Joel Markus Appointed to League of Resident Theatres Board

Gulfshore Playhouse has announced that Joel Markus, the theatre's Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT). Markus began his term in July 2026, joining fellow board members in guiding the national association.

LORT represents regional and nonprofit professional theatres across the United States and serves as their collective bargaining agent in contract negotiations with the unions representing actors, stage managers, directors, choreographers, and designers. Member theatres include Broadway's nonprofit companies, such as Lincoln Center Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, Roundabout Theatre Company, and Second Stage Theater as well as regional theatres across the country.

Markus was instrumental in Gulfshore Playhouse's admission to LORT and has served on the LORT negotiating committee with Actors' Equity Association.

'I am honored to join the LORT board at such an important moment for the American theatre. Regional theatres like Gulfshore Playhouse are the backbone of the art form in communities across the country. I look forward to working with my fellow managers and our labor partners to strengthen the field for artists, staff, and audiences alike,' said Markus.

'Joel's appointment is a recognition of both his leadership and of Gulfshore Playhouse's place among the nation's leading professional theatres. His steady hand helped guide us through extraordinary growth, and our field will benefit from his experience,' said Kristen Coury, CEO and Producing Artistic Director of Gulfshore Playhouse.

About Joel Markus

Markus joined Gulfshore Playhouse as Managing Director in 2018 and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director in 2021. Now in his ninth season, he has helped quadruple the theatre's budget and staff. He co-managed the design and construction of the $80 million Baker Theatre and Education Center, a new 25,000-square-foot production center, and the theatre's new administrative offices and guest artist housing. He also supported the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ian.

Markus's 30-year career spans many of the nation's leading regional theatres. Before Gulfshore Playhouse, he spent seven seasons as Production Manager at Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre, America's oldest theatre. He also spent ten seasons at Indiana Repertory Theatre, four years at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, N.Y., and five summers at Weston Playhouse in Vermont, with additional work at American Players Theatre and North Shore Music Theatre.

The Cape Coral Community Foundation recognized Markus as one of the top COOs in Southwest Florida. He received a Creative Renewal Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Eli Lilly. A Miami native, he is a graduate of Indiana University.

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