ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
J. Scott Lapp
has been working in the theatre business for over 33 years performing in over 100 shows in and around San Diego County. He is an award-winning Director and Producer with over 130 productions under his belt, having worked across the United States as well as Internationally in London, Denmark, Japan and Canada. He is an alumnus of the Directors Lab West, a proud member of the SDC and a 2011 SDC Emerging Artist. He is the recipient of the 2022 Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Direction for his production of Witnesses. He is also the Artistic Director of CCAE Theatricals at The California Center for the Arts, Escondido.
Recent directorial projects at CCAE Theatricals include the critically acclaimed hit, Once, and the world premiere of Witnesses that earned rave reviews from the San Diego Union Tribune, Broadwayworld, Times-Advocate of San Diego and more. Witnesses won the 2022 Craig Noel Award for Outstanding New Production.
He also recently directed a reading of Bottle Shock! The Musical (Forrestburgh Playhouse) that will have its world premiere in the Summer of 2023 at CCAE Theatricals. He served as the Associate Director on the world premiere West End production of Dreamwork's The Prince of Egypt at the Dominion Theatre and directed the Japanese tour of Murder For Two that played in Tokyo, Osaka, Sendai & Matsumoto.
Associate/Assistant Directing credits include Broadway: Bonnie & Clyde; International: The Prince of Egypt (West End, Fredericia Teater); National Tour: Murder for Two, Xanadu (La Jolla Playhouse, National Tour); Off-Broadway: Murder For Two (New World Stages, Second Stage); Regional: The Prince of Egypt (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley), Rain (Old Globe), Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Paper Mill Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse), Into the Woods (Old Globe), Secondhand Lions (5th Ave), Somewhere in Time (PCS), Good People (Old Globe), A Room With A View (Old Globe), Somewhere (Old Globe), Bonnie & Clyde (NY Workshop, La Jolla Playhouse, Asolo Repertory), Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin (La Jolla Playhouse), and workshops of The Prince of Egypt, Upstaged, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Somewhere in Time, The John Birch Society Musical, Secondhand Lions, Leap of Faith, A Room With A View, Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion, The Weathermen and Restoration.
Selected directing credits include International: Murder for Two (Japan, Calgary), Regional: Witnesses (World Premiere), Once, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in Concert (CCAE Theatricals), Disney's Mary Poppins, Freaky Friday (Moonlight Amphitheater), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Farmers Alley), Minnie's Boys (Musical Theatre Guild), The Bridges of Madison County (Public Theatre San Antonio), Godspell, Disenchanted, First Date (Prima Theatre), Little Women, Peter and The Starcatcher, Chess, Carousel, Spring Awakening, Urinetown the Musical (Barn Stage Company), Sweeney Todd (North Carolina Summer Rep), Hairspray, First Date (San Diego Musical Theatre), Murder for Two: Christmas Edition (Bucks County), Murder for Two (Bristol Riverside Theater, NC Theatre, The Cape Playhouse, Saint Michael’s Playhouse, Red Barn Theatre, Farmers Alley), Zapata! The Musical (New York), Murder for Two (Denver, Pittsburgh), The Untitled John Mayer Project (World Premiere), The Temporary Man, Footloose and Sondheim Unplugged. He has worked for several major regional theaters including 5th Avenue, Arizona Theatre Company, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Bucks County Playhouse, Denver Center Theatre Company, The Cape Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, NC Theatre, the Old Globe, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Pittsburgh CLO, Portland Center Stage, Saint Michael’s Playhouse, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and others. He is a recipient of Noel Craig, PAMTA, Inland Theatre League, Patté, National Youth Theatre, Billy & Director’s Choice awards.
RECENT PRODUCTIONS
LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE GALA
SPRING 2023
The annual La Jolla Playhouse Gala celebrates the arts in its many forms. From the decadent culinary creations presented with the perfect wine pairings to the exquisite design of the cabaret space. Guests were treated to performances from two-time Tony Award-winner, Sutton Foster for one unforgettable evening.
SCROOGE NO MORE
CHRISTMAS 2022
Join Scrooge live on stage in this musical at the Globe Theatre as he is swept away by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, who teach him the importance of family and friends being together at Christmas.
DISNEY'S MARY POPPINS
FALL 2022
Mary Poppins takes the children on many magical and memorable adventures, but Jane and Michael aren't the only ones upon whom she has a profound effect. Even grown-ups can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that "Anything can happen if you let it."
BOTTLE SHOCK! THE MUSICAL
SPRING 2022
A rock and roll re-telling of the true story of the early days of Napa Valley winemaking. Features the now infamous blind wine tasting held in Paris in 1976 that has come to be known as “The Judgment of Paris” when Napa wines beat the French in a blind tasting.
WITNESSES (World Premiere)
SUMMER 2022
Five Jewish teens recorded their experiences in diaries as the world around them descended into World War II. These memoirs are a testament to the human spirit during a period in history that must never be forgotten.
ONCE, THE MUSICAL
SPRING 2022
On the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship and collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful but complicated love story.