Theater J Fires Artistic Director Ari Roth

The Washington Post reported Ari Roth, artistic director of Theater J for the past 18 tears, was fired Thursday. Roth said he was notified of his dismissal by Carole R. Zawatsky, CEO of the DC Jewish Community Center, of which Theater J is an arm. He said he was fired for insubordination for violating the JCC's "communications protocol."

Since Zawatsky was hired in 2011, she and Roth frequently disagreed over Roth's programming choices, especially those concerning the Middle East.

Theater J's world premiere of "The Admission," a play by Israeli dramatist Motti Lerner about a purported massacre of Palestinian villagers in 1948 by Israeli soldiers, was downgraded earlier this year from a full production to a workshop after a small local activist group, the Citizens Opposed to Propaganda Masquerading as Art, asked donors to withhold funds from the JCC's parent body.

The group similarly protested a 2011 Theater J play, "Return to Haifa," which featured Arab and Israeli actors portraying a Palestinian family returning to the home it had fled in 1948 that was occupied by Israeli Jews.

The final dispute was over the DCJCC's decision last month to eliminate Theater J's Voices From a Changing Middle East Festival, the ongoing series of which "Return to Haifa" and "The Admission" were a part. Roth said his commenting to the media about this decision was the reason given to support the charge of insubordination.

Now, Roth will create a new group, the Mosaic Theater Company, based at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street NE in Washington, which will take over the Voices From a Changing Middle East Festival. Roth plans to start the new company next fall.

Theatre J is currently searching for a new artistic director and will continue operations under managing director Rebecca Ende and associate artistic director Shirley Serotsky.

Read the original Washington Post article here.