The Gallery Players Welcomes Freeman as New Executive Director

The Gallery Players, bringing Broadway to Brooklyn for over 40 years, announces a new Executive Director: Cornell and Broadway League alum Neal J. Freeman. Mr. Freeman joins the executive staff after a year on The Gallery Players' Board of Directors and with seven directing credits under his belt at the theatre, most recently this season's hit Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Mr. Freeman is delighted to take on the position of Executive Director: "The Gallery Players was the first company that took a chance on me as a young director just arriving in New York. I hope that into our 43rd season and beyond, the theater will continue to be a home for young artists and for challenging, high quality work. I don't think there are many other Off-Off Broadway companies in New York right now that are producing American classics like William Inge's Bus Stop alongside ambitious musicals like The Who's Tommy. It's thrilling to be a part of it."

Artistic Director Heather Curran looks forward to this new era of growth for the Off-Off Broadway institution: "I'm thrilled that Neal is going to step into this important leadership role to help to stabilize our future and continue to develop as a company. With his fantastic organizational and artistic instincts he will allow us to continue on good financial footing in addition to great programming."

An honors directing graduate of the Cornell University Department of Theatre, Film, and Dance, Neal J. Freeman served on the artistic staff of his native Baltimore's Open Space Arts, a non-profit community arts center, for six years from 1997 - 2004. There he led the Studio Theater Company for high school students, served as director for almost a dozen productions, and worked as producer, writer, director, and performer in the company's annual giant puppet pageant, The Great Doings Day. During this time, Neal also worked at Baltimore's acclaimed CENTERSTAGE as an actor, company manager, stage manager, and assistant director. Since re-locating New York City, Neal has directed with The Gallery Players, Sonnet Repertory, the Ensemble Studio Theatre, Engine37, and FringeNYC. He has assisted Off Broadway at the Century Center (White Chocolate) as well as on several productions with the OBIE-winning Ridge Theater. He has produced for FringeNYC, Engine37, and The Gallery Players, and for four years served as the Manager of Research and Labor Information Services for The Broadway League. Neal has twice returned to Cornell to direct as a guest artist, and currently serves the program as an Associate Artist. Neal is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Directing at Brooklyn College and lives in Brooklyn.

Neal J. Freeman plans to continue to fortify The Gallery Players' establishment by looking to and celebrating its community. "I look forward to strengthening the company's relationships with our Park Slope community as well as the New York theater community at large, facilitating increased collaboration among our alumni performers and staff members, and positioning The Gallery Players for another successful 42 years of operation, and counting!"

A New York institution since 1967, The Gallery Players has served actors and audiences alike for more than 4 decades by showcasing burgeoning new talent and offering a home base for theater professionals. Its eclectic programming of intimate revivals and ambitious new work in inventive productions has earned it the reputation of "New York's Best Kept Secret." The Gallery Players is the recipient of the Off-Off Broadway Review's 2000 Award for Lifetime Achievement and was the recipient of New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical in both 2007 & 2008 for their productions of Urinetown! the musical and Yank! A New Musical. Among its famous alumni are founding member Harvey Fierstein; Broadway regulars Nancy Anderson, Jeffry Denman and Diedre Goodwin; New York theater personality Seth Rudetsky and many others.

Still to come in The Gallery Players' 2008 - 2009 season: Willian Inge's classic Bus Stop March 14 - 29, 2009, The Who's Tommy May 2-24, 2009, The 12th Annual Black Box New Play Festival June 6-28 and The Peanut Gallery, A Musical Theatre Summer Adventure Camp for kids July 6 - 31.

For more information visit, www.galleryplayers.com.

 

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