FreeFall Theatre Board Appoints New Executive Director, Craig Badinger

The freeFall Theatre Company Board of Trustees has named Craig Badinger the new Executive Director of freeFall Theatre Company.

"We are thrilled to welcome Craig as our new Executive Director," says Robert O'Brion, freeFall Board President. "He will bring experience, enthusiasm, great communication skills, and a fresh perspective to our organization." Badinger's background in leadership and fundraising, combined with a deep passion for promoting community-based arts programs, will help to further advance the mission of the organization that celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2021. Says O'Brion, "We feel lucky to have found him and look forward to a successful and invigorating future of award-winning live theatre with Craig at the helm."

As Executive Director, Badinger will manage day-to-day operations for Tampa Bay's most exciting professional theatre company, known for its experimentation and genre-bending work. He will also lead fundraising programs, as well as marketing and community engagement initiatives. Badinger joined the freeFall team in February 2023 and is currently overseeing plans for freeFall's imminent new season announcement. "We are confident that Craig will continue to help freeFall grow and are assured of his commitment to excellence, one of the hallmarks of our organization," says Founding Artistic Director Eric Davis.

"freeFall embodies the character and personality that we admire so much about St Petersburg. As I've attended performances here over the last few years, there's been a real welcoming to my experience on this campus," says Badinger. "Arts organizations make up the fabric of our community. You have to recognize that what we do informs the identity of this city. The offerings at nonprofits like freeFall are a big part of the reason people want to live here. I look forward to enabling Eric's creative process and innovation."

With more than a decade of experience in nonprofit fundraising, Badinger began with Miami City Ballet and New York's Martha Graham Dance Company before relocating to Florida's gulf coast in 2016 and working with Sarasota's Hermitage Artist Retreat. He first stepped into a leadership role in 2019 with Punta Gorda Symphony, then relocated to St Petersburg where, for the past year, he had the good fortune to work with two other cornerstone institutions of this community, the Museum of Fine Arts, St Petersburg, and The Florida Orchestra.

Badinger succeeds Executive Director Cheryl Forchilli, long-time patron and former freeFall Board President, who served in the role for several years.

Located in West St Petersburg, freeFall Theatre Company is one of Tampa Bay's most exciting professional theatre companies. freeFall was founded in 2008 and moved into its current space at 6099 Central Avenue in 2011. freeFall presents a varied range of classical and new works that are bold, daring, and diverse and presented in ways that invite, entertain, and challenge audiences. All freeFall productions are produced and presented locally using acclaimed theatre professionals from across the country including many that make Tampa Bay their artistic home. In addition to a full season of shows, freeFall also presents an award-winning series of cabarets, concerts, and special programming as part of their Tandem Series.

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