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MEET THE
CREATIVE TEAM
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PLAYHOUSE
Behind every production is a dedicated team of educators, designers, and theatre professionals who bring artistry, experience, and imagination to the stage. Together, they inspire young artists, nurture creativity, and create the extraordinary theatrical experiences that define La Canada Playhouse.
JUSTIN EICK
Artistic Director | Theatre Educator | Producer
Justin Eick is the Artistic Director of La Canada Playhouse and Chair of Visual and Performing Arts at La Canada High School, where he has taught theatre since 2007. An educator, director, and producer with nearly three decades of experience in arts education, Justin has dedicated his career to creating opportunities for young artists to develop their craft through rigorous training, creative collaboration, and fully realized theatrical productions.
Upon joining La Canada High School, Justin undertook a comprehensive restructuring of the theatre department, establishing a progressive sequence of performance courses - Ensemble, Repertory, Company, and Advanced Theatre - alongside specialized courses in Musical Theatre and Stagecraft. Central to his educational philosophy was the belief that theatre is best learned through the process of making theatre. He developed a production based curriculum in which students study acting theory, character development, voice, movement, and text analysis while applying those techniques directly to the rehearsal and performance of a full theatrical season.
Under his direction, La Canada Playhouse has become a working theatrical company within a public school, where classroom instruction and professional-style production practices are seamlessly integrated. Students participate in an ambitious annual season encompassing classical theatre, contemporary drama, comedy, and musical theatre, gaining practical experience while developing the discipline, confidence, and collaborative skills essential to their growth as artists.
Before joining La Canada High School, Justin taught at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) from 2002 to 2006, where his courses included acting, voice and speech, movement, literary criticism, and technical theatre. A graduate of the University of California, San Diego, he earned his Master of Fine Arts in Acting through Carnegie Mellon University and the Moscow Art Theatre School. He also completed the Stanislavski Summer School and holds a California teaching credential.
Before joining La Canada High School, Justin taught at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) from 2002 to 2006, where his courses included acting, voice and speech, movement, literary criticism, and technical theatre. A graduate of the University of California, San Diego, he earned his Master of Fine Arts in Acting through Carnegie Mellon University and the Moscow Art Theatre School. He also completed the Stanislavski Summer School and holds a California teaching credential.
Beyond his work at La Canada Playhouse, Justin is the founder and Artistic Director of Theatrical Education Group (TEG), an arts education organization established in 1998. Through programs including Summer Acting Camp, Summer Film Camp, and the Summer Arts Conservatory at LACHSA, TEG has provided performing arts experiences to thousands of students throughout Southern California. In 1999, Justin also created Shakespearience, an educational theatrical production designed to introduce young audiences to the language, characters, and enduring relevance of William Shakespeare. The production has been experienced by more than 100,000 students across California.
Having directed more than 250 theatrical productions throughout his career, Justin continues to approach theatre education with a simple guiding principle: the process of creating meaningful theatre is itself an extraordinary education. His work emphasizes artistic excellence, intellectual curiosity, compassion, and the belief that the skills students develop onstage can profoundly shape who they become beyond it.
DAVID MILLER
Resident Scenic Designer
David Miller is an accomplished scenic designer, production manager, and touring professional whose career spans regional theatre, national and international touring productions, television, and live entertainment. As the principal scenic designer for La Canada Playhouse, David has played an instrumental role in shaping the artistic identity of the theatre and developing the remarkable collection of repertory scenery that supports its ambitious educational program.
Central to David's approach is the belief that exceptional scenic design should be both artistically compelling and remarkably adaptable. Rather than creating scenery for a single production, he has designed an interconnected collection of theatrical environments capable of serving multiple plays across different periods, styles, and genres. His Victorian home, for example, has provided the setting for Arsenic and Old Lace, You Can't Take It with You, and See How They Run, while his versatile New York apartment has been transformed for productions of The Odd Couple, Beau Jest, and Lost in Yonkers. From an elegant Edwardian mansion to an Elizabethan playhouse, David's designs combine architectural detail, practical functionality, and extraordinary flexibility.
This innovative approach to scenic design has been fundamental to La Canada Playhouse's production based curriculum. By creating theatrical environments that can be reconfigured, restored, and reimagined year after year, David has helped make it possible for students to rehearse and perform an extensive season of fully staged productions within their regular school day. His work represents a lasting investment in artistic excellence, educational opportunity, and sustainable theatre production.
Beyond La Canada Playhouse, David has enjoyed an extensive professional career with Mills Entertainment, serving in leadership roles including Director of Production, Tour Manager, Stage Manager, and Scenic Designer. His touring credits include productions and engagements featuring John Cleese, William Shatner, Theresa Caputo, Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Joan Rivers, Anthony Bourdain, and numerous other internationally recognized entertainers. His scenic design credits include national tours of Clifford the Big Red Dog Live!, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, and Bring It Live, as well as productions at regional theatres across the country.
David's additional professional experience includes work with Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Studios, and DeSales University, where he served as Technical Director. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, with a concentration in Design and Technology and a focus in Scenic Design, from Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales.
Through his exceptional creativity, technical expertise, and commitment to thoughtful design, David has helped establish a scenic repertory that continues to inspire new productions and new generations of young theatre artists. His work embodies a defining principle of La Canada Playhouse: great theatrical design doesn't simply create a world for one production - it opens the door to countless others.