California history happens this weekend, at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse.
They’ll be giving four performances of The Mission Play–the specific production for which the Playhouse was built, in the 1920’s!
The Mission Play, written by John Steven McGroarty in 1911, is a retelling of the struggles of the Franciscan priests who founded California’s 21 missions. The show, which blended facts and fiction, was a smash success when it opened in 1912. According to the Mission Play website, the local transit company added extra trains specifically for play attendees–and the play is credited with causing L.A.’s first traffic jams.
Theatre professional Jonathan Salisbury is not only a Shakespearean actor and director, but a familiar face on PBS. Jonathan, who has directed both theatrical productions and films, is the director of the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse’s 2013 edition of The Mission Play.
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