La Jolla Playhouse raised a record-breaking $1.5 million at its 2016 gala on the UCSD campus, held March 21 to support the theater’s education and outreach and new play development programs. The event featured a tribute to the life, career and legacy of Playhouse co-founder Gregory Peck. Peck’s children, Cecilia Peck Voll, Carey Peck and Stephen Peck were in attendance, as was actor Angie Dickinson. Philanthropist Debby Jacobs chaired the event for the 15th straight year.
Lead sponsors included Qualcomm, Van Cleef & Arpels and Merrill Lynch.
La Jolla native Peck founded La Jolla Playhouse in 1947 with fellow actors Dorthy McGuire and Mel Ferrer. The company was revived in 1983 under artistic director Des McAnuff and since then has staged 44 world premieres, 24 West Coast premieres and 7 American premieres. It has won more than 300 honors, including the 1993 Tony Award for Best Regional Theater. It is supported in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, and the City and County of San Diego.
Christopher Ashley succeeded McAnuff as artistic director in 2007.