A Noise Within
A Noise Within is a regional theater in Pasadena, California. Founded in 1991, the company performs classic works of the European canon as well as American playwrights, in rotating repertory.
History
[edit source]A Noise Within was founded in 1991 by co-artistic directors Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott, along with Art Manke, with $3,000 of their savings.[1][2] Their first production was of Hamlet in November 1991, followed in April 1992 by The Way of the World and The Merchant of Venice performed in repertory.[3] The company operated in a former Masonic Temple in Glendale, which they leased for $1 a year, first with 60-90 seats, and later 145 seats.[4][2] In 1999, they presented a season at California State University, Los Angeles but returned to the Masonic Temple after less than a year.[5][6]
In 2008, A Noise Within began fundraising to build a new theater in the former Stuart Pharmaceutical Company building in East Pasadena designed by Edward Durell Stone. SMV Technology Partners gave land to A Noise Within in exchange for assistance from the city of Pasadena to convert the rest of the building into apartments, The Stuart at the Sierra Madre Villa apartments. In October 2011, the company moved into the new 283-seat theater designed by John Berry Architects.[5][1][7] The 33,000 square foot building also houses the company's rehearsal rooms, scene and costume shops, offices, and a learning center. The first production in the new space was Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.[8] During the 2018-2019 season, an additional row was added to the theater, expanding capacity to 324 seats.[9]
In 2025, Charles McNulty called A Noise Within "one of the finest theater operations in town," writing in The Los Angeles Times that they, "cultivated in its loyal audience an understanding that the classical repertory exists in the present tense and can speak directly to us today."[10]
Awards and nominations
[edit source]| Awards | Production | Nominations | Wins | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Ovation Awards | The Rehearsal | 3 | 0 | |
| 2009 Ovation Awards | Oliver Twist | 2 | 0 | |
| 2010 Ovation Awards | Awake and Sing! | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 Ovation Awards | Great Expectations | 1 | 0 | |
| 2012 Ovation Awards | The Bungler | 1 | 0 | |
| 2013 Ovation Awards | Cymbeline | 1 | 1 | Won for Fight Choreography (Ken Merckx) |
| 2014 Ovation Awards | Pericles, Prince of Tyre | 2 | 0 | |
| 2014 Ovation Awards | Come Back, Little Sheba | 2 | 1 | Won for Lead Actress in a Play (Deborah Strang as Lola) |
- 2006 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle McCulloh Award for Best Revival for A Touch of the Poet[11]
- 2018 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle McCulloh Award for Best Revival for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead[12]
- 2025 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle McCulloh Award for Best Revival for Joe Turner’s Come and Gone[13]
References
[edit source]- 1 2 Williams, Janette (17 July 2010). "A Noise Within breaks ground on new state-of-the-art Pasadena theater". Daily Breeze. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
- 1 2 Drake, Sylvie (10 January 2017). "A Noise Within's Fabulous 'Invalid'". American Theatre magazine. Theatre Communications Group. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Drake, Sylvie (8 April 1992). "STAGE REVIEW : A Young Company Aims High". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Ng, David (9 July 2008). "A Noise Within sounds a new move". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
- 1 2 Wada, Karen (25 October 2011). "A Noise Within's show of resolve". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- ↑ Kendt, Rob (21 February 2001). "Out of Luckman: A Noise Within leaves Cal State L.A. theatre after less than a year, citing conflicts with staff". Backstage. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- ↑ "A Peek Inside A Noise Within". The Architect’s Newspaper. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
- ↑ Wada, Karen (9 March 2017). "How Pasadena's A Noise Within theater troupe builds a future on the past". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Annual Report 2018-2019 (PDF). A Noise Within (Report). Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- ↑ McNulty, Charles (22 October 2025). "The 52 best places to see plays and musicals in Southern California". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 29 October 2025. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- ↑ Martinez, Julio (20 March 2007). "'Brothers' takes six awards". Variety. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
- ↑ "L.A. Drama Critics Circle awards: Antaeus and Celebration lead the way". Los Angeles Times. 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on 27 October 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
- ↑ "L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards, Bechdel Project Residency, and More". American Theatre. 9 April 2026. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
External links
[edit source]
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