The entire production staff for UC San Diego’s department of theatre and dance, 21 employees in total, has been served with pink slips, according to a report.
Playbill.com reported this week that the layoffs were announced Nov. 9 and take effect in January.
The employees are “joint-staff,” who have worked on productions with UCSD and also for the La Jolla Playhouse.
The layoffs were intended to establish two separate staffs for each institution, and staffers were told to re-apply for new positions, according to the report.
The report outlines concerns that some staffers feel; namely, the possibility that the new positions would result in a significantly reduced income.
Playbill reached out to both UCSD and the playhouse. A spokesman for La Jolla Playhouse issued a statement, saying the playhouse is hoping to retain all impacted employees in some fashion.
