Playhouse Founder Decries Downtown Redo

It was with great interest that I read the articles in the local media regarding the prepared at a cost of $500,000. I searched the pictures first and could not find a trace of the , the group I founded in 1989 and established a home for in San Juan Capistrano with the foresight and support of the City Council and other civic leaders in 1991.

The fledgling group rallied volunteers to move literally tons of city-owned, discarded office equipment and other material, including, interestingly enough, boxes of the then-current Master Plan! 

It was a sad surprise to see the only mention in the Master Plan of the Camino Real Playhouse was that it was  

Over the years, the group has grown from a handful of dedicated patrons who enjoyed our first live theatre in reclaimed bentwood chairs to a thriving organization with two stages offering a variety of theatrical events throughout the year, including an annual playwriting festival that honors 15 new playwrights selected from over 200 entries; the annual Capistrano Shakespeare Festival in ; an annual melodrama based (loosely!) on historic San Juan events; plus 10 other performances in both stages during the year.

In addition to the regular shows on both stages, the group is proud of these contributions:

• Youth classes that provide weekly training and performance opportunities for 30-90 students year-round
• Adult classes in acting, auditioning and improv
• Monthly stand-up comedy
• Monthly musical concerts
• Provided "home base" for many student films with Chapman University, Saddleback College and other independent film productions. 

The group is an active participant in all city events and supports other local nonprofits in the community.  In this past season, the group has provided gift certificates for two to over 100 nonprofits to support their fundraisers.    

Every year, many of our students and theatre family choose theatre as a career -- as performers (some on Broadway!), teachers, choreographers, writers and technicians.  We are continually enhancing the community through performing arts.

It’s thrilling for me personally to see my "baby" finally grown up to a healthy 21-year-old business. It is saddening to see it then killed by a Master Plan prepared by consultants from some other city who turned a deaf ear to all the benefits the group provides to the community. It is crushing to see current city leaders also turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to a group that brings performing arts to the community, providing entertainment and theatrical training to upwards of 10,000 patrons a year! 

These folks shop and eat in San Juan because of the Camino Real Playhouse, not because of a parking structure in its place.

Please, current civic leaders and patrons of the arts, band together now to not only preserve the legacy of the Camino Real Playhouse, but to take this opportunity of future growth and restructuring of our downtown to help the playhouse become the Performing Arts Center that San Juan Capistrano deserves and will love for generations to come.

Sincerely,

BJ Scott

Founder, Camino Real Playhouse