La Jolla Playhouse's Eric Keen-Louie has been promoted to artistic producing director, a new role that will see Keen-Louie working with Artistic Director Christopher Ashley and Managing Director Debby Buchholz on strategic planning, organizational priorities, and season implementation.

Keen-Louie has been with the California company since 2018, first as producing director and later executive producer. His tenure has already seen work shepherding productions of Bhangin' It, Lempicka, The Outsiders, Is It Thursday Yet?, Here There Are Blueberries, Sumo, and The Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical. Before coming to La Jolla, Keen-Louie worked at The Old Globe and Off-Broadway's Public Theater.

"La Jolla Playhouse has always served as a home and breeding ground for new work," says Ashley in a statement. "Since our doors reopened four years ago, the needs of developing and producing seasons featuring nearly all world premieres have increased exponentially. The evolution of this role has become indispensable to [the] future of the Playhouse, and Eric is the ideal person to take it on."

“For the past five-and-a-half years, I have had the honor of working with the remarkable staff, artists, board members, audiences, and community members who make La Jolla Playhouse the incomparable place that it is,” adds Keen-Louie. “I am thrilled to step into this new leadership position alongside Chris and Debby as we work as a company to safeguard and intentionally build upon our mission to create the new and the next in American theatre.”

The Tony-winning regional theatre is currently readying to present the world premiere musical Redwood, starring Wicked Tony winner Idina Menzel. Performances begin February 13.

Visit LaJollaPlayhouse.org.