History of the PCPA Foundation
In 1993, a lunch was held in Los Olivos, California. It was attended by Judge Royce Lewellen, Bob Jurgenson, Phil Battalia, Nancy Johnson, Jack Shouse and Judy Frost. The purpose of the lunch was to discuss financial issues faced by PCPA Theatre. During the discussion, Judy Frost, in her straightforward and inimitable way, pounded the table and stated, “PCPA does not have its own dedicated advocate. We need one that puts us first - not Hancock College or Theaterfest - but PCPA.” From that moment, the spark that became the PCPA Foundation was lit.
Judge Lewellen took up the charge to establish a 501(c) 3 PCPA nonprofit Foundation, with the stated purpose of raising scholarship funds for PCPA students. At that time, PCPA was not raising enough money through their annual scholarship fund drive to cover the cost of all of the scholarships needed. Also, raising money for scholarships was the easiest and quickest way to get a 501(c) 3 established. In July 1995, the PCPA Foundation was established.
The focus of the board for the first few years was to organize and raise operating funds for the Foundation. The foundation was overseen by Bob Jurgenson with a big assist from Judy Frost. Judge Lewellen, Bob Jurgenson, Phil Battalia, Nancy Johnson, Jan Severson, Marin Thomas, Judy Frost and Pat Hitchcock O’Connell met infrequently to support the ongoing efforts of the Foundation. Fun fact – Pat Hitchcock O’Connell was the daughter of Hollywood director Alfred Hitchcock, and appeared in several of his films, most notably Strangers on a Train.
In 1995/1996 the Foundation launched the Curtain Raiser Campaign to raise operating funds for the Foundation. The goal was 40 people at $2,000 each in order to raise $80,000. The effort was a tremendous success, actually raising over $120,000. In addition to using these funds for foundation operations, funds were also distributed to PCPA.
Based on the success of Curtain Raiser in 1998, the Foundation launched the Lights Up Campaign with a goal of raising $2,000,000 to create an endowment fund for the purpose of making an annual distribution of five percent to PCPA. The Foundation celebrated the completion of this goal within five years when $2,000,000 in cash and pledges were raised. With $800,000 in cash, the five percent annual disbursement to PCPA began. It has continued each year since.
The first Foundation executive director was hired in 1998. Since then, seven executive directors have overseen the Foundation until 2016 when a reorganization occurred. As a result, the executive director position was eliminated and the administrative affairs of the PCPA Foundation are now handled by PCPA Theatre.
The PCPA Foundation has been a great success thanks to the vision of its founders and generous support of the local community and theater goers far and wide. Because of the effort begun in 1993, the Foundation’s current assets now stand at $6.8 million, with over $238,000 spun off to the theater in 2025.
Contributed by Jim Bray with special thanks to Judy Frost for her recollections of the early days, and years, of the PCPA Foundation.