Playwrights Project – Board Member
Voicing stories, inspiring growth, and creating connections: We empower people of all ages and backgrounds to voice stories through theatre, inspiring individual growth and creating meaningful community connections.
Playwrights Project programs reach over 6,000 people annually, serving youth in San Diego schools and underserved populations of all ages.
Our Mission
Playwrights Project empowers people of all ages and backgrounds to voice stories through theatre, inspiring individual growth and creating meaningful community connections.
Our Vision
Our vision is to sustain an inclusive, compassionate community that broadens minds through the power of creativity and theatre.
Our Impact: Playwrights Project teaches playwriting, produces work written in our programs, and conducts a statewide playwriting contest for youth. Our programs reach over 6000 people annually, serving youth in San Diego schools and underserved populations of all ages, including those who have experienced housing insecurity, poverty, foster care, immigration, substance use disorder, and the justice system. Playwrights Project accomplishes these goals by:
- Developing writing, communication and pro-social skills
- Presenting high quality, accessible theatre
- Welcoming audiences of all backgrounds, especially those new to theatre
- Ensuring that new plays will be written and seen by future generations
- Inspiring growth through the validation of personal experience
- Building cultural understanding and connections between communities
- Encouraging creative approaches to decision making and nonviolent problem solving
- Nurturing a community of local theatre artists
- Strengthening partnerships with San Diego’s professional theatre community, school system, justice system, and social service agencies
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Trinity Theatre Company – Board Member
Trinity Theatre Company (TTC) produces impactful performances that foster unity among friends, family, and community. We believe that everyone wishing to engage in the performing arts should have a venue where they can inspire others and be inspired in return. Our shows combine the talents of seasoned performers with spirited newcomers, all actively participating in both the performance and technical aspects of theatre.
At Trinity Theatre Company, we are deeply committed to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, ensuring that our community is vibrant, inclusive, and creative. Our mission is to provide a space where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and empowered. We celebrate diversity in all its forms—cultural, racial, religious, political, and beyond—while fostering an environment where every individual is seen, respected, and heard.
We encourage all participants to embrace their personal beliefs and convictions while treating everyone they encounter with empathy, grace, and compassion. At Trinity Theatre Company, we uphold a culture of mutual respect and understanding, ensuring that differences in perspectives and backgrounds enrich our community rather than divide it.
As an independent educational nonprofit, we are not affiliated with any specific church, denomination, or religious organization. Instead, we welcome individuals from all walks of life to join us in celebrating the performing arts—without requiring the adoption of any particular set of beliefs.
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New Village Arts: Board Member
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Playhouse Leadership Council – Member
The Playhouse Leadership Council (PLC) is a passionate and engaged group of civic leaders, advocates and professionals whose mission is to create a welcoming environment for new audiences. PLC members work throughout San Diego to introduce new audiences to every production and ensure that their first experience at the Playhouse is a memorable one. PLC connects a more diverse group of people to the Playhouse and aspires to enrich and enhance the lives of all San Diegians through theatre.
PLC Liaison with PTC (Teen Council) – La Jolla Playhouse
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The Scripteasers (San Diego) – Member
Founded in 1948, THE SCRIPTEASERS, is a San Diego-based writers’ development group dedicated to helping dramatic writers refine their craft. Playwrights, screenwriters, actors and theater lovers are all welcome to our bi-monthly readings.
Each play read receives a moderated discussion after a full reading. The audience and cast members are invited to give the author feedback on what they felt worked well in the script and what might be improved.
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PowPAC Community Theatre – Performance/Production Judge
The personal scoring of each category will be kept in strictest confidence by our Head Judge who does the recording and tallying. At the end of the season the judged individuals with the highest scores will be considered a nominee for the PowPAC Season Awards. Those with the highest average will receive his/her award at our annual celebration in June/July. As a judge, it is important that you see all the shows of the season. If you are unable to, please let the Head Judge know as soon as possible so our stand-in judge can fill in for you.
Complete the “Judge’s Rating Sheet” as soon as possible after seeing the show so that the impressions and opinions are fresh in your mind. Please enter the date of the performance you are judging and note any personal observations, kudos or criticisms on the back of the form. Please return the form in the pre-addressed, stamped envelope no later than 1 week after the close of each production (the date will be noted on the form). The ratings are secret, and it really helps us to know which of our members are taking part.
LISA BALDERSTON 