new play opens and we're off to chattanooga!

gross indecency: the three trials of oscar wilde
opens May 31 (previews start May 29) for theatre Q at the dragon theatre in palo alto, ca. this has been an exciting and fulfilling project to direct and i am particularly proud of this nine-member ensemble: john aney, scott ludwig, michael moerman, kevin copps, fred goris, kevin hsieh, thomas azar, matthew lowe and patrick hilt; as well as the design team of niel satterland (lights) and ron gasperinetti (set) and our wonderful stage manager erin milligan. the production only runs thru june 22, so don't miss it. www.theatreq.org

so rob and i are moving to chattanooga, tennessee! who'd a thunk it, huh?... back in february of this year, i found a listing for the position of producing director at the chattanooga theatre centre in the theatre communications group's artsearch online job listing. the chattanooga theatre centre (www.theatrecentre.com) intrigued me because of its fantastic facility, 85 year track record and the statement in its job posting that their programs were "built around a philosophy of the arts as vehicle for self examination" seemed to resonate with me. sometime in april, i had a terrific phone interview with jo coke (a board ctc member and search committee member) and then a week later, i was invited to chattanooga to interview with the search committee, staff and board as well as volunteers at the theatre centre. while there, i met so many wonderful people and got a first-hand experience of the place and really fell in love with the theatre centre and with chattanooga itself. a week or so after i got back to san francisco, i was offered the job and have accepted. i'll start in early july (overlapping with jeffrey brown, the current producing director who is leaving at the end of July). we've already met some great new friends in chattanooga and will be renting a cute little nineteen-twenties bungalow in the brainard area of town... more news about this move and our cross country trek to follow. we'll be sad to leave san francisco and california on june 22, but this new adventure is very exciting indeed.