Dorset Theatre Festival Announces New Leadership Team

Following the success of its 40th Anniversary Season, Dorset Theatre Festival is expanding its year-round leadership team. Producing Director Will Rucker, General Manager Marissa Hutton, and Marketing Manager Natalie Redmond join Artistic Director Dina Janis to develop the Festival's artistic, financial and brand sustainability.

"Over the past few years, Dorset Theatre Festival has grown from 'the little festival that could' into a regional hub of new play development and a destination for stars," says Artistic Director Dina Janis. "Along with that reputation, it's important for the Festival to have a dedicated full-time staff to focus year-round on our mission and programming. We want to continue to grow as an institution."

All three additions to this new year-round team will work with Janis to lead the Festival's seasonal staff, which each summer includes approximately 50 staff, actors and designers, as well as 18-20 professional apprentices.

Will Rucker first came to the Festival in 2016 as the stage manager for The Way of the World. He returned for the Festival's 40th season as the stage manager for both Downstairs and The Legend of Georgia McBride. As Producing Director, Rucker works with Janis to continue the Festival's mission of producing theatre that matters and to expand its commitment to new play development.

"I'm excited to join Dorset Theatre Festival because of its dedication to new plays and its artistic momentum. I can't wait to join Dina Janis, our forward-thinking board of directors, and the rest of the team in making the Festival a premier summer theatre destination. I look forward to growing our artistic community and to attracting even more people to see great plays in beautiful Southern Vermont," says Will Rucker.

As a stage manager in New York City, Rucker's various non-profit, educational, and commercial credits include the Atlantic Theatre Company, The Working Theater, and The Playwrights Realm. As a theatre educator, he has been a guest artist at the Yale School of Drama, New York City's New School for Drama and has taught Shakespeare and improvisation in Virginia juvenile correction centers. He received his MFA in stage management from the Yale School of Drama, where he was an artistic director of the Yale Cabaret.

Marissa Hutton first joined Dorset Theatre Festival for its 40th season as company manager. As General Manager, she works to ensure the Festival's financial longevity and oversees the Festival's newly formed accounting team.

"This is such a big moment for Dorset Theatre Festival. In addition to restructuring, we've also secured the funding to create three new jobs in the arts in our community. The Festival is committed to reimagining what's possible, both artistically and organizationally," says Marissa Hutton.

Outside of her work at the Festival, Hutton is an arts professional and dance maker. Past projects include The Dead (Irish Repertory Theatre), The Hairy Ape, An Occupation of Loss, (Park Avenue Armory), the FreePlay Project. Recent performance and choreography includes Do You Know These People (Movement Research), Super Natural (Creators Collective), Hush Up Sweet Charlotte (Performatica, Mexico), The Tank XYZ series (NYC).

Natalie Redmond has been with Dorset Theatre Festival since February 2017. As Marketing Manager, she strives to increase the Festival's prominence as a nationally recognizable destination for the best of Off-Broadway theatre in a charming Vermont setting.

"Dorset Theatre Festival's 40th anniversary season broke box office records, and I'm excited to deepen its reputation among audiences as an incubator for new work," says Natalie Redmond.

Previous to her work at the Festival, Redmond has worked in marketing departments at Trinity Repertory Company, Chautauqua Theater Company, and Detroit Public Theatre. She holds a BA in English and Theatre from Rochester College in Michigan.

For more information on Dorset Theatre Festival's leadership team, visit dorsettheatrefestival.org.