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POP Tour

About the POP Tour

Each year the Playhouse's Performance Outreach Program (POP) Tour brings a bold new play conceived and created by world-class artists to the elementary school children of San Diego. Introduced in 1987 by then-Playhouse Artistic Director Des McAnuff with the goal of reaching those throughout San Diego who may not have had the opportunity to see live theatre, the POP Tour production travels throughout the county touring schools, libraries and community centers.

La Jolla Playhouse is proud to announce the POP Tour for 2010

By Rhiana Yazzie, Original music by Gary Rue, Directed by Sarah Rasmussen

Like many San Diegans, Carmen and her family moved from Mexico for a better life. But unlike her classmates, Carmen speaks neither English nor Spanish: she speaks Mixtec, a language of the indigenous people of Oaxaca. Frustrated and confused, Carmen must become the hero of her own story, embracing her heritage while learning to make a home in a whole new world. From acclaimed Native American playwright Rhiana Yazzie, Chile Pod explores one young person’s journey to a place of belonging, and celebrates diversity, compassion, and the wonders of the Oaxacan culture.

The set, costumes and props are designed to fit into a van and, in just thirty minutes, can be unloaded, placed in any space and be ready for children to watch. Playwrights create a 45-minute theatrically interesting and innovative piece that addresses issues in the students' lives.

Projects over the past few years have included Kathryn Walat's Miss Electricity, Juan Felipe Herrera's ¡Salsalandia!, Will Power's Honey Bo and the Gold Mine, Sunil Kuruvilla's West of the 5, Julia Cho's Bay and the Spectacles of Doom, Julia Jordan's Guitar, Hilly Hicks, Jr.'s The Breeze, The Gust, The Gale and the Wind and Luis Alfaro's Ladybird, the Life and Times of a Roller Derby Queen.



POP Tour Performance Costs

One performance: $600
Two performances in the same space on the same day: $850
Chile Pod runs from February 1 through March 19, 2010.

Book the POP Tour
At this time The 2010 POP Tour is completely booked.

A limited number of scholarships are available for qualified organizations through our Adopt-A-School program. Please print the application and return to the Playhouse via fax or mail to be included in the scholarship interest list.

Download the Adopt-A-School application form (PDF)

POP Tour Education Tools

  • Schools are provided with copies of a standards-based enrichment guide to support teachers' classroom work before and after the performance.

  • A teaching artist will come to the school for a forty-five minute workshop about the themes of the play. It is a fun opportunity to get the students thinking theatrically and engaging with the topic of the POP Tour.

  • The cast and crew host a question and answer session with the audience immediately following the performance.

POP Tour Technical Requirements

  • A 20' x 20' by 8' high indoor performance space with a smooth floor. A gym, cafetorium or all-purpose room is ideal for this performance. The space should be well lit, but theatrical lighting is not necessary. Electrical outlets capable of handling the touring sound equipment.

  • An accessible dressing room or adult bathroom for the actors to change into costume, preferably separate male and female facilities.

  • On the day of the event, the actors and stage manager arrive approximately 1.5 hours prior to the performance to load in the set and equipment, generally with two vans (or one van and a few cars). Upon arrival, an adult designee and a member of the custodial staff need to be available to show the actors to the performance space, assist in the load-in and address any questions. Following the performance, an additional hour of supervision and assistance for the strike and load-out will be needed.

Please contact the Education Department at (858) 550-1070 x103 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .


Adopt-A-School

Join Our Adopt-A-School Program!
Sponsor a POP Tour performance for the youth of San Diego County.

Unfortunately, many schools cannot afford to bring programs such as the POP Tour to their students. That is why the Playhouse created the Adopt-A-School program. Playhouse friends Judy Smith and Barbara ZoBell, with the help of the Playhouse Education Committee, created the Adopt-A-School program for those who love theatre and feel no child should be without its transformative power.

Adopt-A-School contributors may subsidize an entire performance or even two: a $600 contribution covers the cost of one performance at a school or community center and a $850 covers two performances at the same site. Other contributors may subsidize part of a performance by making contributions of $25 or more. In 2008, there were 52 POP Tour performances of Kathryn Walat's Miss Electricity; 25 of those performances were subsidized through the Adopt-A-School program.

The success of the POP Tour throughout the years keeps the community looking forward to future productions.

Click here to learn more about adopting a school

La Jolla Playhouse Education and Outreach Programs are supported by Helen K. and James S. Copley Foundation; the William Hall Tippett and Ruth Rathell Tippett Foundation; the Educational Foundation of America; Qualcomm Incorporated; San Diego Scottish Rite Community Foundation; Bank of America; the Crawford Smith Foundation; Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation; Sempra Energy; Jack in the Box Foundation; Wells Fargo Foundation; Union Bank; the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation; ResMed Foundation; Macy’s Foundation; and the City of Encinitas and Mizel Family Foundation Community Grant Program.