Draft:North Coast Rep
Professional nonprofit theatre in Solana Beach
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
North Coast Rep (also known as North Coast Repertory Theatre or NCRT) is a professional theatre company located in Solana Beach, California. The company produces 7 mainstage productions in its 194-seat theatre each season.[1] In addition, the theatre also produces an annual holiday show and programs Variety Nights, which can range from comedy to music to improv to magic to solo performance.[1]
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Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest guideline, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. Zugzwanging (talk) 18:49, 27 March 2026 (UTC)
The Theatre School at North Coast Rep serves as the educational branch of the theatre. Its programming includes camps, classes, workshops, productions, and outreach tours.[2]
History
North Coast Rep was founded in 1982 by Olive and Tom Blakistone. After visiting the Lomas Santa Fe shopping center in search of a cone of ice cream, the couple realized that they could convert one of the vacant suites into a theatre. Beginning with a $13,000 investment for a 126-seat theatre, the couple opened North Coast Repertory Theatre on May 21, 1982.[3]
Olive Blakistone would serve as the founding Artistic Director, picking the plays for each season, and Tom Blakistone, a retired aerospace engineer-inventor turned business consultant served as the business manager.[3] The theatre's actors were paid weekly stipends but on non-equity contracts.[3] In 1988, the theatre spent $135,000 to renovate one of the larger suites in the plaza, doubling their physical footprint and upgrading their technical capabilities.[3]
Olive Blakistone announced her retirement as Artistic Director of North Coast Rep in the summer of 1997. In January of the following year, Olive and the Board of Directors named Sean Murray the new Artistic Director.[4]
In April of 2003, the theatre hired David Ellenstein as the third Artistic Director in the company's history.[5] Previously, Ellenstein had served as artistic director at the Los Angeles Repertory Theatre Company and the Arizona Jewish Theatre Company.[6] By 2005, North Coast Rep established itself as a professional theatre with a contract with the Actor's Equity Association.[6]
In September of 2011, the theatre announced the appointment of Bill Kerlin as Managing Director. Kerlin's experience had included sixteen seasons as the Director of Administration at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami, Florida.
In May of 2023, Ellenstein and Kerlin were announced as the next Artistic Director and Managing Director of Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach. The two would serve in the same capacity at both theatres.[7] As a part of the partnership, the theatres announced that they would also co-produce a few productions each season. The productions would originate at NCRT and then transfer with the same cast to Laguna Playhouse.[8] In December of 2024, Kerlin resigned from his position at Laguna Playhouse to focus solely on his work at North Coast Rep,[9] and in September of 2025, Ellenstein stepped down as Artistic Director at Laguna Playhouse "to pursue other life opportunities" while remaining in his position at North Coast Rep.[10]