ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY LAUNCHES 51 ST SEASON WITH NEW VISION AND DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP TEAM Artistic director David Ivers (left) and managing director Billy Russo (right). Acting Up The Company of Arizona Theatre Company’s Man of La Mancha . Photo by Tim Fuller. Philip Hernandez and Carlos Lopez in Arizona Theatre Company’s Man of La Mancha . Photo by Tim Fuller.

SPRING 2018 FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM | 39 Spring Arts & Culture Directory Arizona Theatre Company has launched a new era for the organization as the final production of Arizona Theatre Company’s Man of La Mancha recently wrapped, providing an opportunity to introduce theater-going fans to the new leadership team. The reinterpreted classic met with critical and fan praise, and then immediately following the final curtain of the production, the first of a series of gatherings called the Salon Series took place. The event included the new Arizona Theatre Company leadership team, theater patrons and several actors from Man of La Mancha . Those attending at the home of Mary and Geoff Hamway heard about the company’s new direction and the 2018-2019 season announcement. The new leadership team, which recently celebrated its first six months, has high aspirations for Arizona’s only professional theater company with the Arizona League of Resident Theatres (LORT) designation. Artistic director David Ivers and managing director Billy Russo have created a dynamic partnership in spearheading the direction of the theater company, and they offered a glimpse into the future at the gathering. While addressing the Salon Series crowd, Russo said, “We wanted to let you know our commitment to being part of this community.” Russo joined Arizona Theatre Company two years ago as it searched for its new artistic director, and said he appreciated the vision and energy that Ivers brought to the table. One thing Russo and Ivers agreed on right away was that Arizona Theatre Company should no longer be called “ATC,” but referred to by its full name. They wanted to keep the “Arizona” in Arizona Theatre Company. “The company is starting to take shape in the vision to help serve what we hope is the next several decades with excellence,” Ivers said. “The key to virtuosity is clarity of vision, how we serve community, and funding the vision of the art so that it is the most essential and immediate to the community.” In shaping the coming years, Arizona Theatre Company will rely on the vision of Russo and Ivers as well as the guidance of the Arizona Theatre Company board of trustees and board officers. “This is not your mother’s Arizona Theatre Company,” said Mary Hamway, the vice chair of Arizona Theatre Company’s board. “The energy is different. The vibe is different. We’re really going to push the Phoenix market. If Phoenix wants Broadway-quality theater, then Arizona Theatre Company is the place to come.” Arizona Theatre Company board of trustee member Pam Hait has a 50-year history with the organization. “I think we’ve been very blessed with a stability of artistic directors and that’s part of why the quality of this theater is so extraordinary,” she said. During the Salon Series event, attendees had the chance to chat with Man of La Mancha actors and with Russo and Ivers while learning about the upcoming season. “The branding for next season on our brochure will be called ‘The Scene in America,’” Ivers said. “It’s about the American experience at the center of the season as a theme, with family at the center of that. I will never give up on my kids seeing what we actually look like and how we’re represented in the world.” By Lynette Carrington | CONTRIBUTING WRITER