Queensbury Theatre Welcomes New Executive Director

The curtains (and doors) will soon open in early 2015 at the new Queensbury Theatre performing arts center in Town & Country's west side of Houston, but not before Randal K. West, the new executive director, takes to the figurative stage.

With a new season of hit shows and magical theatrical numbers, Queensbury Theatre (a nod to their location on Queensbury Lane in Town & Country) is looking to make a positive impact and become a cultural landmark destination for West Houston - an area of town that currently lacks large-scale live theatre venues.

"I'm not aware of any theatre or performance space that has as much potential as Queensbury Theatre does," West said. "The opportunity here is endless. My family and I are thrilled to be moving to Houston - the people in this city and the cultural influence this city has is electric."

While not a native Houstonian, West brings with him over 30 years in the business and a keen eye for great performance direction and design.

"We had an amazing pool of talent from Houston and across the country express interest in this opportunity," said Tamara Siler, Chair of the Queensbury Theatre Search Committee. "Ultimately, Randal rose to the top because of his exceptional blend of management and fundraising experience, as well as an impressive range of artistic accomplishments and we are looking forward to have him at the helm of our new venture to further advance our artistic mission."

Hailing from the CL Hoover Opera House in Junction City, Kansas, West honed his executive director theatre skills at the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts and was the Theatre Coordinator for the city of Phoenix, Arizona for five years.

One of West's career highlights includes working beside Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, directing their musical, "Merrily We Roll Along."

"Being able to work with some of the best thespians and creatives in the industry has only given me more appreciation for this work," said West. "The opportunity to bring my experience and run a brand new theatre venue in the fourth largest city in the nation is remarkable. Together, we have a vision that includes high quality performances, a full educational program and component and ultimately - to become the Energy Corridor's very own theatre complex and cultural hangout."

Queensbury Theatre is expected to open in early 2015 and will announce their season lineup in the coming weeks. The 21,000-square-foot theatre will seat 250 in the main stage and have a 100-seat black box with the ability to hostcommunity events, rental space and event functions. For more information, please visit www.queensburytheatre.org.