The Recipe

by Sandy Rustin
Originally produced at La Jolla Playhouse
February 10, 2026 – March 15, 2026

Synopsis: 

Before Julia Child became the TV personality that we all know, she was a rambunctious rebel against the privileged but bland Pasadena life expected of her.

Two-time Tony Award nominee Claudia Shear and two-time Obie Award winner Lisa Peterson return to the Playhouse with a funny, colorful and delicious new play about the early life of an endlessly fascinating character – Julia, a girl from Pasadena – and her path from confusion to discovery, fear to strength, failure to success.

Based on the book DEARIE by Bob Spitz

Artistic Statement: La Jolla Playhouse has a deep commitment to developing new American work and amplifying distinctive voices, and we’re profoundly grateful for the Edgerton Foundation’s partnership in that mission. In The Recipe, playwright Claudia Shear turns her sharp wit and humanity toward Julia Child’s early journey—long before she was a household name—to reveal a woman determined to find her voice and her purpose. With cooking as both metaphor and medium, the play becomes a celebration of discovery, persistence, and joy in creation itself. The extra rehearsal week allows our artists to refine the play’s sensory and emotional layers—those moments where movement, music, and meaning blend together like the perfect sauce.
— Christopher Ashley, the Rich Family Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse

Grant Statement: The productions in La Jolla Playhouse’s 2025/26 Subscription Season engage with complex issues and thought-provoking themes, featuring both new voices and seasoned artists. The Edgerton Foundation’s support of an additional week of rehearsals for The Recipe allows the creative team and cast to fully explore the play’s inventive use of movement and its interplay with dialogue. We greatly appreciate the Edgerton Foundation's commitment to supporting the creation of new work. This grant helps the Playhouse uphold its long-standing commitment to nurturing groundbreaking new plays that expand the American theatre repertoire. —  Debby Buchholz, Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse

Creative team:

Directed by Lisa Peterson
Scenic Design: Rachel Hauck
Costume Design: Linda Cho
Lighting Design: Ben Stanton
Sound design/original music: André Pluess 
Movement: David Neumann
Dramaturg: Ed Sobel

Cast:

TBA