FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, ON – The SummerWorks Theatre Festival is pleased to welcome Joanna Barrotta as their inaugural General Manager.
Joanna, a ten-year theatre professional, has been stage managing both opera and theatre for several companies across the country. An active theatre advocate, Joanna served as a Dora juror in the 2009/10 season in the independent category, and frequently sits on panels to teach young stage managers how to enter the business. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from York University in Theatre Production. Joanna is thrilled to begin this exciting new chapter of her career with the SummerWorks Theatre Festival.
“The first play I saw at SummerWorks was Essay by Hannah Moscovitch, directed by Michael Rubenfeld,” says Barrotta. “It was an auspicious introduction to the Festival, and to Michael, who would become the Artistic Producer four years later. I am honoured to have the opportunity to contribute to the Festival that has been instrumental in providing a platform for so many respected artists.”
“With this new position, we will be able to better support the important work of over one-thousand annual SummerWorks artists” says Artistic Producer, Michael Rubenfeld. “Thank-you to our patrons and funders for their continued support, whom, without, none of this would be possible”.
The SummerWorks Theatre Festival is the largest juried festival in Canada, featuring plays and artists from across Canada. Since its inception twenty years ago, SummerWorks has been dedicated to offering artists an avenue to display their work. Under the leadership of Michael Rubenfeld, the Festival’s Artistic Producer, SummerWorks has expanded to include a Music Series, a Performance Bar, Musical Works in Concert, and the S.L.I.P. (SummerWorks Leadership Intensive Program), and has received enthusiastic national acclaim.
SummerWorks Theatre Festival takes place from August 4-14th,, 2011. Applications for the Local Series and Musical Works in Concert are available online at www.summerworks.ca, and due February 1st. Please visit the website for more information about the Festival.
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