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Rowan Joseph, a nationally-recognized producer and director with over 30 years of experience working in the American Theatre has been named as the new Producing Artistic Director of the Totem Pole Playhouse.
As founding Managing Director, Joseph built, opened and operated The Century Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, where he presented Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize winning drama "How I Learned to Drive" starring Mary Louise Parker and David Morse.
He served as the Executive Director of the Laurie BeechmanTheatre, on Theatre Row in Manhattan, for seven seasons presenting hundreds of both new and established artists, including Holly Hunter, Ben Stiller, Robert Sean Leonard, Julianne Moore, Ethan Hawke, and comic Lewis Black; as well as, the early work of such acclaimed writers such as Aaron Sorkin, Alan Ball, Donald Margulies, and Peter Hedges.
In 2001, he was named Producing Director of the Falcon Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. Under his management the Falcon established itself as one of the premiere, award-winning, professional theatres in Southern California. Joseph left the Falcon at the end of the 2005-2006 season having produced over 50 productions.
Joseph continues to co-own and operate Theatre A Go-Go, Inc., a commercial theatrical touring Production Company. Founded in Chicago in 1993, Theatre A Go-Go has presented such national tours as "An Evening With Jack Klugman" and an all-male production of "The Queen of Bingo," the longest running Actor's Equity Association (non-musical) touring production in the U.S. "The Queen of Bingo" played the Totem Pole Playhouse in 2009 and was the most financially successful production of the season.
In 2008, Joseph formed a film Production Company, Greenwood Hill Productions. The company's first feature film Dalton Trumbo's JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN was released and distributed by Magnolia Pictures' Truly Indie. Joseph directed the film, which starred actor Ben McKenzie's (Southland, The O.C.) and was based on the 1982 Off-Broadway play of the same title.
As an actor, he began his career Off-Broadway as a member of the prestigious Mirror Repertory Company along side Academy Award winners Anthony Hopkins, F. Murray Abraham, and Geraldine Page. He has performed in over 50 regional theatre productions. In addition to his stage work, he has appeared in several TV series including The Gilmore Girls, Boston Legal, Breakout Kings and HBO's Treme. His film work includes roles in The Campaign with Will Ferrell, The Princess Diaries 2 with Anne Hathaway, Raising Helen with Kate Hudson, Chronic Town at the Sundance Film Festival and the upcoming Christmas Day release Grudge Match starring Robert DeNiro and Sylvester Stallone.
Additionally, Joseph and his business partner, Shane Partlow, are one of the teams on the newest edition of the Emmy Award-winning TV series, The Amazing Race, premiering this Sunday night at 8PM on CBS.
Joseph took over management of Totem Pole Playhouse September 23rd and plans to relocate full-time to the Cumberland Valley.
"I am honored to follow in the footsteps of Karl Genus, the legendary Bill Putch, Carl Schurr, and Ray Ficca," Joseph said, "I look forward to making my home here in Central PA and most especially to the exciting new 2014 season at Totem Pole Playhouse."
Totem Pole will announce its new summer season this October.
