John Ruskin’s vision to establish a world-class theatre in Santa Monica has taken a giant leap this year as the doors open at the new Ruskin Group Theatre Arts Center on Los Angeles’ Westside.
This transformative new hub for arts and culture completes the highly anticipated expansion of arts programing that will include professional live theatre, regular music events, spoken word, acting training, and visual arts in the heart of Santa Monica, at 2800 Airport Ave, reinforcing Los Angeles’ status as a global and diverse cultural destination.
For over 23 years, the Ruskin Group Theatre has presented…
some of the region’s most acclaimed productions. These include the world premiere production of Rex Pickett’s Sideways The Play and the West Coast premiere of Todd Kreidler’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, based on the screenplay by William Rose.
By 2021,
audiences and arts programming had grown beyond the confines of the original space at 3000 Airport Avenue. The building needed extensive repairs, making long-term sustainability impractical. Enter 2800 – just two doors down. This historic space was once home to the Museum of Flying and originally an armory during World War II. It had more recently served as a satellite campus for Santa Monica College. And it was temporarily used while renovating its main theatre.
With a determined group of actors, designers, and producing partner Michael Myers, the building is now transformed into a thriving cultural destination. Myers entered into direct, ongoing conversations with Airport Director Stellio Makrides, who valued the Ruskin’s presence on the airport campus. Makrides understood the scale of the challenge ahead. Makrides encouraged the group to think long-term, but he was also clear-eyed about what that would require. A permanent future for the Ruskin, he explained, would only be possible through a true public–private partnership.
The City, Makrides proposed, could commit to rehabilitating the shell of 2800 Airport Avenue—bringing the building up to structural and safety standards. But if the Ruskin wanted a fully realized home—purpose-built stages, rehearsal rooms, and infrastructure suited to professional theatre—the responsibility for that transformation would rest with the company itself.
To support this ambitious expansion,
the Ruskin launched a major capital campaign, raising the funds that were needed, even though construction costs doubled. The Kaplan Family Stage will host top-tier revivals and new works. The Audre, a more intimate 65-seat venue, will serve as a space for smaller plays and live music. Myers envisions the Audre as a Westside counterpart to iconic venues like Nashville’s Bluebird Café and Hollywood’s Hotel Café, offering an unparalleled home for singer-songwriters and intimate performances.
Over the past two decades, the Ruskin has collaborated with an impressive roster of artists. Some are Dylan McDermott, Ed Asner, Marcia Cross, Chris Mulkey, Rob Morrow, Ray Abruzzo and many more. The new space will allow the theatre to continue raising the bar with groundbreaking productions and expanded programming. The new center will be available for rentals and will offer workshops for actors and writers, fostering artistic growth in the community.
John Ruskin (Artistic Director/Producer) founded the professional company in 2001. Recently, John produced Arthur Miller’s, A View from the Bridge (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination for BEST REVIVAL and two additional nominations for BEST ACTOR; winning 3 Stage Raw Awards). He produced Steve Martin’s, Picasso at the Lapin Agile (extended for four months), the West Coast premiere of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (extended for three months), and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman which starred Rob Morrow.
He helmed the critically acclaimed production of Strange Snow, and teaches a Master’s Class in acting at the RGT school. John’s years of experience include studies at the Yale School of Drama, British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England, and the University of Colorado in Boulder. In New York, Ruskin joined the acting faculty of the Neighborhood Playhouse at the request of Sanford Meisner (who he then apprenticed with) before moving to Los Angeles where he founded the RGT school of acting in addition to the professional theatre company.
Producing Artistic Director Michael Myers has served as Ruskin’s Managing director since 2002. In that time, he has produced close to 100 projects. He produced and directed Paradise: A Bluegrass Musical which he then revived at the Austin Playhouse, for a sold-out run. Other notable projects include developing and producing the world premiere production of Rex Pickett’s Sideways the Play. Since its world premiere at the Ruskin, Sideways the Play has been produced at the La Jolla Playhouse under Des McAnuff and recently had its West End Premiere at the St. James Theatre.
Mike developed and directed the world premieres of Sneaky Ole Time with music by multi-Grammy Award winner Paul Overstreet, Rainbow Bridge, and Digging up Dad. Mike is a co-creator of the Ruskin Group Theatre’s “L.A. Cafe Plays,” the monthly offering of one-acts done in 10 1/2 hours from conception to staging. The “L.A. Café Plays” have been produced 200 times since 2004.
2026 marks a new chapter for Ruskin Group Theatre with the development of this state-of-the-art Arts Center. As a cornerstone of the region’s artistic landscape, this theatre company has been a catalyst for not only the arts, but for community initiatives, and culturally diverse audiences of all ages.
For more information visit the website: https://www.ruskingrouptheatre.com
Photos courtesy Ruskin Group Theatre
Instagram: @ruskingroupthtr