Geffen Playhouse Renames Mainstage in Honor of Gil Cates

The Geffen Playhouse's annual fundraiser Backstage at the Geffen is always an evening full of surprises for the audience, but this year Producing Director Gil Cates got a surprise of his own. Unbeknownst to him, the board of the directors unanimously voted to name the organization's main stage the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse, an honor that actress and longtime supporter of the theater Rita Wilson announced at yesterday's event.

"It is largely due to Gil that this theater has become one of the most respected regional theaters in the country and the board wanted to recognize that," said Chairman of the Board Frank Mancuso. "Too often our friends and leaders are recognized on the heels of their retirement, but we wanted to make the decision to honor Gil now when he would be able to walk through the lobby and enjoy this for years to come."

Cates founded The Playhouse in 1994 and worked tirelessly and to turn it into the professional, world-class theater he had been advocating for as the founder and then Dean of UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television. Cates tapped his friends from the film and television industry for donations, put together a board, hired a managing director and ultimately secured a generous gift from philanthropist David Geffen to name to The Playhouse.

Under Cates' leadership, in a little more than 15 short years, the Geffen Playhouse has been honored with more than 35 regional theater awards and received national recognition for its presentation of new works and commissioned plays, including Donald Margulies' Times Stands Still, which is currently on Broadway. Cates is the former president and current treasurer of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and is also an Emmy Award winning producer who has helmed 14 Academy Award broadcasts over the past two decades. Currently Cates is directing the world premiere production of the new musical Nightmare Alley, which will open in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse on April 21 of this year.

The Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and musicals, the Geffen Playhouse continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company is helmed by Producing Director and President of the Board Gilbert Cates, Artistic Director Randall Arney, Managing Director Ken Novice and Chairman of the Board Frank Mancuso. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen Playhouse welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains an extensive education and outreach program, designed to engage young people and the community at large in the arts. For more information,  visit geffenplayhouse.com.