Marin Theatre Company Artistic Director Jasson Minadakis To Depart After 17 Seasons

Marin Theatre Company Board of Directors and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Meredith Suttles announced that Artistic Director Jasson Minadakis will depart the North Bay's premier non-profit theatre organization after 17 seasons at the helm.

"I am honored to have served as the artistic leader of this organization for 17 incredible seasons," said Minadakis. "It has been a defining period in my career and my life, and I am proud of what we have achieved. Together with the staff, artists, and Board of Directors, we have-with amazing community support-brought the organization through the pandemic and have begun to reshape the company. It is time for a new artistic leader to lead MTC into its next phase and I'm excited to help the organization and the community through the transition period. I'm grateful to all who supported and encouraged this journey, especially the playwrights who entrusted their work to us-thank you for your genius and your faith."

"Coming out of the pandemic, theatres everywhere are adjusting to changed habits and new perspectives on artistic offerings," said MTC Board Chair Wendy Feng. "We look now to identify an artistic leader who will build upon Jasson's work over the past 17 years as we welcome back our existing patrons and invite new ones to join the MTC community."

Adds MTC Board Member Kipp Delbyck: "Through Jasson's artistic leadership, MTC audiences were the first to experience some of the best new work in American theatre today. We thank him for his vision and unflagging dedication to MTC and wish him all the best."

"I'm extremely grateful for Jasson's partnership over the past 18 months of my tenure at Marin Theatre Company, especially as we navigated these uniquely challenging times," said Suttles. "His artistic leadership and creativity have kept MTC at the forefront of regional theatres and his impact will be felt for years to come. As we enter this new phase of transition and organizational transformation at MTC, we remain committed to being a vital space for artists, students, staff, audiences, and our community."

Serving as MTC's Artistic Director since 2006, Minadakis has produced 88 productions, of which 20 were world premieres. Upon joining the company, Minadakis refined MTC's mission to focus on the development and production of new American Playwrights. He created the Sky Cooper New American Play Prize and the David Calicchio Emerging American Playwright Prize, which were awarded annually from 2008 to 2019, to playwrights including Martyna Majok, Dominique Morisseau, Bill Cain, and Samuel D. Hunter. During his tenure, the company became a member of the League of Resident Theatres and, by early 2020, had more than doubled its annual budget. Minadakis directed 32 productions for the company and had the pleasure of working with Marin Theatre Company's National Playwright in Residence Lauren Gunderson over many years. That opportunity included commissioning, directing, and filming Lauren Gunderson's The Catastrophist during the height of the pandemic.

The Board of Directors has formed a search committee to identify a successor to lead the next phase of Marin Theatre Company's continued artistic growth. Minadakis' final day will be March 31, 2023.

About Marin Theatre Company

Marin Theatre Company is the Bay Area's premier mid-sized theatre and the leading professional theatre in the North Bay. MTC is committed to the development and production of new plays, with a comprehensive New Play Program that includes productions of world premieres, readings and workshops by the nation's diverse emerging and established playwrights. MTC's numerous education programs serve more than 4,500 students from over 40 Bay Area schools each year. MTC envisions theatre as a vital space for sharing diverse stories to build a more just and equitable world. MTC is dedicated to inspiring conversation, learning and action to build more inclusive communities. We do this by providing a sustainable home for developing the work of diverse American Playwrights and innovative theatrical experiences. MTC was founded in 1966 and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Photo credit: Kevin Berne

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