Brendan Ragan Revealed as Metropolis' New Artistic Director

After a nationwide search, Metropolis' Board of Directors has announced acclaimed theatre artist Brendan Ragan as the company's new Artistic Director. Ragan is the founding Co-Artistic Director of the award-winning Urbanite Theatre, a Florida-based company known regionally for producing bold, inventive new works.

Interim Artistic Director Robbie Simpson, who has been at Metropolis since directing Cabaret in September, will collaborate in this transition before his return to New York City.

Metropolis Board President Stephen Daday says of the transition, "We are embarking on a new day for Metropolis. We conducted a nationwide search in conjunction with the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland and received resumes from an enormous number of applicants. Brendan brings a wealth of compassion, empathy, passion, and high-quality production value to Metropolis. I believe donors, subscribers, patrons, staff, and the talented artists who grace our stage will be very excited for what is to come."

As founding Co-Artistic Director of Urbanite Theatre in Sarasota, Florida, Ragan has developed a reputation as an accomplished director and innovative theatrical producer. "Blending my experience with challenging new work with the productions that delight Arlington Heights will be a great thrill for audiences and artists alike. We are going to tell wonderful stories with the highest degree of professionalism," says Ragan. "Metropolis has been making a tremendous impact in Arlington Heights for over 20 years. However, it became clear to me right away that the organization is much more than a neighborhood theater. From the important endeavors at the School of the Performing Arts to the many dozens of exciting, presented works throughout the year, MPAC has the rare merit of being not just a professional theater but a vital cultural center. I'm ecstatic to join this organization."

Over the next month of leadership transition, Ragan will collaborate extensively with current Interim Artistic Director Robbie Simpson. This joint effort will include artistic team choices for the 2023-24 season, to be announced later in the year and include the ongoing efforts to ensure Metropolis is an essential resource and artistic hub in Chicago and the Chicagoland communities.

Robbie Simpson embraces the new Artistic Director, stating, "I am thrilled to welcome Brendan Ragan to the Metropolis Performing Arts Center. His dedication to bringing high-caliber productions to this community will make him an excellent leader not just in Arlington Heights but in the Chicago theater community, as well. This is an exciting time for Metropolis." Simpson will return to Metropolis this fall to direct the 2023-2024 Season opener, to be announced at the Metropolis Celebration Gala on April 29, at the Cotillion Banquet Hall in Palatine.

Ragan will begin his tenure as the new Artistic Director on April 24, 2023.