Barrington Stage Names Shakina Nayfack Associate Producer

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in downtown Pittsfield, under the leadership of Artistic Director, Julianne Boyd, and Managing Director, TriStan Wilson, will welcome back Shakina Nayfack, BSC's Drama League Directing Fellow from last season. Shakina has been appointed Associate Producer of the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center (formerly Stage 2).

Originally from Laguna Beach, CA, Shakina returns to BSC for a second season. Last season, Shakina was the assistant director/assistant choreographer for Mormons, Mothers, and Monsters and The Game - both as the 2011 Drama League Directors Project Musical Directing Fellow. He also directed William Finn's Songs By Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists You Probably Don't Know But Should. From 2005-2011 Shakina worked in Los Angeles as the Artistic Director and co-founder of Epic Megalopolis Productions (EpicMegaPro), an independent theatrical Production Company devoted to the development of new work. Producing/directing credits: JUNK: a Rock Opera (currently in development with the Swedish pop band Brainpool), Dan LeFranc's The Poor Players (world premiere, Actors Theatre of Santa Cruz), Bodies in Crisis with Butoh company Ragesties (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Cosa Rara/Rare Thingwith Butchlalis de Panochtitlan and La Maricolectiva (Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica), April Hava Shenkman's ShangriLA (part of Watts Village Theatre Company's Meet Me @ Metro), Ntozake Shange's for colored girls… and Luis Valdez' Zoot Suit (choreographer), both as artist in residence at Pomona College in Claremont, CA.

Shakina holds an MFA in Experimental Choreography and a PhD in Critical Dance Studies (both from UC Riverside as a Chancellor's Distinguished Fellow), as well as a Graduate Certificate in Theatre Arts and a BA in Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz (cum laude). Shakina's writings on performing arts and community redevelopment have been published by The Industry Standard, The Dance Research Journal, The Drama Review, and University of Illinois Press in their anthology Dancing Across Borders. Shakina's first book, Butoh Ritual Mexicano / Alchemy is Dancing, was released last year. Shakina is an associate member of Stage Directors and Choreographers and an emeritus board member of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).

This summer, in addition to serving as Associate Producer for BSC's Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center 2012 season, Shakina will direct the new play and musical readings, the Mainstage Ridiculously Talented… concert, and oversee the first season of Mr. Finn's Cabaret.