Naked Angels Announces Andy Donald as new Artistic Director

Andy Donald, current Associate Artistic Director of Naked Angels since April 2009, will assume the role of Artistic Director of the company in July of 2011, succeeding current Artistic Director Geoffrey Nauffts, who has held the position since September 2007. Nauffts, a Tony-nominated Naked Angels company member, will retain his status as a company member, take a new role on the Naked Angels Board, and continue to work with the company as a playwright and director.

Alyson Brandt, Naked Angels Board of Directors Chair said, "In addition to his contributions as writer, director and actor, Geoffrey Nauffts' leadership has galvanized the company and the theatre community during this unprecedented time of growth at Naked Angels. His artistic sensibilities and choices have led to some of our best accomplishments yet. Geoffrey's humble and gracious approach makes all of us so proud to be part of Naked Angels. We are thrilled that he plans to remain actively involved with the company in new ways once he passes the baton to Andy."

Geoffrey Nauffts said, "I couldn't be more thrilled with the Board's choice for my successor as Artistic Director of Naked Angels. Andy reflects the new generation of Naked Angels and has already made a huge impact on shaping the future of the company. In all truth, I'm really not going anywhere - Naked Angels will remain my creative home, as it has been for the past twenty-five years, and I will advise on artistic matters from my role on the Board of Directors. I will continue to develop my writing with Naked Angels, and plan on directing future Naked Angels productions. I am extremely proud of the accomplishments Naked Angels has made under my tenure, and I can't wait to see how the company continues to grow under Andy's leadership."

Andy Donald said, "Naked Angels was founded by some of my heroes - artists whom I've looked up to all of my life and only dreamed of ever working with in my career. I can only be incredibly humbled to lead their company now, charged with shepherding their singular aesthetic and mission for provocative work into the future. In addition to collaborating with the founding ensemble on bold new projects, I look forward to introducing our audiences to the next generation of Naked Angels' voices and expanding our programming on stage, online, and on both coasts. "

ANDY DONALD has been the Associate Artistic Director of Naked Angels since April 2009. With the company, he has produced the original Off-Broadway production of Geoffrey Nauffts' Next Fall, the American premiere of Chloe Moss' This Wide Night, and Armed and Naked in America: a Naked Angels Issues Project, as well as initiating the inaugural Naked Radio podcast series online. Before coming to Naked Angels, he worked as a freelance director and served as Producing Associate at the Public Theater and Second Stage Theatre, in pilot development at ABC and HBO, and as the founding artistic director of the Los Angeles-based Charlie B. Theater Company. He holds a BFA from NYU/Tisch and an MFA from Columbia University.

ABOUT NAKED ANGELS

SINCE 1986, NAKED ANGELS has been committed to strengthening a community of artists through the development and production of provocative new work. The company has played a role in developing critically acclaimed new plays including The Substance of Fire, Side Man, Tape, Fault Lines and most recently the Tony Award-nominated Next Fall. From New York to LA, they inspire artists to generate fresh voices and create new work through their popular Tuesdays@9 (cold readings of plays, screenplays, stories and music in early development), 1st Mondays (public readings of new plays), and Angels in Progress (weeklong workshops). Their newest venture, Naked Radio, brings the work of talented new writers from the stage to the digital airwaves through weekly blogs and podcasts.

NAKED ANGELS celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year as one of the most innovative theatre companies in New York with a full season of exciting new work spanning the 2011 calendar year.

The season will kick off with a special 25th Anniversary Gala on February 14, 2011 at Roseland Ballroom. The rest of the season will include three new productions:

NAKED FOOTPRINTS: AN ISSUES PROJECT
NAKED ANGELS' signature fast-paced, raucous and irreverent festival of original material exploring urgent issues of the day
March 24 - April 2, 2011
at Comix

A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE
World Premiere of a new play commissioned by NAKED ANGELS
Written by BEKAH BRUNSTETTER
Directed by founding company member PIPPIN PARKER
at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre
June 9 - July 31, 2011

OUTSIDE PEOPLE
World Premiere of a new play by ZAYD DOHRN
Fall 2011
at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre

In addition to 2011 marking the first year in which NAKED ANGELS will offer a full three-show season, it also marks the first time the company will offer a season membership package. Advance tickets, including priority seating and discounts, are available exclusively to members. Membership levels, benefits and pricing are available at NakedAngels.com/Season25.

Naked Angels is led by Geoffrey Nauffts (Artistic Director), John E. Alexander (Managing Director) and Andy Donald (Associate Artistic Director).

www.NakedAngels.com