a human being would make the just move. One action people and institutions can take is to make a voluntary recurring contribution to support Tongva-led Land Back efforts, acknowledging both relationship and reciprocity to the lands and Native Peoples of Tovaangar, this place many of us now call home.

You can learn more about kuuyam nahwá’a and make your contribution on the Tongva Taraxat Paaxavxa Conservancy website: https://tongva.land/donate-personal/

Anti-Racist Ethos

We acknowledge that Boston Court Pasadena specifically, and our institutions in general, have taken their rules and practices from a country founded, built, and nurtured on white supremacy and that these rules and practices have caused harm. Since systemic racism and oppression are a part of the fabric of our history and our culture, dismantling and re-envisioning our institution and our systemic practices through an anti-racist lens will be constant and ongoing work, that must be woven through our organizational culture, artistic practices, and through all the spaces and places of our institution.

BCP is committed to uprooting and changing all systems of oppression, including those based on race, ethnicity, gender, ability, age, class, appearance, and religion. This work is ongoing, and we will continue to address additional areas as we continue our review of practices that need to change.

The outlined policies are a summary based on the work we have been doing internally for the past year. If you have any questions or would like more information on specifics of the policies summarized, please email us at socialimpact@bostoncourtpasadena.org.

To read the entirety of our Anti-Racism Statement & Policies, click the button to the right.

Community Code of Conduct

As an inclusive and welcoming organization, let us celebrate each other’s differences and still work together to create the respectful, kind, and safe environment we all deserve. We want you to have a great experience here. To that end, please help us uphold our Community Code of Conduct. The entirety of our Code of Conduct can be read by clicking the button to the right.

Anti-Racism Statement & Policies

Community Code of Conduct

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EDWARD RADA, CHAIR
ROBERT LEVENTER, VICE CHAIR
KRIS FUJITA, SECRETARY
CHRIS WERNER, TREASURER

LIZA BERES
Z. CLARK BRANSON
WALT COCHRAN-BOND
JERED GOLD
NIK GOMEZ
ROBIN GREEN
SANDY GREENSTEIN
ROBBIN KELLEY
DAMARIS MONTALVO
RACHEL MOORE
YVETTE SANCHEZ
TONY SEGALL
EILEEN T’KAYE
NICK VASELS
JOY VELUZ
ARLENE WITHERS

EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS

BILL ANAWALT
JOE CARTER
TOM JACOBSON
SARAH LYDING
GRETA MANDELL
JON NEUSTADTER
MICHAEL RUFF

Staff

JESSICA KUBZANSKY
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Jessica Kubzansky (she/her/hers) is a champion of innovation and artistic excellence, and as such she was invited to be one of two founding artistic directors of Boston Court Pasadena, creating a mission and vision for the company that produces risky adventurous new work coupled with intimate artistic excellence. Now Kubzansky shepherds all the art created at Boston Court, including rich and eclectic music concerts as well as theatre. She is a passionate music lover and also an award-winning director working both locally and in regional theatres nationally. She is committed to illumination of texts and scores to create works that crack open minds and hearts so that people who experience the work walk out changed. Kubzansky creates inventive work across many genres. She is known as a play-whisperer for her ability to dramaturg new plays, breathe powerful life into classic adaptations, and create exciting new takes on old classics; and she nurtures innovative approaches to classic music, as well as urging musicians and composers to innovate their own practices. Her recent work at Boston Court includes staged excerpts of Philip Glass’s Madrigal Opera, a development workshop of Julia Adolphe and Stephanie Fleishman’s new children’s opera, as well as world premieres of Kit Steinkellner’s Ladies, Sarah B. Mantell’s Everything That Never Happened, plus for Boston Court elsewhere, Luis Alfaro’s Mojada, A Medea in Los Angeles (The Getty Villa), Sheila Callaghan’s Everything You Touch (Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre at The Cherry Lane). Recently at other venues: The Father with Alfred Molina (The Pasadena Playhouse), Othello (A Noise Within), Jeanne Sakata’s Hold These Truths (San Diego Rep, Arena Stage), Aditi Kapil’s Orange (South Coast Rep), Stupid Fucking Bird (ACT, Seattle), Most recently she directed a piece for Flash Acts, an international play festival of Russian and American artists produced by Arena Stage in D.C. Kubzansky teaches graduate playwrights and directors at UCLA, has her MFA in Direction from the California Institute of the Arts, and her undergraduate degree in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins and Harvard. She has received many awards and honors, among them the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle’s Margaret Harford Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatre.

Contact Jessica
jessicak@bostoncourtpasadena.org
626.683.6888

Image Description: Jessica against a red background. Jessica is a woman of size who sports a mischievous smile, reddish-brown curly short hair, brown eyes, glasses, is wearing a black top with her typical black long scarf and two red necklaces.

MANUEL PRIETO
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Manuel (Manny) Prieto (he/his/him) is a visionary leader who has tirelessly championed equitable arts access and engagement for the community of greater Los Angeles. He was formerly the Director of Education at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and prior to that, Manny was the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Music and Art School (LAMusArt), a not-for-profit arts education institution in East Los Angeles with a 78-year history. Prior to joining LAMusArt, Prieto worked in the education department at Center Theatre Group coordinating accessibility programs at the Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum and Kirk Douglas Theatre and implemented bilingual curriculum for their initiative “The Shop: Theatre in Your Everyday Life”. Prieto holds a B.F.A. from the University of Southern California in Theater Design and a M.A. in Nonprofit Management from Antioch University. He was co-chair of the Americans for the Arts Emerging Leaders Council, member of the steering committee of the Latinx Theatre Alliance-LA and a former LACDAC internship program participant and peer mentor.

Contact Manuel
manuelp@bostoncourtpasadena.org
626.683.6800

Image Description: Headshot of Manny smiling. He has short black hair and sports a navy blue blazer, black tipped- white oxford button-down shirt, black slacks and has his right hand casually placed in his pocket.

MARGARET SHIGEKO STARBUCK
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Margaret Shigeko Starbuck (she/her/hers) has worked as a director, assistant director, scenic designer, and occasional actor throughout the L.A. area. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television with a B.A. in Theater in 2017. In her moments of free time she enjoys salsa dancing, binging soothing reality tv, and surfing badly.

Contact Margaret
margarets@bostoncourtpasadena.org

Image Description: Headshot of a serious-looking Margaret in 3/4 profile against a brown backdrop. She has shoulder-length thick brown hair, tan skin and wears dark red lipstick, a mustard yellow shirt, and a dark purple velvet blazer.

JESSE SOTO
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR & FACILITIES MANAGER
ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION MANAGER

Jesse Soto (he/him/his) has worked in almost every aspect of technical theatre since 2002, both in the professional and academic world. He has been a TD, Set Designer, Lighting Designer, Prop Master, Master Carpenter and Master Electrician, often performing multiple roles simultaneously. He graduated with a BA in Technical Theatre and Lighting Design from the University of La Verne. When he’s not hanging off the grid, crawling under the deck or just hammering away on set, he is spending his days with his amazing wife and beautiful daughter and sons.

Contact Jesse
jesses@bostoncourtpasadena.org
626.683.6885

ADRIAN CENTENO
LITERARY MANAGER

Adrian Centeno (he/him) is a dramaturg and arts educator based in Los Angeles. He’s developed new works at South Coast Repertory, San Diego Repertory Theatre, New York Stage & Film, Teatro Bravo, Childsplay Theatre Company, foolsFURY Theater Company, and Playwrights’ Arena, among others. A fierce advocate for new plays, Adrian has proudly served on new play development grant panels and selection committees for the National Endowment for the Arts, Page 73, and Signature Theatre. He is a member of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas and has presented work in progress at their international conferences. He’s also an Affiliate Dramaturg with Beehive Dramaturgy Studio in New York City. Adrian is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz, where he recently received the 2021 Graduate Division Distinguished Alumni Award. He’s thrilled to join the outstanding team at Boston Court Pasadena.

Contact Adrian
adrianc@bostoncourtpasadena.org

Image description: Headshot of a smiling Adrian in his home office. He has short black hair, thick-framed black glasses, and black facial hair. He sports a red and gray flannel print dress shirt with the top button open slightly.

HANNAH TRUJILLO
PATRON SERVICES MANAGER

Hannah Trujillo (she/ her/ hers) is an L.A.-based actor, administrator, and teaching artist. Since earning her BFA in Acting from the California Institute of the Arts, she has worked regularly as an actor and originated the role of Yolie in Octavio Solis’s Scene With Cranes, produced by CalArts Center for New Performance. She has worked regularly with the San Diego Rep, OnStage Playhouse, and Coin & Ghost Theatre Company as an actor as well. For several years, she worked as a teaching artist with the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, the Educational Theatre Institute, and the Two Cents Summer Theatre Camp, teaching every age from 6 years old to high school seniors. She served briefly as a Behavior Interventionist for children with autism with Easterseals. Hannah believes that access to quality arts education is crucial for the health and well-being of people everywhere. She now serves as the Patron Services Manager for Boston Court Pasadena, where she is delighted to create a welcoming space for all.

Contact Hannah
hannaht@bostoncourtpasadena.org

Image description: Headshot of Hannah smiling against a warm brown backdrop, wearing an olive green top. She has long brown hair, brown eyes, and fair olive skin.

EMMAJO SPENCER
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE

EmmaJo Spencer (she/her/hers) is thrilled to work with Boston Court Pasadena following her time with the organization as a Graduate Fellow. She has recently graduated from Claremont Graduate University with an MA for Arts Management. She has spent time teaching after school arts programs in San Bernardino County and works regularly in administration and enrichment programming. When she is not working at the Theatre you can find her hiking in the mountains or drinking a cup of tea with her newest novel.

Contact EmmaJo
emmajos@bostoncourtpasadena.org

Image description: Headshot of EmmaJo smiling against a blue backdrop, wearing an peach top.

MAX HUNTER
ENGAGEMENT INTERN

Max Hunter is a writer, actor, and producer finishing his last semester as a Theatre and Performance major at Emerson College. During his time at Emerson he’s been deeply involved in the school’s rich comedy scene, running the sketch and improv troupe Swomo Comedy as its president. Last year he worked as Founding Communications Producer for Troupalooza, Emerson’s first ever national comedy festival. He also worked as a staff writer and radio host at both the school’s radio stations, WERS and WECB. He’s currently attending Emerson’s Los Angeles program where he is working on founding the campus’s first comedy troupe. He is beyond excited to work at Boston Court as an Engagement Intern!

Image description: Headshot of Max smiling against a grey backdrop.

STEPHANIE SHERWOOD
ART UPFRONT COORDINATOR

Stephanie Sherwood is an artist and curator living in Los Angeles. Her curatorial projects have been on view at the Torrance Art Museum, Durden and Ray, Finishing Concepts, LTAC Studio and Angels Gate Cultural Center among others. Her artwork has been shown internationally and in the United States, including the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, LA Artcore, The Brand Library and Art Center and DAC Gallery. Sherwood’s work and curatorial projects have been included in several publications including Artillery, Art and Cake, ArtHabens Contemporary Art Review, LA Weekly, Murze Magazine and Voyage LA.

Image description: The color photograph depicts Stephanie from the waist up with her arms crossed and smiling and facing towards the left of the frame. She has long brown hair and wearing a brown blazer over a patterned top.

FANSHEN COX
SOCIAL IMPACT CONSULTANT

Award-winning playwright, actor, producer & educator, Fanshen Cox (she/her/hers) toured her one-woman show: One Drop of Love across the country for 7 years. Fanshen is also a Producer and Development Executive at Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s Pearl Street Films. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cape Verde, West Africa, and holds a BA in Spanish & Education, an MA in TESOL, and an MFA in TV, Film & Theatre. She has been honored with Distinguished Alumni Awards from CSULA and from Teachers College, Columbia University. Fanshen is also a co-author of the Inclusion Rider which was announced at the 2018 Oscar awards by Frances McDormand and the co-creator and co-host of the Webby nominated podcast Sista Brunch – highlighting Black womxn striving in entertainment and media.

MICHAEL MICHETTI
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS

Michael Michetti (he/him/his) was an Artistic Director of Theatre at Boston Court Pasadena for sixteen seasons, since its inception. He directed Romeo & Juliet, its inaugural production, in 2003, the first of 18 productions during his tenure as Artistic Director. While at Boston Court he directed the world premieres of: Dan O’Brien’s The House in Scarsdale, Dan Dietz’s American Misfit, Kathryn Walat’s Creation, Tom Jacobson’s The Twentieth-Century Way (also at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, NY), Deborah Stein’s God Save Gertrude, his own adaptation of A Picture of Dorian Gray (also at A Noise Within, Pasadena), and Eric Whitacre’s musical Paradise Lost: Shadows & Wings. Other Boston Court productions include: David Hare’s The Judas Kiss, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Roland Schimmelpfennig’s The Golden Dragon, Eric Coble’s My Barking Dog, Aaron Posner’s Stupid Fucking Bird, John Walch’s The Dinosaur Within, Jason Grote’s 1001, Carlos Murillo’s Dark Play or Stories for Boys, Sinan Ünel’s Pera Palas, and Charles L. Mee’s Summertime.

Elsewhere his directing credits include: King Charles III and A Life in the Theatre (Pasadena Playhouse); the world premiere of Robert Schenkkan’s Building the Wall (Fountain Theatre); District Merchants (South Coast Rep); Frankenstein, Figaro, The Grapes of Wrath, Hamlet and As You Like It (A Noise Within); Brecht’s Edward II (Circle X); Noises Off (PlayMakers); Kiss Me, Kate, Carousel, and Man of La Mancha (Reprise). He is the recipient of many Los Angeles area theatre awards for his direction including an Ovation Award, a Stage Raw Award, and five LA Drama Critics Circle Awards.

Contact Michael
michaelm@bostoncourtpasadena.org

EILEEN T’KAYE
FOUNDING PRODUCING DIRECTOR

has been acting, producing, and general managing in theatre for 30+ years. Her work has been honored with Ovation, L.A. Drama Critics Circle, L.A. Weekly, OOBR, Drama-Logue and Garland Awards. Her NY productions have been honored with Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Tony Award nominations. Ms. T’Kaye most recently appeared as Hucklebee in The Fantasticks at Reprise! and as Mrs. Peachum in Threepenny Opera at International City Theatre. She has performed on the Boston Court Pasadena mainstage in Gulls, Medea and Summertime. She lives in Pasadena with her amazing husband David and their three feline kids.

Z. CLARK BRANSON
FOUNDING DIRECTOR

Raised in Pasadena, Clark is fulfilling a lifelong dream with the creation of Boston Court Pasadena. He was honored with the Pasadena Art Council’s 2005 Gold Crown Award, for recognition of excellence in and support of the arts. He has produced musical concerts, workshops, world premiere plays and musicals for over 25 years. An artist in his own right, Clark is a painter, a published author and well known for his folk singing and storytelling.

CONTACT US

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions or feedback regarding your visit, ticket booking or something else. We look forward to hearing from you!

STREET ADDRESS
70 N Mentor Ave Pasadena, CA 91106

MAILING ADDRESS
Boston Court, P.O. Box 60187 Pasadena, CA 91116-6187

BOX OFFICE
626.683.6801, boxoffice@bostoncourtpasadena.org

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
626.683.6883

MEDIA INQUIRIES
Contact us at marketing@bostoncourtpasadena.org

PLAY SUBMISSIONS
Please do not send play submissions to the address. To find out more about our play submission policy, please visit our submission page

SOCIAL MEDIA
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Staff Directory

THEATRE PRODUCTION HISTORY

(Key to designations below)

2019

The Judas Kiss by David Hare

Ladies by Kit Steinkellner WP

How the Light Gets In by E.M. Lewis WP

2018

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Her Portmanteau by Mfoniso Udofia SP

Everything That Never Happened by Sarah B. Mantell WP

2017

Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Boops by Jen Silverman SP

The House in Scarsdale by Dan O’Brien WP

With Love and A Major Organ by Julia Lederer

2016

Colony Collapse by Stefanie Zadravec WP

The Golden Dragon by Roland Schimmelpfennig

Bars and Measures by Idris Goodwin RWP

2015

The Missing Pages of Lewis Carroll by Lily Blau, dvlpd in collab with Sydney Gallas WP

My Barking Dog by Eric Coble SP

Shiv by Aditi Brennan Kapil

Seven Spots on the Sun by Martin Zimmerman (co-pro with Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre) WCP

*Mojada…A Medea in Los Angeles by Luis Alfaro (co-pro with The Getty Villa, Malibu)

*Everything You Touch by Sheila Callaghan (Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre at The Cherry Lane, NYC)

*Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (The Flea Theater, NYC)

The Twentieth Century Way by Tom Jacobson (Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, NYC)

2014

Se Llama Christina by Octavio Solis RWP

Everything You Touch by Sheila Callaghan (co-pro with Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre) WP

Stupid Fucking Bird by Aaron Posner (co-pro with Circle X Theatre Co.) SP

Happy Days by Samuel Beckett

*Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (Commonwealth Shakespeare Co., Boston)

2013

Cassiopeia by David Wiener WP

American Misfit by Dan Dietz SP

Alcestis by Nancy Keystone (co-pro with Critical Mass Performance Group) WP

RII by William Shakespeare and Jessica Kubzansky WP

2012

The Treatment adapted from the Chekhov short story for stage by Richard Alger and Tina Kronis (co-pro with Theatre Movement Bazaar) WP

The Children by Michael Elyanow WP

The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol adapted by Oded Gross (co-pro with Furious Theatre Co.) WP

Creation by Kathryn Walat WP

2011

Camino Real by Tennessee Williams (co-pro with CalArts Theatre)

How To Disappear Completely and Never Be Found by Fin Kennedy AP

Heavier Than… by Steve Yockey WP

The Dinosaur Within by John Walch SP

2010

Oedipus el Rey by Luis Alfaro RWP

The Twentieth-Century Way by Tom Jacobson WP

The Good Book of Pedantry and Wonder by Moby Pomerance (co-pro with Circle X Theatre Co.) WP

Futura by Jordan Harrison SWP

2009

Tartuffe by Molière, transl. by Donald Frame

Courting Vampires by Laura Schellhardt WP

The Pain and the Itch by Bruce Norris (co-pro with Furious Theatre Co.)

God Save Gertrude by Deborah Stein, music by David Hanbury, lyrics by Stein & Hanbury WP

2008

Othello by William Shakespeare (co-pro with LA Women’s Shakespeare Co.)

1001 by Jason Grote SP

Gulls – book & lyrics by Nick Salamone, music by Maury McIntyre (a musical adaptation of Chekhov’s The Seagull) WP

The Sequence by Paul Mullin WP

2007

Gilgamesh adapted from Stephen Mitchell for the stage by Stephen Sachs WP

Bleed Rail by Mickey Birnbaum WP

Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings – music and book by Eric Whitacre, lyrics by David Norona and Eric Whitacre WP

Dark Play or Stories for Boys by Carlos Murillo SP

2006

A Picture of Dorian Gray – adapted from Oscar Wilde for the stage by Michael Michetti WP

The Winchester House by Julia Cho WP

Unfinished American Highwayscape #9 & 32 by Carlos Murillo WP

The America Play by Suzan-Lori Parks

2005

Medea by Euripides, transl. by Paul Roche

Echo’s Hammer by Ken Roht WP

Pera Palas by Sinan Unel (co-pro with Antaeus Theatre Co)

Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht, adaptation by David Hare

2004

Cold/Tender by Cody Henderson WP

Summertime by Charles L. Mee

A Winter People by Chay Yew USP

Light by Jean-Claude Van Itallie WP

2003

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Key:

WP: World Premiere

RWP: Rolling World Premiere

SWP: Shared World Premiere

SP: Second Production

WCP: West Coast Premiere

USP: US Premiere

* denotes production produced off-site.

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