Westport Country Playhouse Welcomes New Managing Director

Westport Country Playhouse's board of trustees announced today that Michael Barker will be the Connecticut theater's new managing director. Barker, 36, comes to Westport from Mill Valley, California, where he was The Managing director of Marin Theatre Company. He will assume The Playhouse post in early September.

Barker will partner with Mark Lamos, Westport Country Playhouse artistic director, to lead the not-for-profit, professional theater, currently in its 86th season. "I'm thrilled that Michael Barker will be coming to The Playhouse to partner with me as managing director," said Lamos. "His leadership skills, his business acumen, and his inspired support for theater artists and their communities convinced the trustees of our search committee and me that he would be the perfect person to build a bridge to the future of this historic Playhouse."

As managing director, Barker will work closely with the theater's board of trustees, as well as the staff of the artistic, administrative, marketing, development, production, and finance departments, to oversee a $4.2 million annual budget.

"After an extensive six-month search, The Playhouse board of trustees is very pleased to welcome Michael Barker as our new managing director," said Barbara Streicker, board chair. "We are greatly impressed with his business background combined with his theater insight and experience. He brings new energy, range, and a strong sense of fiscal responsibility to shepherding our Playhouse into the next chapter of its 85-year history."

Barker joins Westport Country Playhouse after serving since 2013 as managing director of Marin Theatre Company, where in partnership with its artistic director he led a staff of 23 administrators, artists, and production personnel. He successfully reorganized the company's marketing department, focusing resources on digital and social media to reach more diverse audiences. He served as a primary fundraiser and community advocate, and with the board of directors adopted a plan to eliminate a long-term structural deficit.

"I have been privileged through this search process to get to know Mark Lamos, the board of directors, staff, and members of The Playhouse's extended family," said Barker. "The Westport Country Playhouse community is second to none in terms of its passion for and commitment to this valuable artistic and cultural resource. My family and I are excited to join this community, and I am eager to work with Mark and the entire team to accomplish great things going forward."

Previously, Barker was general manager of Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach, CA. He was managing director for the Los Angeles classical theater ensemble The Antaeus Company, which received, during his tenure, numerous Ovation awards (including best production) and the LA Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Season.

Before moving to California, Barker was associate managing director at Yale Repertory Theatre and managing director of Yale Summer Cabaret, where he produced the first annual Carlotta Festival of New Plays. He was Seattle Repertory Theatre's 2008 Managing Director Fellow.

Barker holds an MFA in theater management from Yale School of Drama and an MBA from Yale School of Management. At Yale, he was the recipient of the Daniel and Helene Sheehan Scholarship for theater management and a Kosciusko Scholarship for outstanding students of Polish descent. He currently serves as vice president of the board of the Yale School of Management Alumni Association. Prior to graduate school, he was associate director of marketing for Court Theatre in Chicago, and also worked with Goodman Theatre, American Theater Company, Sansculottes Theater Company, and The Playground Theater.

Katia Friend, chair of the search committee and a Playhouse trustee, said, "The search committee, which included Playhouse trustees Barbara Streicker, Johnna Torsone, Judy Phares, Mary Ellen Marpe, Michele Flaster, Philip Green, and Bob Doran, conducted an exhaustive six-month search and considered over a dozen candidates from across the country. We are delighted to welcome Michael Barker and his family into the Westport community. Michael brings a fresh perspective and a strategic vision for the future growth and sustainability of the Westport Playhouse."

Barker is married to Heidi Hanson, a costume designer and graduate of Yale School of Drama. They have a son Lawrence.

Barker succeeds Michael Ross, who served as Playhouse managing director since 2009, stepping down on June 30, 2016, to rejoin Center Stage in Baltimore.

For Westport Country Playhouse information, go to www.westportplayhouse.org or call the box office at (203) 227-4177, toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Stay connected to The Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), and on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).

The mission of Westport Country Playhouse is to enrich, enlighten, and engage the community through the power of professionally produced theater worth talking about and the welcoming experience of The Playhouse campus. The Playhouse creates this relationship with the community and provides this experience in multiple ways by offering: Live theater experiences of the highest quality, under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos, from May through October; educational and community engagement events and opportunities to further explore issues presented by the work on stage; special performances and programs for students and teachers with extensive curriculum support material; Script in Hand play readings throughout the year to deepen relationships with audiences and artists alike; the renowned Woodward Internship Program training program during the summer months for aspiring theater professionals; Family Festivities presentations from November through April to delight young and old alike and to promote reading through live theater; and the beautiful and historic Playhouse campus open for enjoyment and community events year-round. The value of the Westport Country Playhouse to all it touches is immeasurable.

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