As we are about to begin our 50th Anniversary season, the Board of Directors is pleased to announce two updates to the leadership team. We have engaged Ft Bragg resident, Diane Larson, to join the team of Artistic Directors. In 2022, MTC implemented a three-person Artistic Director team, instead of the traditional one-person approach. This was done to improve access, viewpoints, styles and create a more energized and vital process that selects the plays we produce every year. To that end, we think Diane represents an invaluable perspective that will play an important role in the future of MTC. Diane is no stranger to the company. She has been designing scenery and costumes for three decades at MTC, Gloriana, the Music Festival and others. She served on the Music Festival board and as President on Gloriana’s board as well. Diane is co-founder of the Performing Arts Production Alliance, which manages production resources for several of the local performing arts groups on the coast. “It’s hard to imagine anyone who’s worked with more local artists and supporters of the performing arts in Mendocino. I’m proud that our board made a non-traditional choice to go with someone from the production side of things”, said Board President, Jeff Rowlings. Diane fills the spot vacated by Lucas Near Verbrugghe, who left to take the position of Dean at Mendocino College School of Dramatic Arts.
The Board is also pleased to announce the permanent engagement of Alex Wright as Producing Artistic Director. Alex came on as Interim Producing Director in June to follow in the footsteps of Beth Craven, who was in the role the past three years. In addition to assuming the producing role permanently, he will join the Artistic Director team. Alex is an actor, director and musician with a long history of directing film, television and theatre in the Los Angeles area. He and wife, Chris (a costume designer!), retired to Mendocino in 2022.
