Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center General Manager David Ralphe Retires After 23 Years Of Service

After a 23 year stint as the General Manager of the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, David Ralphe retired at the end of December, 2018. The Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center opened its doors on Los Angeles Avenue in November of 1995 with David Ralphe as the founding General Manager. Under Ralphe's leadership, the Center has been host to over 8, 500 events and seen more than 75,000 patrons pass through the doors.

Family, friends and fans gathered on Friday, January 4th to pay tribute to Ralphe and celebrate his accomplishments while at the Cultural Arts Center. Featured performers presented musical numbers from many of the shows directed or produced by Ralphe while at the Center and distinguished guests shared their memories in a tribute to his fine work.

David Ralphe is no stranger to theatre. His diverse background includes Artistic Direction of nationally recognized theaters, Arts administration, acting on stage, screen and television as well as directing and producing for the stage. He was last seen on stage in Heroes at both the Santa Paula Theater Center and in the newly created DownStage Theater at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. Ralphe has also appeared with the Kingsman Shakespeare Company as Julius Ceasar.

Ralphe directed numerous shows for both the Cultural Arts Center and Actors' Repertory Theatre of Simi. In 2015, he directed Fiddler on the Roof at SVCAC and then again when it traveled to the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood. For ARTS, Ralphe directed their 2016 production of Ragtime, the Musical as well as Billy Elliott the following season. He will return to the Cultural Arts Center as a director this season for ARTS' production of Newsies.

Ralphe will continue to serve as the Artistic Director of the Santa Paula Theater Center, where he has directed a number of shows over his 25 year history with SPTC including this past season's critically acclaimed production of Nick Payne's Constellations. His next SPTC directorial project will be Edward Albee's Seascape.

Ralphe served as Artistic Director for the Hedgerow Theater in Pennsylvania for many years and with Associate Artistic Director Lonny Chapman, established the Group Repertory Theatre in North Hollywood. Ralphe has been teaching acting professionally both on the East coast and in Los Angeles and Ventura County for over 40 years. He has served on numerous national Arts boards and advisory panels and served as the Executive Director for the Los Angeles Theatre Alliance (now the Los Angeles Stage Alliance) serving over 72 theaters in Los Angeles including the Mark Taper and South Coast Repertory Theatre.

Television appearances by David Ralphe include Dragnet, The Amazing Spiderman, LA Law, Quincy, MD, Hill Street Blues, and many others. Ralphe's film background includes Star Trek - Nemesis in 2002, Above Suspicion, Heavens Heroes, and in 2013, the beloved Hallmark holiday film Christmas in the City.

Ralphe plans to continue his relationship with the theater as he returns to both the CAC and SPTC to direct and says he's not ruling out returning to the stage in the near future.