DEL MAR, Calif. — They say in acting there are no small roles, only small actors. The same could be said about directing, writing and producing. In this Zevely Zone, I met a legend in San Diego theater.
When you spend five decades in theater acting, writing, producing, directing and teaching they have a name for it. "The 50/50 Club yes," laughed Patricia Elmore Costa who was born to perform on stage. "I have a passion for it and I've been wanting to do it since I was a little girl," said Patricia.
When you ask this star of the stage how many plays and productions, she has been a part of she needs to check her resume.
"I would say over fifty," said Patricia who taught theater at Southwestern College and founded the San Diego Actors Theater in 1985. This year, Patricia Elmore Costa celebrates 50 years as a professional theatre artist working as an actor, director, writer and producer in Chicago and San Diego.
Patricia is also celebrating 50 years as an educator with a background of teaching all grade levels. The San Diego Actors Theatre is celebrating these incredible milestones with a series of staged readings beginning with David Mamet's Duck Variations at the La Jolla Riford Library directed by SDAT founder and 50/50 honoree Patricia Elmore Costa.
Patricia began her career in Chicago. After teaching during the day on the North Shore of Chicago, she moonlighted in downtown Chicago performing Shakespeare, and performing in radio and television commercials. Patricia joined the actor's unions of SAG & AFTRA and later became President of SAG, San Diego and Vice-President of AFTRA, San Diego.
Patricia came to San Diego in 1977 and married her beloved late husband, Joseph James Costa, a Lieutenant Detective with the San Diego Police Department. "He was an enthusiastic and loving supporter to me, SDAT, and the theatre arts in San Diego." Throughout her career, Particia has performed in and produced plays at almost every theater in town; The San Diego Repertory Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Eveoke Dance Théâtre, Sixth at Penn Theatre, North Coast Repertory Theatre, and many more.
She was an original member of San Diego's first improvisational comedy troupe, Spontaneous Combustion, along with Whoopi Goldberg. She also wrote and directed a unique Dive In Theatre project at the L'Auberge Del Mar's Lap Pool which was covered by CBS 8's Larry Himmel.
Today she co-directs, co-produces, and performs in Romantic, Midsummer, and Spooky Art Stops for the San Diego Museum of Art & San Diego Shakespeare Society and has since 2018. Time for Patricia Elmore Costa to take a bow! Welcome to the 50/50 Club. For more information about the San Diego Actors Theatre click here.
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