16th Street Theater Welcomes New Managing Director

16th Street Theater has announced that after a national search Rob Thomas has joined Artistic Director Ann Filmer in leading 16th Street as the theater's new Managing Director. Mr. Thomas comes to 16th Street from Great River Shakespeare Festival in Minnesota where he was Director of Community Engagement and Company Manager for four years. Mr. Thomas, who is of Dakota ancestry and a Native American historian and playwright, began July 1 and can be reached at rob@16thstreettheater.org and (708)795-6704.

"Rob is artist, audience and community focused, passionate about our mission and confident we can grow," says Filmer. "I am so thrilled to have him by my side as we prepare for 16th Street's ninth season and look toward our second decade of telling the stories of all and for all in our community."

"16th Street, with its strong mission and reputation and its artist-centric model of operations that Ann has created, is prime for strategic growth," states Rob Thomas. "The AD, the Board, and the Artistic Associates understand it's vital to maintain the heart and the core culture of the organization. I have no doubt we can accomplish growth and program expansion while deepening 16th Street's mission and maintaining the artistic integrity and the artist-friendly environment that made this place so appealing to me. I just can't wait to be a part of that growth."

Rob Thomas is a consummate and dedicated nonprofit arts manager, as well as an occasional performer and playwright. His strengths lie in fundraising, budgeting, contracting, union compliance, company management, financial oversight, facilitating effective communication and organizing for maximum efficiency.

Mr. Thomas has held various administrative and management roles for a variety of theatres including Florida Studio Theatre (Sarasota, FL), Torch Theater Company (Minneapolis, MN) and the Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis, MN). Most recently, Mr. Thomas served as Director of Community Engagement and Company Manager at the Great River Shakespeare Festival (Winona, MN) where he was successful shifting Great River to a sustaining giving model and developing and executing successful fundraising campaigns. He has appeared on stage in productions with Theatre du Mississippi (Winona, MN), Artistry (Bloomington, MN), Commedia Beauregard (Minneapolis, MN), Mounds Theatre (St. Paul, MN) and the History Theatre (St. Paul, MN). Mr. Thomas has served on and presided over several nonprofit boards, including community service organizations, arts organizations, and service clubs.

Mr. Thomas is of Dakota ancestry and is a Native American historian and playwright. His spiritual given name is "Wokiksuye Yuha Mani" (Walks With Memories). His research of the lives of the Dakota people before, during and after the Dakota/US War of 1862 and their subsequent exile from the state of Minnesota culminated in a commissioned play for the History Theatre's Raw Stages Series in St. Paul, MN entitled 38: Dakota-U.S. War of 1862.