Housed in a former masonic hall and furniture store, the Geffen Playhouse opened in 1995. The not-for-profit theater company has helped transform the western edge of campus into a hub of the creative arts that now includes the Hammer Museum at UCLA and the UCLA Nimoy Theater.
Having marked 10 years as the playhouse’s executive director in June, Gil Cates Jr., along with his extraordinary colleagues and UCLA collaborators, reflects on the magic and the mission of the stage.
Press play above to watch this short documentary filmed last summer to see how the Geffen has become a cultural powerhouse that inspires the dreams of UCLA drama students and entertains fans of bold theatrical storytelling.
Read more from UCLA Magazine’s Winter 2026 issue.
