Our Story
Modjeska Playhouse, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, began as an idea whose seed was planted in 1990 at Trabuco Hills High School (THHS) in Mission Viejo, California. It was a love for the theatre that brought Joe Alanes, Joshua Stecker and Christopher Sullivan together in the early 1990s as students at THHS. All three, after graduating THHS, went on to professional careers in the performing arts as actors, directors, writers and educators. In late 2007, after years of tossing around the idea of starting a theatre company, they decided that now was the time to put their dreams into action and the Modjeska Playhouse was born. It’s named after Helena Modjeska, a Shakespearian actress who also called the Saddleback Valley area home; and the Modjeska Peak, one of the two peaks that form the Saddleback Ridge. Modjeska Playhouse, its artists and supporters are committed to producing quality professional theatrical works in the Saddleback Valley. The three founding artists and its Board of Directors were either born in and/or raised and live in South Orange County and are very aware of the need for more cultural arts experiences and education in their local community.
