The Pasadena Playhouse Appoints Annette Ricchiazzi as Director of Development

The Pasadena Playhouse announced today that Annette Ricchiazzi will serve as the organization’s new Director of Development. She comes to The Playhouse with close to twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector focused on development, communications, special project management, special events, strategic planning and corporate, government, community and alumni relations.

“I enthusiastically welcome Annette to our Playhouse community. I know that she will bring her considerable energy, experience, and most of all, her passion for the art of the theatre to our company. All of those qualities will be greatly valuable to us and will help us to garner support for our important work,” said Artistic Director Sheldon Epps. “All of us look forward to working with her and we know that our relationship will be mutually beneficial.”

Board Chair David DiCristofaro added, “On behalf of The Playhouse Board, we welcome Annette and look forward to our collaboration with her in our efforts to gain major private and corporate gifts. She will also play an instrumental role with her leadership and strategic direction in helping to secure funding for the theatre’s upcoming Centennial Campaign.”

Playhouse Director of Development Annette Ricchiazzi shared, “Coming back to the theater is like returning home. Coming back to a place as deeply committed to the creation of transformative theatrical experiences as The Pasadena Playhouse, is humbling. I am so fortunate to have joined an extraordinary group of artists and stewards at this unique moment in the history of The Playhouse.” She stated, “As we crest toward the theatre’s Centennial, the opportunity to look back with pride and forward with vision, is one I hope to help celebrate and advance.”

Most recently, Annette was the Director of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships at LAUP, a large education nonprofit service provider, policy and advocacy organization. In this role she was responsible for all outreach, cultivation and stewardship of existing and new partners, donors, stakeholders, elected officials, and fellow education advocates. Her work included extensive outreach activities locally and nationally with individuals, private organizations and public agencies, in order to build mutually beneficial projects and initiatives. Her additional responsibilities included linking programs with potential funding in both the private and public sectors, as well as being a connector to partners, ideas and opportunities.

She led and managed many of her past organization’s high profile projects including developing an education Pay For Success initiative, a Clinton Global Initiative America Commitment, a White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics Commitment, as well as planning and executing large events with multiple partners. She was recently selected for two leadership cohorts including the Institute of Child Success’ national “Leadership for America’s Youth” coalition (2015); and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce “2015 Leadership LA” cohort. Annette spent several years at the University of Southern California (USC) managing alumni relations, major gifts, annual fund, special projects, publication production and editorial, speech writing, and university protocols. She followed up her time at USC with over a decade of private consulting in the nonprofit arena specifically with higher-ed clients such as USC, UCLA, Cal Tech and Stanford University.

She has also opened and operated two small retail businesses in Los Feliz, and sits on several nonprofit boards. She received a BFA in Theater from USC and spent the beginning of her career as an actress on the New York and regional stages. Her additional work in the entertainment industry includes time spent in feature film casting, commercial and TV audition prep/coaching, and speech/debate coaching. She is a Pasadena resident where she lives with her husband and three children.

The Pasadena Playhouse began in 1917 and was recognized by the State Legislature as the State Theatre of California for bringing national and international renown to the state as a center for dramatic art in 1937. A new era began when Sheldon Epps became Artistic Director in 1997. Production highlights include the launch of the national tour of Purlie (with the Goodman Theatre); Sister Act: The Musical, which played in the West End at the London Palladium Theatre and on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre (Five 2011 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical) and is currently on a national tour; Baby, It’s You!, which played at Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre (2011 Tony Award nominee); and Looped, which played at Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre (2010 Tony Award nomination, Best Actress in a Play – Valerie Harper). Other productions developed at The Pasadena Playhouse include A Night With Janis Joplin (2014 Tony Award nominee), Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Story, Can Can: The Musical, and Ray Charles Live.