Kevin 'Blax' Burroughs Appointed Artistic Director Of Oceanside Theatre Company

Oceanside Theatre Company has appointed Kevin 'Blax' Burroughs as the new Artistic Director of Oceanside Theatre Company as of December 1, 2023. Burroughs began as Associate Artistic Director for OTC in August 2023 and has already made an impact. On Friday, December 8, Burroughs will be announcing an exciting 2024 Main Stage Season for OTC at the opening of Seasons: A New Musical Song-Cycle by Tyler Tafolla, which will be Burroughs' first project as Artistic Director.

"Everyone at OTC has been so incredibly welcoming and open to any and all ideas I've brought to the table," said Burroughs. "Both Ted Leib and Alex Goodman have been crucial to guiding me in this process of both the 2024 season selection and becoming the Artistic Director. I was incredibly excited to select a season that spoke to both me as an artist and an individual, but also gave a strong variety of shows. During the selection process, four words continued to speak to me: Rambunctious, Daring, Fearless and Loud. These describe essentially who I am as a person and what OTC's 2024 Season is all about."

Honored with the Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Specialty Artist in 2022, Burroughs' relationship with OTC began in June of that year when he directed a co-production with Teatro San Diego of Songs for a New World. Along with fellow Teatro San Diego co-founder and co-director Julio Catano, Burroughs brought a fresh and modern concept to the production, re-setting the show in the Black Lives Matter era. Reviewer Cassiopeia Guthrie described the production as "brilliantly ideated and flawlessly executed from start to finish."

"I have been a huge fan of Blax's body of work for a long time. I first worked with him in 2018 at New Village Arts. His talent as a performer was truly inspiring - his voice, his dancing - he captivated audiences with his performance in Smokey Joe's Cafe and brought the house down every night," said Goodman, OTC's Managing Director. "Then I learned he was a talented choreographer and a light designer as well. He is a dream partner with a fluency in so many aspects of production that not many young arts leaders possess."

In addition to the 2024 Main Stage Season, Burroughs has put together OTC's holiday shows for December 2023. He will perform in both Seasons: A New Musical Song Cycle, December 8 through December 10 and Blitzen's Ball: A Holiday Variety Show, December 15 through December 24, which he created and directs. He has also been instrumental in organizing a myriad of events for 2024 including cultural performances, play readings, music concerts, comedy shows and more.

"When I learned about Ted's intention to pursue other opportunities beyond OTC, Blax was the first person I thought of to step into the role," said Goodman. "He has a very high theatre IQ, is very plugged in to the San Diego theatre community, and we have strong alignment on the role a theatre plays in a community. It is a rare opportunity to begin a new partnership with an emerging artistic leader less than two years into my own step into leadership at OTC, but I can't think of a better partner to collaborate with in 2024."

Burroughs is a San Diego-based African-American singer, dancer, actor, director, choreographer, and lighting designer who has worked at theaters throughout San Diego County including Moonlight Stage Productions, New Village Arts, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Cygnet Theatre, OnStage Playhouse, CCAE Theatricals, SDMT, and La Jolla Playhouse, as well as youth theaters and educational institutions.

ABOUT OCEANSIDE THEATRE COMPANY

Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC), the resident professional theater company operating the historic Brooks Theater in downtown Oceanside, is a focal point of the Oceanside California Cultural District. OTC's mission is to produce professional theatrical productions for the entertainment and enrichment of the community, present educational opportunities in the arts for children and adults, and provide a safe, state-of-the-art public venue for expansion of artistic endeavors in North San Diego County and greater Southern California. OTC produces a four-show mainstage theater season, music series, comedy shows and other cultural events in its 198-seat main theater. It also hosts smaller performances and classes including poetry, improv, dance and various other events in the adjacent black box theater, Studio 219. Additionally, OTC is home to the Brooks Theater Gallery which presents rotating art exhibitions and artist open houses. An important part of OTC's mission is inspiring and sharing the arts with local youth through the Youth Theater Arts Program, which includes after school drama camp in local elementary schools, Summer Theater Performance, Design and Technical Theatre Camps and Youth Theater Arts Outreach in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside during the school year. To learn more visit www.oceansidetheatre.org.

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