Matt Gardiner Named Associate Artistic Director of Signature Theatre

Virginia's Signature Theatre has announced that resident director Matt Gardiner will be the Theatre's new Associate Artistic Director, working in collaboration with co-founder and Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer. In his new role, Gardiner will have greater responsibility in helping to conceive, develop, and implement the unique artistic vision and focus of Signature and will play a leading role in the day-to-day operations of the company.

Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer stated, "Over the past several years, Matt has become a vital part of the artistic team at Signature. I look forward to collaborating with him for years to come in helping to lead the company. We're lucky to have his talent and insight." Managing Director Maggie Boland added, "Matt Gardiner is a gifted director and a tremendous asset to Signature. He is undeniably ready to take on this expanded role and we anticipate more great work from him in the years ahead."

Last season, Gardiner directed Signature's successful productions of Yasmina Reza's Art and the renowned musical revue Side by Side by Sondheim - both opening to rave reviews. For the upcoming season, Signature's 22nd, Gardiner will be directing three mainstage productions, including the world premieres of The Hollow (which will open the season in rotating repertory with The Boy Detective Fails) and Really Really, as well as the Washington premiere of Xanadu.
Upon accepting his new post, Gardiner stated, "Signature has been my artistic home for over five years now. I have been blessed to have worked with an incredible array of artists as both an assistant and a director. I'm excited to take on this new role at a theatre that I am truly proud to be a part of."

Matthew Gardiner Bio

SIGNATURE: Director: Side by Side by Sondheim, Art, [title of show], See What I Wanna See; Choreographer: Sweeney Todd, Dirty Blonde. SIGNATURE CABARET: Director: Broadway Duets, Lost Songs of Broadway 1950s, Signature Sings, December Divas II, Singing Shakespeare. NEW YORK: Director: NYMF: The Greenwood Tree; Assistant Director: Circle in the Square: Glory Days. DC AREA: Director/Choreographer: Kennedy Center: Snow White, Rose Red & Fred; Everyman Theatre: Let Me Sing And I'm Happy; MetroStage: tick, tick...BOOM!; Catholic University of America: La Boheme, Candide; Co-Director/Choreographer: Studio Theatre: Jerry Springer: The Opera, Reefer Madness (2008 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Musical and Direction of a Musical), Choreographer: Studio Theatre: Grey Gardens, Adding Machine. Assistant Director: Kennedy Center: Cat on A Hot Tin Roof. EDUCATION: Carnegie Mellon University.

SIGNATURE'S 2011-12 SEASON

Signature Theatre's 22nd season line-up features the Tony Award®-winning shows Hairspray and God of Carnage and the Washington DC premiere of the cult classic musical Xanadu. The season also features an unprecedented five world premiere works, beginning with The Hollow and The Boy Detective Fails (both in repertory) in August, followed by Brother Russia, and Really Really. In addition to the mainstage shows, Signature will be presenting three productions with limited engagements, including the world premiere of A Second Chance and Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South, based on the award-winning book. Stephen Sondheim's first musical Saturday Night will be a special concert event that will play for four performances only.

Single tickets are now on sale and various subscription packages (starting at 3 shows) are available by calling Signature's Box Office at (703) 820-9771. For more information, please visit www.signature-theatre.org.

ABOUT SIGNATURE

Recipient of the 2009 Regional Theatre Tony Award®, Signature Theatre is a non-profit professional theater company in Arlington, Virginia dedicated to producing contemporary musicals and plays, reinventing classic musicals, and developing new work. Under the leadership of co-founder and Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer and Managing Director Maggie Boland, Signature has presented 32 world premiere productions and is renowned for combining Broadway-quality productions with intimate playing spaces.

In addition to hosting the finest talent from the DC metropolitan area and New York, Signature has been home to such theatre luminaries as Chita Rivera, George Hearn, Hunter Foster, Emily Skinner, Marc Kudisch, Judy Kuhn, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Cameron Mackintosh, Terrence McNally, and the company's signature composer, Stephen Sondheim. Since its founding in 1989, Signature has won 72 Helen Hayes Awards for excellence in the Washington, DC region's professional theater and has been honored with 293 nominations.

Signature is partially supported by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts and by a gift from Arlington County through the Arlington Commission for the Arts and the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources.

DIRECTIONS

Signature Theatre is located at 4200 Campbell Avenue (22206) off I-395 at the Shirlington exit. After the exit, blue Signature signs mark the way to the theatre. Free parking is available in two adjacent garages. Please note that Campbell Avenue is a new street and some GPS online mapping systems do not yet recognize Signature's address. For directions visit http://signaturetheatre.org/map.htm.

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