From the "It Helps to Know People" files

Yes, indeed, it's a good thing to have a 25 year friendship with a world famous architect, particularly when you're on the board of directors of a theater that is eyeing a redesign.

That's how things apparently are going down in Pasadena where Frank Gehry (he of Disney Concert Hall, the Norton Simon, et al) has agreed to donate a pro bono, two phase design of the Pasadena Playhouse's Carrie Hamilton Theatre.

Hamilton is the late daughter of Carol Burnett, who is on the Playhouse's Board of Directors. Currently, the Furious Theatre Company works out of the Hamilton, and the PP also does its Hot House at the Playhouse series there.

Gehry's work involves revamping the existing space and drawing up plans for a new 300 seat performance space (name as yet undetermined). As I understand it, this new enhanced Hamilton would be in addition the existing space once the goals of the Playhouse's $8.5 million capital campaign is complete.

Well, thanks to the Burnett-Gehry connection, that price tag apparently won't include an architect's fee.

For more information on the Carrie Hamilton Theatre, check out www.pasadenaplayhouse.org or www.carriehamiltontheatre.com.