Shaun Peknic Joins Planet Connections as New Artistic Director

Shaun Peknic, a theatre director with a focus on the development of new plays and musicals, joins Planet Connections Theatre Festivity in 2018 as artistic director.

The Planet Connections Festivity is New York's premiere socially-conscious arts festival. The Festivity is designed to invoke the power of art in motivating philanthropy, community outreach and social change.

Mr. Peknic was Associate Director for Once the Musical (Broadway, National Tours, West End, Toronto, Dublin). He was the recipient of The Lee Strasberg Directing Fellowship to direct Crystal Skillman's Pulp Vérité for The Clifford Odets Ensemble Play Commission, he is an alumnus of NYU and the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, teaches directing at NYU/Playwrights Horizons Theater School, and serves as Director of Education & Artistic Associate at Musical Theatre Factory. Select directing credits: The Demise (NYMF); Fool For Love (ItSelf Festival, Warsaw Poland); I'm A Lot Like You (Salty Brine's Spectacular Living Record Collection); Sherlock Holmes & the West End Horror (Cortland Repertory Theatre, nominated Best Director 2015 SALT Awards); Fireflies (Musical Theatre Factory); A Snowfall in Berlin (Nylon Fusion Theatre Company); Pageant Princess (Planet Connections Theater Festivity); Must Be The Music (ArsNova); A Streetcar Named Desire (New York University).

"This is a pivotal time for the New York theatre festival and we're thrilled to have someone of Shaun's caliber leading us into this exciting time," says Glory Kadigan, founder and Associate Producer of Planet Connections. "Shaun and I both trained at Lincoln Center together several years ago and we're both looking forward to collaborating together with the Planet Connections artists to promote art that deepens humanity and spurs an interest in social justice."

"I'm honored to be working with such a forward-thinking organization" replied Mr. Peknic, "I look forward to this incredible opportunity to help grow such a vital organization and to support the diverse storytellers creating art in the NYC indie theater scene," he concluded.

Within the Planet Connections Festivity are multiple theater, film and music festivals. Planet Connections' artists use their work to shed light on the causes that matter, while inspiring audiences to get involved. All its artists raise awareness for an organization/topic of their own selection. They are also the country's first eco-friendly arts festivity as all artists work to create eco-concious art by revising their marketing, design and rehearsal techniques. Planet Connections artists are introduced to a community of like-minded theater makers, film makers and music makers. The relationships formed during the festivity allow our artists to find new audiences and forge new partnerships. Since its inception, Planet Connections nearly 300 Full Theater Productions and 90 Staged Readings that have benefited hundreds of charities. Planet Connections has been featured on the Sundance Channel, NY1, and in The New York Times. Look for information of the next Planet Connections Festivity.

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