Broad Stage

Broad Stage is a multidisciplinary performing arts venue located in Santa Monica, California, United States, opened in 2008 as part of a cultural complex affiliated with Santa Monica College. The venue presents a mix of dance, theatre, music and film programming and has hosted touring companies, solo artists, ensembles and festivals associated with regional and international arts networks. Broad Stage operates within a landscape shaped by municipal, philanthropic and educational institutions such as Santa Monica College, the California Arts Council and private foundations.

History

The theatre was established through a collaboration among Santa Monica College, private philanthropists including donors associated with the Eli and Edythe Broad philanthropic family, and civic entities like the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Conservancy. Its planning phase involved cultural policy discussions with stakeholders from the Los Angeles County arts community, producers linked to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and representatives from performing arts centers such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The venue's opening season featured partnerships with touring producers, presenters from New York institutions including Lincoln Center and Brooklyn Academy of Music, and local festivals that connect to film and music organizations like the American Film Institute and the Hollywood Bowl.

Architecture and Facilities

The building was designed in consultation with architects experienced on projects such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl renovations, and university performing arts centers on campuses like UCLA and USC. The 500-seat auditorium combines a thrust-stage configuration with acoustic treatments informed by work at venues like the Curtis Institute and Carnegie Hall. Support spaces include rehearsal studios, classrooms affiliated with Santa Monica College, and technical infrastructure compatible with touring companies from institutions such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the Mark Morris Dance Group. Backstage and lobby amenities were planned with input from theatrical consultants who have worked on venues like the Goodman Theatre and the Public Theater.

Programming and Performances

Programming has ranged from classical chamber music linked to presenters like the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and chamber ensembles that have performed at the Lincoln Center, to contemporary dance companies associated with the Merce Cunningham Trust and Cunningham alumni, to theatre productions tied to repertory companies such as the Royal National Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The roster also includes global music artists in the lineage of Buena Vista Social Club and Afrobeat pioneers, contemporary singer-songwriters who have toured with labels like Sub Pop and Domino Recording Company, and film-related events tied to the American Cinematheque and Sundance Institute. Seasonal festivals have brought collaborations with organizations like the Venice Biennale-affiliated presenters, the Getty Research Institute, and regionally focused groups such as the Los Angeles Dance Festival.

Education and Community Outreach

Educational initiatives are run in partnership with Santa Monica College academic programs, community arts organizations like LA County Arts Commission grantees, and youth ensembles modeled on programs from institutions such as El Sistema and the Los Angeles Philharmonic's youth programs. Outreach includes artist residencies, masterclasses featuring guest faculty from Juilliard, Berklee College of Music, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and community workshops developed with local nonprofits such as the Santa Monica Historical Society and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica. Collaborative projects have linked the venue with universities including UCLA Extension, USC Thornton School of Music, and community colleges in the California Community Colleges system.

Notable Artists and Productions

Artists who have appeared include performers associated with major companies and institutions such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Mark Morris Dance Group, the Kronos Quartet, and soloists who have recorded for labels like Deutsche Grammophon and ECM Records. The venue has hosted productions and tours connected to theatre makers from the Royal Shakespeare Company, directors who have worked at the Public Theater and the National Theatre, choreographers from the Martha Graham Dance Company, and collaborative projects featuring composers tied to institutions such as New York's Juilliard School and London's Royal College of Music. Special events have brought partnerships with festival producers from the New York Film Festival, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and curators affiliated with the Getty and LACMA.

Category:Performing arts centers in California Category:Theatres in Los Angeles County