Cleveland Play House Appoints Robert Barry Fleming Associate Artistic Director
Posted April 22, 2016 in Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Ed Gilchrist
egilchrist@clevelandplayhouse.com
(216) 400-7020
CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE APPOINTS ROBERT BARRY FLEMING
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Fleming to join America’s First Regional Theatre August 1
CLEVELAND, OH (April 21, 2016) – Cleveland Play House (CPH) is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Barry Fleming as Associate Artistic Director. Fleming has served in a variety of roles in his nearly 30 years of professional theatre, most recently as Director of Artistic Programming at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
CPH Artistic Director Laura Kepley made the announcement, stating, “After a thoughtful and extensive national search, I am delighted to welcome Robert Barry Fleming to the Cleveland Play House family. Robert is a wonderfully multi-talented theatre artist, generous collaborator, and inspiring teacher. His extensive artistic and administrative experience make him the perfect person to join CPH as we continue to strive to inspire, stimulate and entertain our Northeast Ohio community. I look forward to working closely with Robert as we launch CPH’s second century of service to this great city and region.”
“Given the distinguished history of Cleveland Play House, I am truly honored by the privilege to join Laura, (CPH Managing Director) Kevin Moore and the vibrant CPH team to continue the impactful artistic legacy the organization has had on the national theatre landscape,” says Fleming. “Laura’s vision to deepen CPH ties with the diversity of the Northeast Ohio community, strengthen the integration of our theatre educational initiatives, and doing all of this though a commitment to artistically top-notch work, inspires and assures that the future is bright for the organization. I am overjoyed to come aboard.”
In his role as Associate Artistic Director, Fleming will contribute to season planning, project generation, new play development, and mentorship of emerging artists. Next season’s production of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Between Riverside and Crazy will mark Fleming’s CPH directorial debut.
Fleming is currently the Director of Artistic Programming at Arena Stage. He has worked as a director, choreographer, and actor in many of the leading resident theaters across the country, including The Public, The Taper, The Guthrie, La Jolla Playhouse, and The Old Globe. His work has been represented on Broadway (Stand-Up Tragedy, Ragtime), in television and film including the Oscar-winner, L.A. Confidential. He was an associate producer for the NYC revival of Tennessee Williams' The Two-Character Play starring Amanda Plummer and Brad Dourif, and served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department at the University of San Diego, also teaching in The Old Globe USD Graduate Acting MFA Program. Robert was a SDCF Charles Abbott Directing Fellow, San Diego Critics Circle Craig Noel Award winner, is a two-time honoree of the Bay Area Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical and is a Helen Hayes Award nominee for his recent work on Karen Zacarias’ Destiny of Desire at Arena Stage.
About Cleveland Play House
Cleveland Play House, recipient of the 2015 Regional Theatre Tony Award and founded in 1915, is America's first professional regional theatre. Throughout its rich history, CPH has remained dedicated to its mission to inspire, stimulate and entertain diverse audiences in Northeast Ohio by producing plays and theatre education programs of the highest professional standards. CPH has produced more than 100 world and/or American premieres, and over its long history more than 12 million people have attended over 1,600 productions. Today, Cleveland Play House celebrates the beginning of its second century of service while performing in three state-of-the art venues at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland.
The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Cleveland Play House with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. We also thank the residents of Cuyahoga County for supporting Cleveland Play House through Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
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