iTheatrics Announces New Hires And Company Restructuring

iTheatrics has restructured its company and expanded its focus to support the creation of original musicals that amplify voices currently underrepresented in theatre in complement to its work adapting Broadway and West End musicals for licensing by Music Theatre International and Concord Theatricals.

The announcement was made today by iTheatrics' founding CEO, Timothy Allen McDonald. Based in New York City, iTheatrics is a leading authority on musical theatre for young people.

The company has reorganized into three primary departments: Creative Development, Education, and Publications. Separately, iTheatrics programs the Junior Theater Festivals in Atlanta and Sacramento, and supports the global Junior Theater Festival community.

To support this expanded focus, the company has hired Mary-Catherine Chambliss as its director of education and Alex Robertson as the producing associate.

"iTheatrics' mission has always been to make the world a better place one musical at a time. Our company-wide restructure and new hires are perfect examples of this goal. We first met Mary-Catherine and Alex when they were theatre kids at our Junior Theater Festival, and now they are an integral part of reimagining the future of theatre," says McDonald.

Chambliss was most recently education director for The Anderson School, Professional Performing Arts School, Simon Baruch Junior High, and Yorkville East Middle School. She is a graduate of Troy University.

"Theatre connects. I teach theatre not to create the next Broadway star but to help shape and mold the principles that any person will need in life. In the classroom, we witness how a group of young people grow as we tell stories through musicals. We then get to share that growth with the cast, the crew, the parents, the guardians, the families, volunteers, community, and beyond. I have the responsibility to engage with students on their journey as learners and performers, and I have the opportunity to create and develop tools, resources, and connections to help educators in the process of making the world a better place one musical at a time," says Chambliss.

Robertson, a graduate of The Hartt School at University of Hartford, is currently associate producing the New York City premiere of Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas at the New Victory Theater. He is a co-producer of Douglas Carter Beane's new comedy, Fairycakes, at the Greenwich House Theatre.

"Theatre is universal. As a young producer of color, I have not seen too many people who looked like me making decisions in the entertainment industry, and I want to change that. Students need to know they can have an impact in theatre no matter what career path they choose. I bring a fresh perspective to the Creative Development Department at iTheatrics, and I plan to bring more underrepresented artists' work to the light," he says.

iTheatrics has also promoted longtime employees into enhanced leadership positions: Susan Fuller to senior vice president, Lindsay Lupi to vice president of education, Daniel Mertzlufft to director of creative development, Laura Jo Schuster to editor and director of social media, and Jiana Odland to director of educational programming and DEI advisor. Marty Johnson, the company's previous director of education, will serve as director of programing for the Junior Theater Festivals.

iTheatrics has worked with leading public and private companies around the world-including the White House, the Kennedy Center, NBC, Concord Theatricals, The Really Useful Group, and Music Theatre International-to ensure young people everywhere have access to quality musical theatre programs. It also programs the Junior Theater Festivals-global events that recognize and empower young people and educators creating student-driven musical theatre worldwide.

To post a comment, you must register and login.