Costa Mesa Playhouse needs a new home, as NMUSD repurposes Rea Elementary
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Costa Mesa Playhouse was planning the upcoming 2025-26 season at its theater on the grounds of Rea Elementary School to coincide with the nonprofit community theater’s 60th anniversary, when officials received some troubling news.
Newport-Mesa Unified School District — the property owner of the school where the Playhouse has leased a 73-seat theater for a nominal fee since 1984 — recently communicated its plan to terminate the lease after a 90-day notification period.
Although the warning had been issued in March, the news didn’t land until the theater’s board members checked a post office box on April 17 and found the termination letter inside.
The missive indicated the company had until June 29 to vacate the venue, meaning officials would have to find a new location to host productions and store its theater seats, stage equipment and other property in the interim.
“It was a shock,” Mark Tillman, director of communications and Playhouse board member, recalled Wednesday. “We had so many exciting plans built up to celebrate our 60th anniversary — we had a lot going on.”
Members and supporters quickly pivoted to advocating for the theater’s survival, appearing at an April 22 meeting of Newport-Mesa Unified’s Board of Trustees to plead for a lifeline.
“We fully understand the needs of the students must come first, with respect to the building’s usage, and we are eternally grateful for the support the school district has provided over the last 40 years,” Playhouse President Mike Brown told trustees. “That said, we implore you to work with us in good faith moving forward, considering any and all avenues to help relieve the burden your decision has placed on our organization. We have no place else to go.”
Playhouse Artistic Director Peter Kreder told school board members the group still had two more productions in the 2024/25 season and had invested thousands in next year’s 60th anniversary season, including purchasing the rights to multiple productions.
Were operations at Rea to cease, the nonprofit could be forced to find a new venue, paying steep market rates well beyond what the group’s coffers, consisting of modest box office receipts and community donations, could cover.
“My only wish is that we get a little more time to conclude our current season and have a graceful transition, which will allow us time to fundraise and gain support from the community and patrons, so the heartbeat of our theater can continue another 60 years,” he said.
In a separate interview Tuesday, Kreder said despite a “fantastic relationship” with NMUSD, the issue of the building’s usage has come up before.
“We have no place else to go.”
— Costa Mesa Playhouse President Mike Brown
“We’ve had instances of nearly losing the space — at one point we were told it was going to turn into a computer lab — and now that’s finally come to fruition,” he said.
Newport-Mesa Unified spokeswoman Annette Franco explained the decision to terminate its longstanding agreement with the Costa Mesa Playhouse was due to a grade level reconfiguration happening at Rea and Pomona elementary schools.
Starting in the fall, Rea will serve students from both schools in grades 2 through 6, while Pomona will be dedicated to youngsters attending preschool through first grade.
“The space is needed to continue to support high-quality academic and enrichment programs, both during and after the school day,” Franco wrote in an April 23 email.
“While we value our community partnerships, our lease agreement allows for termination with 90 days’ notice. This allows us to respond to evolving student needs and effectively plan for the upcoming academic year.”
Although the district’s actions fall within the terms of the latest two-year lease agreement, which was set to expire in June 2026, Kreder said NMUSD trustees Leah Ersoylu and Michelle Murphy met with theater leaders last Sunday, following the meeting, to learn more about the situation.
The Costa Mesa Playhouse is on the lookout for a new home after being told by Newport-Mesa Unified School District officials that the playhouse’s longtime headquarters at Rea Elementary School will be repurposed as a technology learning center.
And it seems a glimmer of hope may be on the horizon. A contingent of Playhouse board members met with district officials Tuesday evening and discussed the possibility of extending the move-out date to allow the current season to conclude.
Franco confirmed Wednesday Newport-Mesa staff are also considering possible alternative locations on school grounds that might accommodate Costa Mesa Playhouse productions.
Tillman said Wednesday he was cautiously optimistic.
“We’re still hopeful there are things to be worked out with the school district,” he said. “In the event we cannot find a space, we will be launching a fundraising campaign and crossing our fingers.”
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