Marin Theatre Compan Welcomes Lydia Garcia as New Literary Manager

Marin Theatre Company is proud to welcome Lydia Garcia as its new Literary Manager and Resident Dramaturg. She is currently serving as Resident Dramaturg at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Ms. Garcia's hiring enhances MTC's position as one of the leading incubators of new plays in the United States.

Ms. Garcia offered thoughts on the opportunity to bring her unique skillset to Marin:

"I have been enthralled by stories and storytellers for as long as I can remember, captivated by tales spun by my elders or lost in the pages of a beloved book. Discovering the theater as a young person, and later the path of a dramaturg, has allowed me to combine my love of imaginative stories with an insatiable curiosity about the world: as it is, as it was, and how it might someday be.

As a dramaturg, I love working in partnership with playwrights, actors, directors, designers, and others to breathe life into new theatrical experiences, from first inspiration to final curtain, guided by that wonderful question: 'what if...?' Joining the team at Marin Theatre Company-a company dedicated to nurturing plays destined to become new American classics-is an extraordinary opportunity to be at the forefront of the most exciting developments in the American theatre today."

Mr. Minadakis emphasized Ms. Garcia's skills, relationships, and passion:

"MTC has engaged in an exhaustive national search to find the perfect leader for our literary, dramaturgy and new play efforts and I am honored to name Lydia Garcia as our new Literary Manager and Resident Dramaturg. Her passion for new American work, and specifically for young, emerging American playwrights, makes her the perfect candidate to lead our two national play prizes as well as our commissioning and development efforts.

Ms. Garcia is one of the true leaders in forwarding new play dramaturgy and in mentoring the field's next generation of dramaturgs. She is also one of the field's leading experts and facilitators in the new arena of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and I am thrilled that she is bringing her expertise to MTC as well as the greater Bay Area. She will be a valuable local resource for our community."

Ms. Garcia will be replacing MTC's former Director of New Play Development, Margot Melcon, who participated in the national search for her replacement:

"Under Jasson's leadership over the past ten years, Marin Theatre Company has grown into a truly supportive and collaborative place to create, develop and nurture new plays and playwrights. Lydia is an incredible advocate for new work; with her experience, expertise and thoughtful leadership, she will complement the artistic team at MTC and bring amazing energy and continued growth to the new play program."

Ms. Garcia is the Resident Dramaturg for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival through April 3, 2016. During her time there she served as the production dramaturg for more than 20 productions, including Much Ado about Nothing, Fingersmith, Long Day's Journey into Night, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Happiest Song Plays Last, Water by the Spoonful, Richard III, A Streetcar Named Desire, Cymbeline, Romeo and Juliet, Medea/Macbeth/Cinderella, The Imaginary Invalid, August: Osage County, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, She Loves Me, The Music Man, Dead Man's Cell Phone, The Servant of Two Masters, and Quixote. In addition to her dramaturgical work, Ms. Garcia was also a resident lecturer and teacher at OSF; a trained staff facilitator for issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity; and a proud member of the artEquity facilitator team led by Carmen Morgan. She is a graduate of Harvard University and the Yale School of Drama.

Marin Theatre Company's next production, the world premiere of Swimmers, by Rachel Bonds, begins performances on Thursday, March 3, 2016.

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