The Arizona Theatre Company board of directors named David Ivers, most recently the artistic director at Utah Shakespeare Festival, as its new artistic director. Ivers will begin his new role July 1.
The Arizona Theatre Company’s current artistic director, David Ira Goldstein, will remain with the company until June 30 when his enduring 25-year tenure will officially come to end and he will become artistic director emeritus.
“The search process, guided and organized by consulting and executive recruiting firm AlbertHall & Associates, was extensive and, ultimately, incredibly rewarding with the hiring of David Ivers,” said Arizona Theatre Company Board Chair Lynne Wood Dusenberry. “There were a number of truly wonderful candidates for the position, but David was clearly the right person to build upon David Ira Goldstein’s remarkable artistic legacy and guide Arizona Theatre Company to the next level of success.”
Ivers served as artistic director at the Utah Shakespeare Festival for seven years, having acted and directed in more than 50 productions with the company over 20 years.
During his tenure, Ivers, a native of San Rafael, California who holds a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Minnesota, helped lead a $40 million facilities expansion that included two new theaters, a new rehearsal hall, a costume shop, and administrative offices. His tenure also was marked by a significant rebranding of the organization and several key initiatives, highlighted by the launch of the WORDS3 New Play Development Program featuring the world premiere of Neil Labute’s “How to Fight Loneliness” in August, which Ivers will direct.
Earlier in his career, Ivers was associate artistic director at Portland Repertory Theatre. He has appeared in productions at some of the nation’s top regional theaters and recently directed productions at The Guthrie Theatre where he will direct “Blithe Spirit” in November. He also spent 10 years as a resident artist with the Denver Center Theatre Company, building more than 40 productions as an actor and director.
“Because of the richness of the cultural offerings and heritage in both Tucson and Phoenix, I’m humbled and excited about Arizona Theatre Company’s impact, contribution, and potential as we start the next half century,” Ivers said. “ATC has been and should be the crown cultural jewel of Arizona and, though we bring great, thoughtful, and quality theatre to two different communities, we serve the entire state.”
More information is available at arizonatheatre.org or by calling the box office in Tucson at (520) 622-2823 or in Phoenix at (602) 256-6995.
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