The Echo Theater Company is a group of actors, writers, directors and producers dedicated to developing and presenting the work of playwrights on all levels.

We present a monthly public reading series as a means to nurture playwrights and expose the public to their work.  Since its inception, the series has featured playwrights including: David Lindsay-Abaire, Todd Alcot, Tanya Barfield, PJ Barry, Mike Batistick, Neena Beeber, Chad Beguelin, Matthew Benjamin, Adam Bock, Carlyle Brown, Logan Brown, Keith Bunin, Rick Cleveland, Kevin Crowley, Cusi Cram, Gordon Dahlquist, Bryan Davidson, Joe DiPietro, Bryan Delaney, Padraic Duffy, Fielding Edlow, Julia Edwards, Napoleon Ellsworth, Herman Daniel Farrell III, Kate Fodor, Amy Freed, Karl Gajdusek, Jessica Goldberg, Jennifer Haley, Steven Haworth, Michael Hollinger, Keith Huff, Elroyce D. Jones, Susan Johnston, Nick Jones, Bill Leavengood, Adam LeFevre, Rick Lieberman, Quincy Long, Heather McCuthchen, Wendy MacLeod, Terri Minsky, Wesley Moore, Kira Obolensky, Riel Paley, Laura Quinn, Adam Rapp, Kate Robin, Sarah Ruhl, Leah Ryan, Mark Schultz, Rachel Shukert, Bernardo Solano, Richard Strand, Lucy Thurber, Erin Cressida Wilson, and Paul Zimmerman.

Most recently, the Echo presented Everything Will Be Different by Mark Schultz and Wirehead by Matthew Benjamin & Logan Brown.  Last season they premiered The Illustrious Birth of Padraic T. Duffy by Padraic Duffy, The Echo One Acts: 2009, a series of world premiere one-acts, in addition to Jessica Goldberg’s Body Politic (nominated for two Ovation Awards – Best Play & Best Ensemble).  The company has produced award-winning premiere productions of Anon by Kate Robin, Thursday by Adam Bock, Melancholy Play by Sarah Ruhl, Pigs & Bugs by Paul Zimmerman, Bedfellows by Herman Daniel Farrell III, The Median Strip by Richard Strand, HomeGrown by Rick Cleveland, A Devil Inside by David Lindsay-Abaire, Finder’s Fee by Wesley Moore, A Thimble of Smoke by Elroyce D. Jones, Wild Life by Bernardo Solano. In 2003, the Echo premiered Bryan Davidson’s War Music (Ovation Award winner – Best Play & Best Ensemble) which was then chosen by the Geffen to open its 2004 season — a first for a 99 seat theater production.

In association with Dreamyard,LA, the Echo created Act Out, a youth education outreach program where members of the Echo visit Camp Kilpatrick, a probation camp for youthful offenders aged 13-18, in order to teach classes in acting and playwrighting.

The Echo founded and produced the Ojai Playwrights Conference where new works by writers such as Christopher Durang, David Ives, Jessica Goldberg & Adam Rapp have been workshopped.

Through the nurturing of writers and their work, the Echo seeks to engage audiences in dialogue and aims to extend itself to people and places with which theater has lost touch.  The Echo attempts to enrich the community by nourishing and supporting theater that both mirrors and challenges it.

The Echo Theater Company is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit.