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Costa Mesa Playhouse urges Newport‑Mesa to negotiate after lease cancellation; community warns of cultural loss
Summary
Representatives of the 60‑year Costa Mesa Playhouse told the Newport‑Mesa Unified School District board their lease was canceled with a June 29 move‑out date and asked the district to negotiate an extension or alternative space. The board said it prioritizes the arts and welcomed good‑faith conversations.
The Costa Mesa Playhouse told the Newport‑Mesa Unified School District board on Tuesday that a recently canceled lease threatens the theater’s ability to complete its 60th season and risks ending decades of community arts programming.
"Our lease, which was supposed to go until 2026, had been canceled and we needed to vacate the building by June 29," Mike Brown, president of the Playhouse board of directors, said during public comment. He asked the district to "work with us in good faith" and called the short notice devastating for an organization that has trained students and staged more than 200 productions.
Other Playhouse supporters outlined similar concerns. Kathy Paladino, a longtime educator and Playhouse board member, described the troupe’s community partnerships — from ALS fundraising to senior‑center matinees — and said losing the venue would be "a huge blow to our patrons, our performers, our production teams" and the region’s cultural life. Peter Kreider, the Playhouse’s newly appointed artistic director, said the group has already invested "thousands of dollars" in rights and planning for its sixtieth season and asked for more time to fundraise and transition gracefully.
The public pleas came after the district earlier announced it was reusing space at Ray Elementary as part of a school redesign. Superintendent Smith responded during superintendent comments that the district "prioritizes the arts" and said staff "welcome the conversation" about a good‑faith process with Playhouse representatives. Smith also noted the district will open a full‑size theater on the West Side next year and said no final decision has been made about the coastal corridor surplus property that Playhouse advocates mentioned.
Playhouse speakers framed the issue as both practical and cultural: they described immediate operational impacts — loss of rehearsal and performance space, near‑term move deadlines and storage costs for equipment — and broader consequences for arts access, education and minority representation in local theater. "To lose this theater would be tragic," Angel Correa said, asking trustees to meet in person to discuss extensions or alternatives.
The board did not take immediate formal action on the Playhouse requests during the meeting. Superintendent Smith said district staff would provide materials requested by the public and that district leaders are open to meeting to discuss potential accommodations, while reiterating the district’s broader facilities plans.
Next steps: Playhouse representatives urged the board to meet directly and to consider a temporary extension so the group can complete its current season and seek alternative arrangements. The district said staff will continue conversations and make the Playhouse’s report and related materials available for review.
