theater drops artistic director for onset of new season

Citing poor economic conditions, Seacoast Repertory Theatre is restructuring to maintain its reputation as Portsmouth’s preeminent live theater venue.

The board of directors has decided to shuffle its staff, doing away with the position of artistic director, according to board president Lou Gargiulo. The new position of producing artistic director combines the job of overseeing the theater’s artistic decisions with that of an executive director who typically deals with finances.

John McCluggage joined Seacoast Repertory Theatre as artistic director in June 2006, and The Rep’s following season was dubbed a renaissance. He brought with him more than 25 years of experience as an actor, director, producer and artistic director.

In the summer of 2007, the board decided not to call Seacoast Repertory Theatre by the initials SRT anymore and began referring to it as The Rep. This, too, was considered a new era. The change stressed McCluggage’s desire to bring “repertoire” back to the area by offering a different show every night. Then, in the fall of 2007, the Rep announced a new look with a different logo and Web site, www.seacoastrep.org.

The theater, which opened in 1979 on Bow Street in downtown Portsmouth, is now accepting applications for the new position. Though he believes he is qualified, McCluggage has opted not to apply.

“I’m not sure why I would consider to be a candidate for a position I’ve pretty much been doing already,” he said. His resignation is effective near the end of this month and he plans to relocate.

Gargiulo said the reason the new position is not being offered to McCluggage first is because he came to the Rep “only with artistic expertise and credentials.” He said the new job requires both artistic and business skills, but the board would have considered McCluggage if he had applied.

Garguilo said there will be no interruption of performances due to the change, and upcoming shows will go on as planned. The Rep’s new season begins on Thursday, Oct. 9, with a production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” The play runs through Sunday, Oct. 19.

“We have a great reputation for large musical shows and we plan to continue in that arena,” he said.

No specific problem can be attributed to the change, he said, just an effort to improve both programming and finances. He said the theater has not yet been impacted by the economy “too dramatically,” but it is part of the reason the board is seeking to become as efficient as possible.   

“Any arts organization should be concerned in this economic climate,” McCluggage said. “This season is going to be a challenge.”

McCluggage revamped programming at the Rep, including presenting Shakespeare in schools and other youth services, and working with area agencies and artistic groups. He also initiated a post-show discussion series that allows the audience to ask questions of the cast and creative staff and find out what happens behind the scenes.

McCluggage said he was successful in “reestablishing the artistic reputation” of the theater, making it an organization people know and respect.