Sierra Madre Playhouse Receives Perenchio Foundation Grant

(Sierra Madre, CA, October 9, 2024) The historic Sierra Madre Playhouse, an intimate performing arts center noted for its eclectic programming, is proud to announce that it is the recipient of 2024 General Operating Support Grant from the Perenchio Foundation. The $450,000 grant is the largest in Sierra Madre Playhouse’s history.

Perenchio Foundation’s General Operating Support Grants provide flexible funding to Los Angeles County arts organizations to bolster operational resilience. With a commitment for multiple years, these grants aim to help arts organizations address immediate needs, strengthen infrastructure, plan from a place of greater confidence and stability, and build capacity for a long-term future in the region.

“Sierra Madre Playhouse is deeply honored and incredibly grateful to receive this extraordinary support from the Perenchio Foundation,” said Matthew Cook, Sierra Madre Playhouse’s Artistic and Executive Director. “This transformative grant will be instrumental in enabling us to build a sustainable infrastructure, allowing us to increase our capacity to serve our community with an expected 162 performances next year. The generous support from the Perenchio Foundation marks a pivotal moment for the Sierra Madre Playhouse, enabling us to expand our team and enhance our operational capabilities, laying a solid foundation for our future. This investment is a testament to the foundation’s belief in Sierra Madre Playhouse’s mission and its role in enriching the region’s cultural landscape.”

Perenchio Foundation Chief Executive Officer Stephania Ramirez said, “We are proud to invest in organizations that have been pillars in their communities for years, offering high-quality, meaningful arts experiences that help move their craft forward. This multi-year support will help them to plan strategically and sustain their vital work in Los Angeles County.”

The Perenchio Foundation is a private foundation established by the late A. Jerrold “Jerry” Perenchio. The Perenchio Foundation believes that arts play an essential role in building more equitable, culturally vibrant, and inclusive communities, and is guided by a commitment to create a positive, lasting impact in the Los Angeles region through the arts. Learn more at www.perenchiofoundation.org.

Sierra Madre Playhouse, a vibrant Southern California cultural hub with a rich history spanning a century, energizes audiences and the community with distinctive theatrical productions and captivating live performances. Hailed as a “jewel” (Pasadena Weekly) and “a landmark theater” (ABC7 Los Angeles), the performing arts center has garnered tremendous accolades for its varied repertoire and thought-provoking education and outreach programs curated with social impact in mind. As one of San Gabriel Valley’s only performing arts center presenting a broad spectrum of performance genres, including theater, music, dance, film, comedy, and family-friendly productions featuring eminent local and national professional artists, the treasured artistic beacon draws audiences from across the Southland. 

The intimate 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse offers an up-close and personal connection to performances that resonate deeply, earning multiple Ovation Awards, NAACP Awards, and LA Times Critics’ Choice honors. Retaining its distinctive movie theater façade and instantly recognizable marquee, the structure has undergone numerous transformations since opening in 1910, from furniture emporium to silent movie theatre to the artistic institution that now stands as a vibrant embodiment of the region’s rich cultural legacy. The Sierra Madre Playhouse fosters creativity that aspires to bridge divides and spark dialogue, all while celebrating the rich tapestry of the American experience and the enduring pursuit of shared understanding. 

For information on the Sierra Madre Playhouse, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Photo courtesy of Sierra Madre Playhouse