West Hollywood is poised to name its new City Playhouse after a beloved trailblazer in the city’s arts community.
City Council on Monday will decide whether to waive the customary two-year waiting period following an individual’s death before a naming can occur in order to honor Andrew Campbell, a revered figure in West Hollywood’s cultural community, who passed away on December 19, 2023, following an 18-month fight with ALS. Born in Minneapolis, Minn., on June 15, 1952, Campbell’s diverse experiences ranged from acting in regional theaters in Minnesota and Illinois to teaching in Northern California, and eventually pursuing higher education with a Master of Fine Arts in Playwriting from UCLA.
Campbell’s professional journey included significant roles in corporate America before he dedicated his career to the arts, specifically within the nonprofit and government sectors. From 2007 to 2020, he served as West Hollywood’s inaugural full-time arts staff member, significantly enhancing the city’s arts programming and partnerships. His leadership in roles such as Arts Manager, a position he assumed in 2016 when the city established a dedicated Arts Division, saw a doubling of the arts grant program and a broad expansion in public and permanent art programs, enriching the cultural fabric of West Hollywood.
Mayor John M. Erickson proposed naming the new theater at the City Playhouse the “Andrew Campbell Theater,” a tribute to Campbell’s enduring impact on the city’s arts and cultural landscape. This proposal, formalized in a naming request submitted on February 22, 2024, was evaluated by the Naming Committee on July 9, 2024. The committee, affirming that the request aligns with the intent of the city’s Naming Policy, recommended that it be presented to the City Council for decision.
The 7,840-square-foot facility, located at the site of the former Coast Playhouse at 8325 Santa Monica Blvd., promises to transform the area into a bustling hub for creativity and community engagement. Designed to cater to local artists and nonprofit arts organizations, the City Playhouse will offer a modern 99-seat performance space, a multi-purpose rehearsal room, and a welcoming lobby that includes a beautifully landscaped garden. These amenities are aimed at fostering a vibrant cultural environment in the heart of West Hollywood.
The process will continue with a thorough examination by the Public Facilities, Recreation, and Infrastructure Commission. This will include a public hearing designed to solicit feedback from the community and gather comprehensive testimony to inform the commission’s final recommendation on the naming. Once this recommendation is formalized, it will be forwarded to City Council, which will conduct a comprehensive review during a regularly scheduled meeting. This session will include discussions and inputs from various city advisory boards and commissions, local civic organizations, and the general public, all aimed at ensuring a well-rounded decision-making process.
City Council’s ultimate decision on the naming of the theater will consider the detailed assessments and testimonials from the community, reflecting the collective sentiment and the historical and cultural significance of Andrew Campbell’s legacy.
So no more termites and dry rot or another new building not needed
WeHo Playhouse would be better.
Splendid idea to celebrate the memory of cultural leader Andrew Campbell. I could not agree more. However, not so sure it necessitates changing the City’s rule of waiting two years for nomination and approval. Was there a particular reason for waiving the rule?
Who? I have lived around the corner from the current theater for 28 years and have never heard of this person until today.
I really wish our council would follow the regulations that have been provided by those that came before them. I know Erickson, Byers and Shyne think they know better or best, but our founders and those that came after them placed restraints in the city charter for just this reason. The Playhouse is nothing but drawings and an idea right now. Let the space come to fruition (folks, two years is nothing in Weho, that building and campus will take years with our city’s bureaucracy). Andrew Campbell sounds very deserving. He will still be deserving in two years.
I think this is a well deserved acknowledgment of a life dedicated to West Hollywood and the arts. So many people in the community knew Andrew as a loving, caring and proud member of this community and this tribute honors a person who really added to the special vibrancy of West Hollywood.
[…] Story continues […]
A wonderful way to memorialize a beloved and brave man.
As much as I loved Andrew, a rule’s a rule . . . no in-memoriam naming until two years after that person’s death. Does anyone truly expect, given how our City is being run these days, that this project will be completed and open by the end of next year? Just wait and name it for Andrew then, Don’t waive the rules to fit a current popular sentiment.