22 October 2008 - Neptune Theatre Announces New Artistic Director

Neptune Theatre today announced that George Pothitos of the Sudbury Theatre Centre will be the company's next Artistic Director, succeeding Neptune’s past director, Ron Ulrich. After a six -month nationwide search, the Neptune Theatre board chose Pothitos for his passion, education, experience and commitment to entertain, engage and challenge audiences.

"In George Pothitos we have found a leader who will complement the current team and help take Neptune Theatre to an exciting new level in our community and beyond. ," said Jamie Baillie, Board Chairman  "We look forward to his energy and insight as we launch a new era for our theatre."

For the past nine years Pothitos has programmed passionate, joyful and meaningful plays at the Sudbury Theatre Centre, including The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged), Of The Fields, Lately, Proof, Tuesdays With Morrie, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

“I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to accept the position of Artistic Director at the Neptune Theatre.  I have always loved the East Coast and the wealth of artists it has fostered and exported to the rest of the country.  Halifax has a wonderful pool of professional actors that I look forward to meeting and working with.  My wish is to continue the high artistic tradition that Neptune has established under the leadership of Ron Ulrich” says Pothitos.

During his tenure with the STC, Pothitos was instrumental in erasing a long-standing accumulated deficit, increasing ticket sales and  securing multi-year funding from the Canada Council for the Arts and doubling the operation grants from the Ontario Arts Council and The City of Greater Sudbury.  One of the highlights during his tenure was a capital campaign that raised $650,000 in eighteen months in a city with an amalgamated population of 150,000 residents.

Pothitos was educated at Queen’s University at Kingston, where he obtained an Honours B.A. in Drama with a minor concentration in Film Studies.  He also holds an acting degree from The Webber-Douglas Academy of Drama, London, England and a Master of Arts degree from The Graduate Centre for the study of Drama at the University of Toronto. 

Pothitos will be in Halifax on Tuesday October 28th to attend Neptune’s Annual General Meeting and will take up full time residence in Halifax on June 1, 2009.

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Media Contact: Mark Laventure
(902) 494-8465
mlaventure@neptunetheatre.com