Summer Stock Stage Names Michael Berg Raunick as New Managing Director

After an extensive search, Summer Stock Stage and its Board of Directors are pleased to announce the company's new managing director: Michael Berg Raunick. Raunick will oversee operations of Summer Stock (SSS) and organize the financial, development and administrative elements while working alongside Artistic Director Emily Ristine Holloway to continue the organization's growth.

"Mike Raunick takes the work of the arts seriously. He believes in the impact the arts can have personally and in the way they can enrich and transform a community," said Summer Stock Stage Artistic Director Emily Ristine Holloway. "Our shared vision of artistic excellence in an intentionally inclusive culture energizes our mission as we expand to serve Indianapolis artists and audiences."

Previously, Raunick was the Director of Choirs at North Central High School since 2013. Under his leadership, the choir program at North Central continued a tradition of excellence that includes 10 choirs and over 300 students. In 2018, he started working with SSS as a music director for both Mainstage and Eclipse. He has conducted SSS performances at Park Tudor, IRT, and The Phoenix Theatre, coordinated the virtual intensive series in the summer of 2020, worked on two productions during the outdoor season in 2021, and served as music director and pianist for the 20th anniversary gala in 2023.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mike co-founded Riverbend Production Company, a virtual performance company. During the 2020-2021 school year, the company created over 200 virtual performance videos for choirs, orchestras, bands, and theater companies across the United States and Canada, including producing all videos for Summer Stock's virtual performance series.

Raunick is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and holds a master's degree from Butler University in Educational Leadership. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife Cara and daughter Ruth.

Summer Stock is preparing for its 2024 season, which will present 6 productions on the stages of The Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre and Park Tudor School. The Mainstage program for high school performers will stage "The Music Man" and "Rent," while the emerging professionals company Eclipse will perform "The Wedding Singer" and "Lizzie." The Academy program for younger students will present "The Music Man Jr." and "Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr."

For more information on auditions, classes, and the 2024 summer season, visit summerstockstage.com.