Artistic Director David Ira Goldstein Will Leave Arizona Theatre ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Joanie Flatt On behalf of the Board of Trustees Tel: 602.339.7012 Email: flattjl@aol.com ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DAVID IRA GOLDSTEIN WILL LEAVE ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY IN DECEMBER AFTER 21 SEASONS TUCSON/PHOENIX (June 3, 2013) -­‐ Arizona Theatre Company announced today that David Ira Goldstein, ATC’s Artistic Director since 1992, will be leaving the Company in December of 2013. In his 21 seasons as artistic director, Goldstein led the Company to unprecedented levels of attendance, critical acclaim, community support, educational outreach and national prominence. During his tenure, he produced over 200 plays, workshops, readings and presentations in Phoenix and Tucson, while personally directing more than 40 mainstage productions ranging from classics to new plays to musicals. Goldstein said in announcing his decision that “leading Arizona Theatre Company’s artistic efforts for the last two decades has been the richest and most satisfying time of my artistic life. But it is a job that requires you to divide your life equally between two cities that are over 120 miles apart. While I love both places and have developed hundreds of close friendships and relationships in both communities, I have also driven the equivalent of 17 times around the world between Phoenix and Tucson. For the last couple of years, I have yearned to spend less time behind the steering wheel and more time with my family.” Goldstein continued, “I also have been eager to take on new artistic projects, resume my busy free-­‐lance career and pursue more teaching opportunities, none of which were really possible while running the Southwest’s largest professional theatre and juggling the demands of a two-­‐city operation. This will also be a wonderful opportunity for our audiences to hear from new artistic voices. I expect that there will be many superb, diverse candidates for this very special job in our beautiful part of the world.”

Former Managing Director Jessica Andrews, who partnered with Goldstein at ATC from 1995 through 2011 said, “It was my pleasure to have worked with David for over 16 years. Through his artistic leadership, he has brought ATC into the national spotlight and has helped to increase audiences and donors through the high level of the work on stage. David's ability to attract new playwrights and other artists to ATC speaks to the respect he has from fellow artists around the country. Our partnership was one of the great joys of my long career in the not-­‐for-­‐profit professional theatre and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the ATC family for such a long time. I know that David will be missed, but see nothing but exciting new opportunities for him as he continues to contribute his artistic influence throughout the country.” “By making this announcement now, it will give our Board time to undertake a search for a new Artistic Director before I leave,” Goldstein continued. “It will also mean that we can finalize planning, casting and design work to produce our 2013-­‐14 season as we have promised to our loyal subscribers. Season ticket renewals have been very strong, and I want to make sure that we deliver a wonderful season. I have been deeply honored to lead the artistic mission with so many talented co-­‐workers and guest artists for all these years. I offer my humble thanks to all the hundreds of thousands of theater lovers who have supported our work.” Goldstein has won dozens of honors and awards across the nation for his work including the 2003 Governor’s Arts Award as Individual Artist for his contributions to the arts in Arizona, and the 2010 Leader of the Year Award in Arts and Humanities from the Capitol Times. He directed over 40 mainstage productions for ATC ranging from classics to new plays to musicals, including “Next to Normal,” “Hair,” “Much Ado about Nothing,” “My Fair Lady,” “Valley Song,” “The Illusion,” “The Pajama Game,” “Side Man,” “[title of show],” “How I Learned to Drive,” “The Mystery of Irma Vep,” “Scapin,” “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” “The Boys Next Door,” “Shadowlands,” “Fully Committed,” “The Pirates of Penzance,” “H.M.S. Pinafore,” “The Sunshine Boys,” “Dreams From A Summer House,” “ Little Shop of Horrors,” “Other People’s Money,” “The Heidi Chronicles,” “Noises Off” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” “I enjoyed working with David for over 10 years at ATC,” said Kevin Moore, former managing director of Arizona Theatre Company and currently managing director of Theatre Communications Group, “and I can tell you that the theatre communities in both Phoenix and Tucson have been enormously impacted by his theatre-­‐making. I know that I join with thousands of audience members who have laughed, cried, cheered and had their lives changed by David and his work over the years in wishing him the very best as he embarks on new adventures.” While at ATC, Goldstein commissioned and directed many world premieres that have gone on to hundreds of productions world-­‐wide. One of his most memorable experiences was directing the world premiere of “The Kite Runner,” adapted by Matthew Spangler from the novel by Khaled Hosseini. Goldstein also directed six premieres by Steven Dietz including “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” (winner of the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America), “Inventing van Gogh,” “Rocket Man,” “Private Eyes,” “Over The Moon” and “Dracula;” and three premieres by Jeffrey Hatcher including “Ten Chimneys,” “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (Edgar Award nominee) and “Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club” (Edgar Award nominee.)

Rob Glaser, ATC Board chair stated, “David Goldstein has been an extraordinary Artistic Director for Arizona Theatre Company for many years. We will miss him and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.” Other notable artistic initiatives begun under Goldstein were international presenting including two acclaimed appearances by the National Theatre of Great Britain with “Othello” and “Hamlet” both starring Simon Russell Beale, and the Theatre Royal Bath production of “The Importance of being Earnest” starring Lynn Redgrave; the establishment of the National Latino Playwriting Award and the Arizona Playwriting Contest; the Genesis: New Play Reading Series; the five-­‐year America Plays! Celebrating Great American Stories initiative; the establishment of a formal relationship with the University of Arizona Department of Theatre to train actors, understudies and interns; and more than 20 different education and outreach programs including Open Doors and Summer on Stage. As a two-­‐city operation, ATC became a leader in the American theatre in working with other professional companies on co-­‐productions, providing Arizona audiences with richer variety of more ambitious work. During Goldstein’s tenure, ATC co-­‐produced 46 times with more than 18 different theatres with five of those productions directed by Goldstein. "David Ira Goldstein has been a trusted artistic and producing partner, and by joining our resources we have together produced remarkable productions over the years for both of our audiences," said Rick Lombardo, San Jose Repertory Theatre's Artistic Director. "It is rare to find a co-­‐producing partner one can trust so completely, and with whom a shared artistic vision is so clearly present. David has really been a trailblazer in the development of how regional theaters approach co-­‐productions. I will miss working with him so closely." Goldstein has been a guest director at theatres across the country including The Pasadena Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Florida Stage, Center Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Northlight Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Village Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Laguna Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Mixed Blood Theatre, The Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis, Arizona Opera, Alaska Repertory Theatre, Illusion Theatre and Empty Space Theatre. His musical “A Marvelous Party: The Noël Coward Celebration,” which originated at ATC, has played extensively across the US, winning many awards including four Jeff Awards in Chicago (including Best Director), the Elliot Norton Award in Boston, several Bay Area Critics Awards and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Production. Before coming to Arizona, Goldstein was Associate Artistic Director of ACT Theatre in Seattle. His many productions there included “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “Hapgood,” “Breaking the Silence,” “Woman in Mind,” “Voice of the Prairie,” “Shadowlands,” “Lloyd’s Prayer,” the world premieres of “God’s Country” by Steven Dietz and “Willi: An Evening of Wilderness and Spirit” by John Pielmeier, as well as a joint Soviet-­‐American production of “The Falcon.” He was Associate Artistic Director at Actors Theatre of St. Paul from 1983-­‐86. Goldstein holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota. He has been a visiting instructor and director at ASU, University of Washington, University of Minnesota and University of Northern Iowa. He has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, Theatre Communications Group, Arts Midwest, and the Arizona, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington State Arts Commissions. He has been a proud member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SDC) for 28 years, and Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) for

29 years. After his departure from ATC, Goldstein plans to remain in Arizona with his wife, KJZZ radio announcer Michele Robins. Trustee Emeritus Bill Sheppard, who was on the Search Committee that hired Goldstein in 1991 and remains active on ATC’s Board, added “Over the years David Ira Goldstein has provided the entire State of Arizona with hours of first class theatre. Along the way he has become a good friend. He and Michele are like part of my family. Arizona Theatre Company will truly miss his fine artistry.” Of David’s departure, Mark Cole, ATC Managing Director added, “David has been instrumental in bringing inspiring and award-­‐winning theater to Arizona’s stages for 21 seasons with ATC. Whether looking at this season’s production of “Clybourne Park,” which was a 2011 Pulitzer Prize winner and 2012 Tony Award winner for best play, or looking forward to next season’s “Other Desert Cities,” which had 5 nominations for the 2012 Tony Awards and was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, David has always been committed to providing our audiences with outstanding and thought-­‐provoking productions. David leaves with our gratitude for his many years of dedicated service and our very best wishes for his future endeavors.” ATC also announced that following his departure in December, Goldstein will be granted the title of Artistic Director Emeritus. About Arizona Theatre Company Touching lives through the power of theatre, Arizona Theatre Company (ATC), is the preeminent professional theatre in the Southwest. Boasting the largest seasonal subscriber base in the performing arts in Arizona, ATC is the only resident company in the US that benefits from a two-­‐city operation. Now in its 46th season, more than 130,000 people a year attend performances at the historic Temple of Music and Art in Tucson, and the intimate and elegant Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix. Each season of shows reflect the rich variety of world drama -­‐ from classics to contemporary plays, from musicals to new works -­‐ along with a wide array of outreach programs, educational opportunities, access initiatives and new play programs. ###