Aurora Theatre Appoints Julie Saltzman New Managing Director

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company announced today the appointment of Julie Saltzman as Managing Director of Aurora Theatre Company; she replaces Susan G. Duncan, who left the company in April. Saltzman joins the company directly from Chicago, where she served as the Producing Director at American Theater Company (ATC). Prior to ATC, she served as Managing Director at Seanachai Theatre Company, and has also held positions as Associate Producer, Production Manager, Stage Manager, and Production Assistant at various theaters throughout Chicago, including Victory Gardens, Strawdog Theatre Company, and Eclipse Theatre Company, and at regional theaters including Colorado Shakespeare Festival and Utah Shakespearean Festival. Saltzman's official start date at the Aurora will be November 2.

"After conducting an extensive nation-wide search, we unanimously decided to offer the Managing Director position to Julie Saltzman," said Aurora Board President Ellen Levine. "Her management and financial skills, her vast theater experience, her openness, and her energy made her a strong candidate. We feel that she will be a dynamic new addition to the Aurora, and that she will help lead the company in a positive direction through the next phase of its growth."

"I'm delighted to welcome Julie to the Bay Area and to Aurora Theatre Company in particular," said Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross. "Julie is a passionate and personable presence. I look forward to working with her and taking Aurora to greater heights."

"This is a great honor and a huge responsibility," said incoming Managing Director Julie Saltzman. "The Aurora Theatre Company has such a great reputation for producing high-quality, intimate theater, and I now have the privilege of working with the talented theater professionals and administrative staff who have made the Aurora such a well-regarded part of both the Bay Area and national arts scenes. I look forward to helping this extraordinary company continue to evolve and produce provocative, intelligent work for many seasons to come."

Aurora Theatre Company continues its 18th season in October with Neil LaBute's FAT PIG (October 30-December 6), directed by Barbara Damashek. The jingle bells will rock in December with a new edition of Aurora Theatre Company's original holiday production THE COVERLETTES COVER CHRISTMAS. Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross helms the World Premiere of Joel Drake Johnson's THE FIRST GRADE in conjunction with this year's GAP new works festival in January, and Aurora Theatre Company founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver returns to direct Henrik Ibsen's masterwork John Gabriel BORKMAN in April. Closing the season in June is the Bay Area Premiere of Stephen Karem's innovative comedy SPEECH & DEBATE directed by Robin Stanton.

For more information about Aurora Theatre Company, or for tickets ($15-55) to upcoming productions, the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Aurora Theatre Company continues to offer challenging, literate, intelligent stage works to the Bay Area, each year increasing its reputation for top-notch theatre. Located in the heart of the Downtown Berkeley Arts District, Aurora Theatre Company has been called "one of the most important regional theaters in the area" by the San Francisco Chronicle, while The Wall Street Journal has "nothing but praise for the Aurora." The Contra Costa Times stated, "perfection is probably an unattainable ideal in a medium as fluid as live performance, but the Aurora Theatre comes luminously close," while the San Jose Mercury News affirmed "[Aurora Theatre Company] lives up to its reputation as a theater that feeds the mind," and the Oakland Tribune declared "it's all about choices, and if you value good theater, choose the Aurora."

Aurora Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges the following foundations and government agencies for their support: Actors' Equity Foundation, Alameda County Arts Commission, Berkeley Civic Arts Program & Civic Arts Commission, Dramatists Guild Fund, The Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Norway House Foundation, The Bernard Osher Foundation, Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, The Shubert Foundation, Taube Philanthropies, The Tournesol Project Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation, The Wood Foundation, and The Zellerbach Family Foundation.

 

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