Boston Court Pasadena Announces New Leadership Team

Today, the Board of Directors of Boston Court Pasadena (BCP) announced a new leadership team, as well as plans to modify the 16-year-old organization's programming cycle. These significant steps in the evolution of one of Los Angeles' leading multi-disciplinary arts producers are aimed at supporting the continued growth of its local, regional, and national impact.

Jessica Kubzansky, a Founding Artistic Director of BCP, will become its sole Artistic Director beginning January 1, 2020. General Manager Cheryl Rizzo has been named Managing Director effective immediately. Kubzansky and Rizzo will co-lead the organization, and both will report to the Board of Directors.

Since its founding in 2003, BCP has utilized a shared artistic leadership model with Kubzansky and Michael Michetti serving as artistic directors for theatre, and with Mark Saltzman joining the team as artistic director for music in 2010. The triumvirate has collaborated closely to produce more than 100 performances annually in music and theatre, expand the number of new works developed and produced at BCP, grow community engagement programs, and expand its impact and reach by taking productions to Malibu, New York City, Boston, and Houston. This team will continue in their current roles for the duration of the 2019 season, after which time Michetti and Saltzman will continue as core collaborators at BCP. Founding Artistic Director Michetti will then assume the title of Artistic Director Emeritus.

In making the announcement, BCP Board of Directors Chair Edward Rada said, "We are thrilled to have Jessica Kubzansky and Cheryl Rizzo bring their expertise, vision, and institutional history to their new and expanded roles to build on our history of success. As we look forward to significant growth in the coming years, the logical next step in our evolution is to channel all programming into a singular focus with a dedicated leadership team. We are very excited about our next chapter under their guidance."

In addition to the new leadership team, BCP, which has previously operated on a calendar year season, will move to a traditional fall-to-fall performance season starting with the 2020/2021 season, which will be announced in the Spring of 2020. Managing Director Rizzo, who has been part of the Boston Court administrative and production team since its early years, is excited about the change. She remarked, "This shift in the programming calendar will bring the organization into alignment with the majority of arts organizations in Los Angeles and across the country, will enable Boston Court to more easily explore partnerships with other organizations, and also better serve audience members by offering programming on a more standardized schedule."

In making the transition to this new performance schedule, the current trio of artistic directors is planning a Bonus Series of theatre and music performances for Spring of 2020. This Bonus Series will involve a large-scale production that Michetti is directing, and a number of richly diverse concerts to be announced shortly.

Artistic Director Designate Kubzansky noted, "I could not be more honored to lead Boston Court Pasadena, this institution I have been so passionate about since inception, into its thrilling next chapter. It's an incredibly important moment to be an arts leader seeking to increase our impact during these turbulent times. I look forward to continuing to work with my longtime colleagues and friends, Michael Michetti and Mark Saltzman, whose contributions to Boston Court have been so momentous."

BCP's 2019 season concludes with the world premiere of How the Light Gets In by E.M. Lewis, directed by Emilie Pascale Beck (September 19 - October 28), and the 15-concert Fall Music Series (September 20 - October 26) featuring artists including classical pianist Susan Svrçek, Los Angeles Percussion Quartet, LA Master Chorale Music Director Grant Gershon, and jazz pianist Josh Nelson.

For more information about Boston Court Pasadena Visit BostonCourtPasadena.org or call 626.683.6801.

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