By Sean Gray graduated from Cal State Long Beach in the spring of 2008 and two years later, so did Madison Mooney. The two have more in common than graduating from the same university, though – they both got promoted to directors at the Long Beach Playhouse this year.
The Long Beach Playhouse has been around since 1929 and, according to their vision statement, strives to provide diverse, socially significant, classic and contemporary plays. They collaborate with many artist organizations to put on 13 shows a year in their two theaters, the mainstage on the first floor and the studio theater on the second.
“In these times, especially, we want the community to know that we strive to be a welcoming environment,” Mooney said about the Playhouse.
In January, Mooney started as executive director and Gray became artistic director, on top of continuing his position as technical director.
After graduating with her degree in theater arts, Mooney started at the Long Beach Playhouse by volunteering to work on shows while working a day job until. She was officially hired in 2012. She worked her way up to one of the top positions, where she has a variety of tasks such as administrative work, acting as community liaison, handling finances and overseeing grant developments for the theater.
Mooney credits CSULB for giving her a very well rounded theater experience that not only included the artistic side of theater but, the management and administrative side as well.
Gray left CSULB with a degree in theater arts and an emphasis in acting and went straight to the Long Beach Playhouse as prop master, which had him purchasing, acquiring, manufacturing, properly placing and overseeing any props needed for a production. After some time, he became the technical director and handled the technical equipment, maintained lighting and sound equipment and organizing the technical production process.
He continues as technical director now as well as being artistic director. As artistic director, he is responsible for booking shows for the theater -even directing and producing some of them.
Gray credits his time at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa for teaching him more of the technical side of theater. As for CSULB, Gray said it’s where he learned to engage in theater and, as he said, “how to have [an artistic] vision.”
Both Mooney and Gray are excited to be moving up in the theater world and continue to strive forward.
“I’m happy where I’m at but, of course hope to keep growing to a bigger theater down the road,” Mooney said.
