Michael Bush Joins Emelin Theatre as New Artistic Director

The Emelin Theatre, a non-profit performing arts center in Mamaroneck, NY, today announced the appointment of Michael Bush as its new Artistic Director. The appointment of Bush, a 25-year veteran of the Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City, comes as the Emelin embarks on a $10 million renovation project that will more than double the size of the existing structure and allow the Theatre to significantly expand its offerings.

During his tenure at the MTC, Bush helped artistically guide more than 150 new plays and musicals, including the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning Proof, and Doubt, and the Tony Award-winning Love! Valour! Compassion! Bush was also instrumental in the rebirth of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's Cabaret & Performance Conference, where he served as artistic director from 2005, and has also directed for the Philadelphia Theatre Company, the Prince Music Theater and CanStage in Toronto.

Bush succeeds outgoing Emelin Theatre managing director John Raymond.

The new festival that will launch in mid-November will reflect Bush's artistic vision and sensibilities and include a diverse selection of plays, music and cabaret performances. Full details on the additional programming will be announced in the coming weeks.

With the additional programming, the Emelin Theatre hopes to build on the success of its popular Film Club, led by Marshall Fine, Chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle. The Film Club screens films before their general release for one-time only viewings and has hosted guest speakers like actor Penelope Cruz and director Pedro Almodovar.

On October 11, the Emelin Theatre will host a fundraising dinner at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle honoring several stars of New York theatre, including Emmy Award-winning actress and singer Leslie Uggams, who most recently appeared on Broadway opposite James Earl Jones in the revival of Ernest Thompson's On Golden Pond, and Tony Award-nominated actress Tovah Feldshuh, who starred in Golda's Balcony, the longest-running one-woman show in the history of Broadway.

The Glen Island dinner will signal the official public launch of the Emelin's $10 million project (called "The Next Stage") to incorporate the existing Emelin Theatre into a new Performing Arts Center. The Center will include an expanded and renovated Emelin Theatre, a new Film Theatre and a 60-seat "black box" Experimental Theatre for readings and smaller productions. The renovation of the Emelin Theatre will add modern technology to allow for performances of full-scale musicals, productions with major set changes and larger casts.

Photo: Michael Bush (2006) by Ben Strothman