Dear Friends, 

It has been nearly five years since I first read Kimber Lee’s to the yellow house, and I knew immediately that I wanted to produce it here at the Playhouse. Its uncompromising but compassionate depiction of Vincent van Gogh – an extraordinarily well-known but misunderstood genius – illustrates the necessity of fortitude and hope in the face of constant setbacks.  

The path to the production you’re seeing tonight was beset with its own setbacks; as we were forced to postpone the production dates again and again during the shutdown – shifting to different theatres multiple times in the process! – this stellar creative team stepped up each time with a steadfast determination to bring this play to life. Vincent would have recognized and admired their tenacity. 

The thing that has brought me the most joy in my fourteen-year tenure here is the way that the Playhouse community has come to mean more than just the buildings we inhabit. At the beginning of the shutdown, while we were calling subscribers to make sure they were okay, they were more concerned with how we were doing. Our trustees and staff and artisans pivoted immediately to create work that could still reach you during our collective quarantine. Each new group of artists that has arrived since we returned to in-person shows has brought an irrepressible joy with them. And the most important part of our community has always been you, without whom nothing would be created. 

Another essential part of our community is UC San Diego. Our nearly forty-year relationship has never been better represented than in this production, with an astounding number of talented Theatre and Dance graduate students, alumni and faculty members onstage and behind the scenes.

Finally, in the spirit of celebratory homecomings, I’m delighted that this beautiful play is in the very capable hands of Neel Keller, who returns to the Playhouse for the first time since his tenure as Associate Artistic Director more than twenty years ago.

Thank you, as always, for being part of the Playhouse community.

CHRISTOPHER ASHLEY  
The Rich Family Artistic Director                              
of La Jolla Playhouse