Carlsbad Playreaders was founded in 1995 by Pat and Jim Hansen to "present plays that seek to explore the human condition and, thereby, enrich the lives of audiences in Carlsbad and neighboring communities." Since then, with the aid of Community Arts Grants and the support of the Carlsbad Library and Arts Foundation, Robert H. Gartner Cultural Endowment Fund, more than 100 play readings have been presented to an audience of more than 10,000 people.

With encouragement from the City of Carlsbad's Arts Office, and a Community Arts Grant, Carlsbad Playreaders presented the first three plays in the Spring of 1995 in the Carlsbad Senior Center. Carlsbad Playreaders founders, Jim and Pat Hansen, produced three more readings that Fall, and applied for non-profit status to continue the program. The Arts Grant has continued to provide half the operating funds, and the rest of the revenue is raised by the donations at the door ($5 for adults, $1 for students).

Until 1999, six to 10 readings annually were produced at the Senior Center, and with the opening of the Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane, Carlsbad Playreaders moved south. From 1999 to the present, Carlsbad Playreaders has operated with staff assistance from the library, and combined Library/Arts Office sponsorship.

Since 1997, Carlsbad Playhouse has been a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation. Although the Playhouse has occasionally sponsored other shows, it mainly exists as Carlsbad Playreaders, now in its 15th year as a mainstay of the City's arts programs. Carlsbad Playreaders has produced more than 90 readings for an audience of about 10,000 theatre-goers.

The current Carlsbad Playreaders Board Members are Eric Bishop, Artistic Director, Jack Missett, President, Jessica Padilla, Marketing Director, Bobbie Hoder, Treasurer and House Manager, and Pat Hansen, Secretary.

Eric Bishop

Artistic Director

A theatre artist in many capacities for most of his life, Eric now serves as the Artistic Director of Carlsbad Playreaders. A MiraCosta College professor and current Department Chair of Performing Arts at MiraCosta College, Eric is also the founder of the summer conservatory, "The Actor's Academy." He made his Carlsbad Playreaders directorial debut with the critically acclaimed reading of "The Shape of Things" followed by "Bleacher Bums" and "Greater Tuna." Eric is the recipient of the Kennedy Center Golden Medallion of Excellence and a 2007 Patte' Award for Outstanding Direction. He has also directed at Moonlight Stage Productions, Scripps Ranch Theatre, LaJolla Stage Company, Southwest Shakespeare Conservatory, Utah State University, and was a Resident Artist at PCPA Theaterfest. As an actor, he has most recently appeared in "The Tempest" at North Coast Rep/MiraCosta College and "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at PCPA Theaterfest.

Jack Missett
President

Jack Missett is a proud veteran of many Carlsbad Playreaders productions, as well as many plays performed in San Diego and Orange Counties. 'Among his favorite productions for Carlsbad Playreaders are The 1940's Radio Show Christmas Carol, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife and The Young Man From Atlanta. (omit Boy Gets Girl).

A member of the New Village Arts Theatre Actors' Ensemble, he has performed in NVA's award-winning ensembles in A Lie of the Mind (co-produced with Backyard Productions), Waverly Gallery, and Curse of the Starving Class (co-produced with Cygnet Theatre). Other appearances include productions 6th & Penn, Palomar College, Saddleback College, Laguna Playhouse, Mission Playhouse, and San Clemente Playhouse, as well as several additional productions at New Village Arts.

Jack served as Artistic Director of the Carlsbad Playreaders from mid-2006 through the end of 2009.

Jessica Padilla
Marketing Director

Jessica Padilla is a board member of the Playreaders, and also handles press, promotions and marketing for us. She served as Public Relations manager and Communications Associate at the Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse, where she worked on world premieres such as Jersey Boys and Thoroughly Modern Millie. She also served as Press director of Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse. Jessica currently serves as Community Coordinator for the Carlsbad Library

Bobbie Hoder
Treasurer and House Manager

Bobbie Hoder has been associated with the arts and local theatre in Carlsbad since the early 1980's when she became a founding board member of Patrons of the Arts Foundation, (currently dba Carlsbad Community Theatre); serving as its President for 17 years. She remains on the Advisory Board. She was actively involved with PATH (The Performing Arts Theatre of the Handicapped). In addition to Carlsbad Playreaders, she currently serves on the Advisory Board of New Village Arts; and as Entertainment Chair for ArtSplash, the annual two-day chalk art festival held in Carlsbad. In her advocacy role, Bobbie sponsors several programs annually to help bring the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus and Mainly Mozart to Carlsbad, in support of classical music. She is the President of the Board of Directors of Hospice of the North Coast and was selected as Carlsbad Citizen of the Year in 2009. Bobbie retired from the City of Carlsbad in 2004, after 36-plus years.

Jim & Pat Hansen
Founders

The Carlsbad Playreaders began in 1995, when husband and wife Jim and Pat Hansen began a series of play readings with the encouragement of the City of Carlsbad Arts Office.

The Hansens incorporated the non-profit Carlsbad Playhouse to continue the project, and, with the aid of Community Arts Grants, in the first 10 seasons, produced more than 80 readings for more than 8,000 audience members. Over the years Playreaders shows have featured hundreds of actors, directors, playwrights and technical crew.

Jim and Pat set out to produce shows that would entertain, provoke and challenge their audiences, producing many new plays by local playwrights, with a goal to "present plays that seek to explore the human condition and, thereby, enrich the lives of audiences in Carlsbad and neighboring communities."

Jim and Pat both have long-time interests in the theatre: studying at San Diego State University (where they met and married in 1951), and performing in U.S. Special Services productions in Japan (Rashomon, 1965) and Germany. After retiring from the Carlsbad Library in 1990 where she coordinated programs and exhibits, Pat performed in many theatrical productions in Vista, San Diego and La Mesa (where she was featured in Driving Miss Daisy).

After teaching for many years at El Camino High School, Jim also retired in 1990. He currently operates an online book business (bookpower@roadrunner.com). Since retirement, Jim and Pat have seen hundreds of area theatre productions, still find time to volunteer at Playreaders performances, and be enthusiastic audience members at all the plays they attend. Pat also is a member of the Carlsbad Playreaders Board of Directors and serves as Secretary. In addition, she is on the board of New Village Arts Theatre.

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In 2003, the husband-wife team of Walton Jones and Amy Scholl took over from Jim and Pat - Walt serving as Producing Director and Amy as Artistic Director.  After Walt and Amy moved to Colorado in 2006, Jack Missett became Artistic Director, serving until 2009.  Eric Bishop took over from Jack in 2010.