Ray Ficca to Step Down as Totem Pole Playhouse's Artistic Director in September

Ray Ficca, the artistic director of Totem Pole Playhouse, released the following statement yesterday:

"After five rewarding years serving as the artistic director of Totem Pole Playhouse, I have decided to step down from the post this coming September.

"With its recent infusion of overwhelming community and financial support, The Playhouse is heading towards an exciting new future. It's a promising and important new direction that I believe, to be successful, requires a full-time, year-round artistic director, not a seasonal one. Since I live in Washington, DC, that's a level of professional support that I'm unable to offer to the theater.

"In addition, the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in DC, where I serve as president, has grown during remarkably the past five years and is increasingly demanding more of my time and attention. I plan to put the marketing communications expertise and experience I've honed at The Playhouse in service to this accredited acting studio that I have run with my wife now for 15 years.

"My years at Totem Pole have been the most rewarding of my professional career. It's the dream of many an actor to serve as the artistic director for a professional theater, and I'm one of those actors fortunate enough to have lived that dream. I've made many friends amongst the board, staff, volunteers and community, all of whom I will continue to cherish.

"I have offered to help the board identify potential candidates for my replacement and to do everything in my power to make the transition as seamless as possible for The Playhouse, including by helping to train my successor, much as my predecessor trained me.

"I wish The Playhouse, its board, its staff, its volunteers, its fans and the entire Totem Pole Playhouse community all the best. I thank them for a wonderful opportunity and adventure. I'm planning to enjoy every minute of this last amazing summer at the helm and look forward to returning next summer - as an audience member - to enjoy the 64th season."

Totem Pole Playhouse's Managing Director Nathan Rotz followed Ficca's statement with his own. It reads:

"It is with a sense of understanding and respect that Totem Pole Playhouse announces that Artistic Director Ray Ficca has tendered his resignation from the Fayetteville, Pennsylvania theatre where he has held that position since 2008, effective as of the close of the regular 2013 season. In addition to his position and acting roles at Totem Pole, Ficca is also a professional actor and President of the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Washington, DC.

"After five years at Totem Pole, Ficca has decided to focus his attention on the acting and educational aspects of his career and is looking forward to being able to spend more time with his family whom he sees very little of during the demanding summer season at Totem Pole.

"Ficca has made phenomenal contributions to Totem Pole during his tenure. The board, staff and the entire Totem Pole community recognize the hard work Ficca has done, and the sacrifices he has made, in the name of the theatre and wishes him nothing but the best in his pursuit of progress in other areas of his profession and spending more time with his family.

"With Ficca's assistance, Totem Pole Playhouse is actively searching for a new artistic director for the theatre."

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