Woolly Mammoth Announces Addition of Associate Artistic Director

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company has announced the promotion of Miriam Weisfeld from Director of Artistic Development to Associate Artistic Director, an evolution reflective of Woolly's ongoing effort to unify its literary and production activities. In her new role-a position instituted only a few times in Woolly's 34-year history-Weisfeld will continue to manage Woolly's artistic programming from commissions and season selection to implementation, and now also provide oversight of casting, Connectivity, and other initiatives.

"Over the past five seasons, Miriam Weisfeld has been my closest artistic confidante, first as Dramaturg and then as Director of Artistic Development", says Woolly Artistic Director Howard Shalwitz. "She has spearheaded Woolly's artistic planning and contributed deep thinking to our innovations in new play development, company development, and connectivity. Her shift in role to Associate Artistic Director recognizes the vital role that Miriam already plays, but more importantly, it initiates a new phase in our artistic life as a theatre. With the advent of Free the Beast!-a fund that supports more extensive commissioning, workshops, and company development-the traditional line between "play development" and "production" has been virtually eliminated at Woolly. At any given moment, we have many projects in the pipeline at various stages in their lives, each with a whole team of artists coalescing much earlier than before. Miriam will bring vision and leadership to managing this increasingly complex body of work, from project initiation all the way through production. She is one of the most articulate and passionate colleagues I have ever had, and I'm confident that she will help drive Woolly toward even greater success and impact."

"The very first time I met Howard, we talked about the big questions: why make new plays in our nation's capital? How? For whom? Those questions gave rise to Woolly's 30th anniversary conference on theatre and democracy, a strategic plan for new play development, and countless other creative initiatives," says Woolly Associate Artistic Director Miriam Weisfeld. "I'm looking forward to tackling the next series of questions: how do we stabilize these innovations for the benefit of Woolly Mammoth, the community, and the field? I'm in love with Woolly's fierce spirit of inquiry, and it's an honor to help guide its next phase."

ABOUT MIRIAM WEISFELD

Miriam Weisfeld joined Woolly Mammoth as a full-time Dramaturg in 2008 and was appointed Director of Artistic Development in 2010. During her tenure, she served as lead producer of the 30th anniversary conference on Theatre, Democracy, and Engagement, and has dramaturged several world premieres including Anne Washburn's Mr. Burns, a post-electric play, Aaron Posner's Stupid f-ing Bird, David Adjmi's Stunning, Robert O'Hara's Bootycandy, and many more. Additional credits include work for New York Theatre Workshop (projects with JoAnne Akalaitis, Ivo van Hove, and Universes); A.R.T. (with RoBert Woodruff, Anne Bogart, and Paula Vogel); Two River Theatre/Folger Theatre (with Teller); Steppenwolf Theatre; Actors Theatre of Louisville; Lookingglass Theatre; and the Banff Playwrights Colony. She has lectured on theatre at Harvard University, MIT, George Washington University, Suffolk University, Northwestern University, the Kennedy Center, and the Moscow Art Theatre School. She holds an MFA in Dramaturgy from the A.R.T./MXAT Institute at Harvard University. She is a contributing author to the upcoming Routledge Companion to Dramaturgy.

ABOUT FREE THE BEAST!

Free the Beast!-publicly launched last May-is raising $4 million to support the production of 25 new plays over the next ten years. Some will be commissioned from scratch; others developed from early drafts. All will be given the time and tending they need by to reach maturity, drawing from a menu of support including commissioning, research enhancement, readings and workshops, larger casts, extra rehearsals, and increased technical resources. Most importantly, each will receive full productions on Woolly Mammoth's stage.Stupid f-ing Bird by award-winning playwright Aaron Posner is the second production supported by this innovative fundraising campaign. Woolly Artistic Director Howard Shalwitz directs this irreverent, contemporary, and very funny remix of Chekhov's The Seagull, May 27 through June 23.

Free the Beast! support for Stupid f-ing Bird included a completion commission for playwright Aaron Posner, funding for the composer of the original score, a one-week workshop at Lake George Theater Lab in upstate New York, and three readings at Woolly Mammoth.

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ABOUT WOOLLY

Now in its 33rd season, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company continues to hold its place at the leading edge of American theatre. Acknowledged as "one of the most influential outposts for the best new American plays" (The Washington Post), and "known for its productions of innovative new plays" (The New York Times), Woolly Mammoth is a national leader in the development of new works, and one of the best known and most influential mid-sized theatres in America.

Woolly Mammoth's upcoming Season 34, themed "America's Tell-Tale Heart", includes Lisa D'Amour's Detroit (September 9-October 6, 2013), Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Appropriate (November 4-December 1, 2013), Jackie Sibblies Drury's We Are Proud To Present...(February 10-March 9, 2014), Elevator Repair Service's Arguendo (March 31-April 20, 2014), and Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's The Totalitarians (June 2-29, 2014). Returning this holiday season are The Pajama Men, Shenoah Allen and Mark Chavez, with their newest show, Just the Two of Each of Us (Dec 10, 2013-Jan 5, 2014).

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