About Face Theatre Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff to Step Down

The Board of Directors of About Face Theatre announced today that Artistic Director Andrew Volkoff will step down at the conclusion of the company's 2016-17 season.

AFT's Board has formed a committee to conduct a national search for Volkoff's successor and to oversee the leadership transition. A detailed job description and instructions to apply will be posted at www.aboutfacetheatre.com in April.

Volkoff joined About Face as Artistic Director in June, 2013. Under his leadership, AFT produced critically acclaimed plays including the world premiere of Artistic Associate Philip Dawkins' Jeff Award-nominated romantic comedy, Le Switch. During AFT's 21st season, Volkoff directed a groundbreaking re-imagining of I Am My Own Wife by Doug Wright - a play that originated at About Face Theatre in 2003, and a hit production of The Temperamentals by Jon Marans. He also produced and directed Brahman/i by Aditi Kapil (in collaboration with Silk Road Rising), Abraham Lincoln Was a F*gg*t by Bixby Elliot (Jeff Award nominated), and after all the terrible things i do by A. Rey Pamatmat (Jeff Award nominated). Volkoff also reintroduced the OUT FRONT series in 2013 to present new and developmental works exploring LGBTQIA themes, and created First DrAAft, a reading series focused solely on the works of AFT Artistic Associates.

"For the past four years, it has been my privilege to work with the talented and fiercely dedicated staff, artists and board at About Face Theatre, where our crucial mission of creating exceptional theatre and educational programming that advances the national dialogue on sexual and gender identity is celebrated," said Volkoff. "The decision to step down is a personal one. After my battle with cancer and the loss of my father last year, I feel the need to devote more time to my family and my health. I'm looking forward to the next chapter in my life and am confident that I leave About Face in a stronger place."

"We are proud to have worked alongside Andrew and celebrate his many contributions, including his service to our mission through programming that has explored a diverse array of issues and groups within the LGBTQIA community," said About Face Board President Becky Huinker. "Andrew has laid a solid foundation for the next artistic director and we're excited to begin the search for a new leader who will bring a strong vision to AFT and champion our values of authentic representation of our community on stage."

About Face Theatre's next show of the 2016-17 season is Bright Half Life, written by Pulitzer Prize nominee Tanya Barfield and will be directed by Artistic Associate Keira Fromm. The Youth Theatre ensemble is currently devising its summer 2017 world premiere that will explore and dissect the riot grrrl music movement of the 1990s, co-directed by About Face's Youth Education and Outreach Director Ali Hoefnagel and Education Coordinator Keiran Kredell.

Since its founding in 1995, About Face Theatre has produced 72 mainstage plays, including 47 world premieres, and 12 original productions by The Youth Theatre, founded in 1999. About Face Theatre's works have been recognized with numerous awards and honors including a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Play, 13 Joseph Jefferson Awards and 14 After Dark Awards.

About Face Theatre creates exceptional, innovative, and adventurous plays to advance the national dialogue on gender and sexual identity, and to challenge and entertain audiences in Chicago, across the country, and around the world.

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