New Gloucester Stage Executive Managing Director

Gloucester Stage Company Board of Directors President Robert Boulrice is pleased to announce that Jon Wojciechowski, Jr has been named the new Executive Managing Director of Gloucester Stage Company. According to Boulrice, "Gloucester Stage Company's 35th anniversary season was a resounding success in all respects. The only disappointment was the brief, six- month tenure of managing director Costin Manu. Fortunately, we were able to rebound almost immediately from that unexpected surprise as Jon Wojciechowski, Jr wasted no time in telling us he wanted to come to Cape Ann. We look forward to leveraging the momentum of this past season as Gloucester Stage Company moves to its next level, under Jon's administrative leadership and Eric Engel's artistic direction." Eric C. Engel who is entering his ninth season as Gloucester Stage Company's Artistic Director, echoes Boulrice's enthusiasm, "I am excited to be partnering with Jon. He has both a strategic and creative mind and is going to be a great asset to the GSC and a good fit for the Cape Ann community. I am already enjoying working with him as we plan the 2015 season."

Mr. Wojciechowski, Jr is happy to return to New England, where he began his professional theatre career as managing director of Portland Stage Company in Maine. He comes to Gloucester from Cape May Stage in New Jersey, where he worked as the theatre's executive managing director for two years. Wojciechowski explains, "I am thrilled to be returning to New England and this extraordinary theatre. I look forward to becoming part of the community, meeting our patrons and future patrons, and helping to shape the future of Gloucester Stage. Not many theatres can boast a 35-year history. The fact that Gloucester Stage has done this is a testament to its value in the community and the strength of its audience. That makes me excited to be here!"

A native New Yorker, Mr. Wojciechowski, Jr is a nationally-recognized consultant on non-profit marketing, development, and operations, and frequently consults with organizations and speaks to groups throughout the country on these topics. He has won more than 50 national awards for his work and has twice been nominated as non-profit marketer of the year. Mr. Wojciechowski's innovative marketing ideas have been profiled in national publications and journals, including American Theatre Magazine and the web community HowlRound, where he is a frequent contributor. An author as well, he wrote the book 'Marketing Your Mission' and has been featured in the arts fundraising book, 'Don't Just Applaud, Send Money.' Prior to his career in arts management, he enjoyed a successful career in the health care industry specializing in hospital administration and marketing.

A playwright and treasurer for the city of Chelsea, MA, Gloucester Stage Company Board of Directors President Robert Boulrice who has served on the GSC Board since 2011 and in January embarks on his second year as Board President, points out, "The entire GSC Board of Directors is invigorated by Jon's arrival and his innovative ideas for GSC's future. He has a well-established track record of growth and development at Portland Stage and Cape May theaters. We are particularly eager to implement Jon's audience education/engagement model. Our patrons will soon have an opportunity to get much more involved before, during and after our productions. Expanded dramaturgy and new intern programs will greatly enhance GSC's education offerings. We look forward to providing considerably more opportunities for our audience to visit the theater."

The Gloucester Stage Company is an award-winning, small, non-profit, professional theater company co-founded in 1979 by Geoff Richon, Denny Blodgett, and award-winning playwright Israel Horovitz who also served as its first Artistic Director from 1979 to 2006. Located in Gloucester, Massachusetts in the Rocky Neck Cultural District, its mission is to provide a nurturing, intimate and relaxed platform for the development of new and established playwrights and plays, offer a wide variety of educational programs for children and adults and present a high quality, relevant theater experience that is entertaining, stimulating and intellectually challenging to year-round and seasonal residents. During its first 35 seasons, the GSC successfully realized this mission with the production of more than 32 world premieres, 6 American premieres and 17 New England premieres. Plays developed at the GSC have gone on to critical and popular acclaim on Broadway, off-Broadway, across the United States, and around the world.

Gloucester Stage Company is located at 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. For information about the theatre, call the Gloucester Stage Box Office at 978-281-4433 or visit www.gloucesterstage.com.