Inside the Outside In Theatre

The Outside In Theatre is located in Highland Park, Calif. (Photo: Athena Asklipadis)

Co-founded by Tamlyn Tomita and Daniel Blinkoff, the artistic nonprofit space
showcases ‘daring, dynamic and authentic untold stories by unheard voices.’

By Athena Mari Asklipiadis, P.C. Contributor

When sitting down with actress and co-founder of Outside In Theatre Tamlyn Tomita, an overwhelming feeling of passion fills the air. Tomita exudes incredible enthusiasm and hope for her new nonprofit theater that opened its doors in Los Angeles’ Highland Park neighborhood in September 2025.

Co-founded by Tomita’s husband and theater veteran Daniel Blinkoff, the vision of Outside In Theatre is “building the world we want to see by producing daring, dynamic and authentic untold stories by unheard voices,” as stated on its website.

(Related story here.)

And by “unheard voices,” Tomita and her team hope that the space showcases stories from marginalized communities such as Indigenous, African, Asian and Latin American descent, as well as queer and disabled people.

“We are very, very conscientious about who we are as a team and really concentrate on the fact that this is the only live theater in northeast Los Angeles, and [we’re] really focused on the value of storytelling,” shared Tomita.

Tomita goes on to credit the idea of building a theater like this to Blinkoff and shares that he, even as a “cis (cisgender), white male,” is very cognizant of the idea that “‘representation matters’ of people whose stories don’t get told with actors whose faces don’t get seen.”

In addition to highlighting diverse voices, Outside In Theatre is also unique in being equipped with tools and spaces that allow for live and digital, scripted and nonscripted works, as well as improvised shows.

The variety of stories and methods the theater encourages allows for both unique performer and audience experiences. Born out of the Covid-era physical distance necessity, the streaming and broadcasting capabilities of the theater allow attendees to see plays and performances they would not normally have access to if not in L.A.

And if that weren’t inclusive enough, Tomita beams with pride when describing how the space is ADA friendly for both performers and ticketholders. It is one of only a few theaters where a wheelchair-bound person can access the stage area, dressing rooms and have a seat in the crowd, as the venue is all one level.

The multipurpose building, located at 5317 York Blvd., is 102 years old. It was home to a printing shop, auto repair shop, an art studio and a furniture store in its past lives.

When one looks at the exterior facade on Google maps through the years, one will see how the building has transformed from a simple design with large garage-style doors to a beautiful archway entrance and ceiling-to-floor-built windows where one can view the beautiful interior modern design.

Not only does the theater allow for entertainment, but also the impressive lobby is a welcoming place for guests that includes a bar and a seating area below a stained-glass ceiling installation done by Highland Park neighbor Judson Studios, a 125-year-old local glass designer based less than a mile and a half away.

Once inside, down the hall, one will enter the main 99-seat theater, known as ArtSpace. The space has new riser seating, features projector-screen capabilities and is under a large skylight, which was inherited and previously used for lighting by the auto repair shop.

The skylight (which can be covered) is a popular use of natural light that Tomita says many actors and directors prefer for rehearsal — a unique feature not commonly seen in a theater.

Another distinctive feature is the versatility of the audience seating. The director can choose the seat positioning based on the show. For the first opening show at ArtSpace, for example, “Torera,” a play about a female Mexican bullfighter, welcomed an audience sitting in an arena-style seating arrangement.

And as if one theater isn’t impressive enough, Outside In Theatre houses another smaller neighboring building, which is located at 5319 York Blvd. Following the stained-glass design motif, the building next door has similarly designed windows and was actually the first property bought by Tomita and Blinkoff during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This space is home to a smaller black box-style theater and seats 45, or up to 60, if necessary, and is named “Artbox.” This theater has been running for two years, and the most popular recurring show surprisingly runs on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. with actress-comedian Maria Bamford, titled “Morning Poop.”

The hilariously titled morning comedy show offers up donuts to attendees at a pay-what-you-can rate. Tomita describes the venue as a more intimate space that has incredible acoustics. Artbox is rentable and mostly used for smaller shows, acting classes, auditions and script readings.

When describing the types of performances that Outside In Theatre showcases, Tomita explains that storytelling is the prime focus, specifically underrepresented stories, but the story has to also be of “good quality and worthy of an audience.” She encourages writers to submit scripts on the Outside In Theatre website and that people who have stories should just go for it and write them.

Tomita and her six-person team is also really dedicated to local stories. Although she is the only L.A. native of the group, the leadership at the theater really seeks to highlight Highland Park stories and is currently working on filming oral histories from the point of view of three generations of various families, inviting an abuela, a mother and a daughter to illustrate the rich culture of one of the few Latino working-class communities.

Aptly titled, “I Am Highland Park,” the in-progress project will surely be a historic look at the community. Tomita explains that the neighborhood was once an upper-class white area in the 1930s and ’40s and was made up of large historic, craftsman-style homes.

After “white flight” occurred in many parts of L.A., immigrants settled in the area, making it a majority Latino community by the 1960s. Although the area now faces gentrification like many other nearby communities, these large homes are still widely multigenerational homes to Chicano/a and Mexican American residents today, and Tomita hopes to collect these important histories.

It is impressive that even though 
Tomita still refers to TV and film acting as her “bread and butter,” she has such energy and dedication to her new venture. From 
flying to and from the set of shows like “Chicago Med” and other projects, her heart is in Highland Park at the Outside In 
Theatre, where something special is really building momentum.

From three-week scripted plays to unscripted Jane Austin themed improv shows, there is something for everyone. With diverse casting, she shares that anyone can be a Romeo, and it shouldn’t be an issue what Romeo looks like — it really becomes more relatable, and she expresses, “Everybody falls in love!”

With a sparkle in her eye, Tomita shares how she loves the camaraderie of being a part of this labor of love — and something she is relishing in doing for the first time. She admits it is a lot of fun, but she and her team have to accept the fact that they do not know everything about running a theater — it leaves room for them to learn and grow.

Tomita goes on to express that it is a beautiful thing that theater can bring together various people and that she gets to witness guests “collectively decide to see a storyteller, then grab a drink together and ask [whispering], ‘Did you like it?’ and hear, ‘I loved it!’”

The thrill she gets is contagious, and you cannot help but root for the theater’s success. Her authenticity oozes out of her when she speaks, and the beauty of the venue is a testament of her and her team’s hard work.

Now playing until April 19 is “Fantastic Tales: Improvised Stories of the Strange & Unusual,” a new show from producer/director Matthew Pitner and featuring Blinkoff. It is inspired by the “speculative imagination of H. G. Wells, Mary Shelley and their contemporaries” that “crafts a complete speculative drama in real time, where ambition collides with consequence and invention reveals both wonder and cost.”

Check out tickets for upcoming shows at outsideintheatre.org. In addition, consider supporting this 501(c)3 nonprofit theater by donating at outsideintheatre.org/donate.

Athena Mari Asklipiadis, a hapa Japanese L.A. native, is the founder of Mixed Marrow, a filmmaker and a diversity advocate.