Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum

During the Hollywood blacklisting of the early 1950s, out-of-work actor Will Geer, best known as the Waltons' Grandpa, established his Theatricum Botanicum as a refuge for other blacklisted artists. Located in a rustic vale in Topanga Canyon, the Theatricum became a second home to legendary names such as Woody Guthrie. It also inaugurated theatrical performances on a hillside behind the Geer home, where audience members sat upon a series of staggered railroad ties. After incorporating in 1973 and becoming a professional summer repertory theater in 1983, the company became a real theatrical landmark under artistic director Ellen Geer, Will's daughter. Its 299 seats (the railway ties were replaced in 1997 by leveled seating) nestle in a wooded glen. The theater focuses on classics, especially Shakespeare. The theater has a park-like atmosphere, and audiences are invited to bring picnic lunches. There is ample parking on the property, with additional parking along Topanga Canyon.

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