The Actors Gymnasium Announces their New Executive Director
EVANSTON, IL - After an extensive nation-wide search, The Actors Gymnasium is pleased to announce that Virginia Nugent has joined The Actors Gymnasium staff as the organization's new Executive Director.
"We're thrilled to have found someone with the scope and breadth of knowledge of theatre and the not-for-profit world that Virginia brings to the table " says Co-Artistic Director Larry DiStasi.
Virginia is an arts and culture specialist with 25 years experience and was most recently engaged as Interim Managing Director and Development Director for Chicago Dramatists. She brings a deep understanding of show business from her background in technical production and general arts management.
Virginia literally "grew up" in theatre in her native Australia, napping in the dressing room and running lines over the kitchen table, which led to a professional production career primarily in musical theatre and opera. Highlights include the Australian premiere of Phantom of the Opera, and production managing Australia's first ever fully-staged Ring Cycle. Since moving to the U.S. in 1999, Virginia has also worked with Pittsburgh Opera, History Theatre, Grace Minnesota/Wishes for the Sky, Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute, and the Jazz Institute of Chicago.
In addition to delivering results for a spectrum of arts organizations, Virginia's community engagement includes chairing multi-disciplinary committees for the City of St. Paul, representing a local research site to report out at the national Performing Arts Research Coalition, developing the Twin Cities' theatre awards, serving on the Rotary Club of St. Paul board of directors, reviewing grants for state and local government agencies, and facilitating Strategic Planning for volunteer service clubs.
Virginia starts at The Actors Gymnasium on September 3rd and her first month will focus on getting to know the staff, instructors, board and other key members of The Actors Gymnasium's community. Parents and Students interested in introducing themselves to Virginia will have an opportunity to do so at various Meet 'n' Greet sessions, tentatively scheduled for October.
About The Actors Gymnasium
The Actors Gymnasium is dedicated to bringing a new physicality to the American Theatre. Encouraging ground-breaking theatrical exploration, The Actors Gymnasium teaches circus arts, physical theatre and multi-disciplinary performance to children and adults; produces original, daring works of circus-theatre; and serves as a talent resource, providing performance opportunities to our students and innovative professional event entertainment for a wider audience. At The Actors Gymnasium, people Learn To Fly - physically, emotionally and creatively.