Creation of the San Diego County Arts Academy Announced

San Diego's first county-wide arts academy for public school students was launched on Wednesday, July 9 at 11:30 AM on stage at La Jolla Playhouse with Michael Greif, the Playhouse's Artistic Director, and his cast of RENT.

Named THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ARTS ACADEMY, it will initially provide 1,800 middle school students with in-depth training in theater, provided by working theater professionals from La Jolla Playhouse. Other arts disciplines, including dance, music and the visual arts, will be added in the future.

The three school districts which will participate in the first classes of THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ARTS ACADEMY are Carlsbad Unified, Lakeside and the Sweetwater Union High School District.

Participants in the July 9 kick-off ceremony included County Superintendent Rudy Castruita; Bill Stacy, President of California State University San Marcos; Terrence Dwyer, Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse; students from Sweetwater District's National City Middle School; and Michael Greif and the La Jolla Playhouse cast of Jonathan Larson's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical RENT.

The announcement was made on the Playhouse stage on the set of RENT. Students from Sweetwater District's National City Middle School sang "Seasons of Love" with the entire RENT cast and received a standing ovation.  Michael Greif states, "La Jolla Playhouse's ongoing commitment to arts education continues with this exciting partnership. I am enthusiastic about the Playhouse making such a unique contribution towards educating San Diego's youth."