The Magic Mix

Prior to 1982, The Rep's chief executive officer had been responsible to the board for both artistic and business matters. Whether they were called artistic director, managing director or producing director, the men who had held that position were responsible for everything, although they were assisted by staff people with titles as various as business manager, general manager or administrative director. But The Rep was growing too big for one person to manage efficiently. While Wallace Chappell was artistic director, the board in 1982 appointed Steven Woolf as a managing director who reports directly to the board, a practice that follows the dual management structure of most regional theatres.

Thus, in 1986, when Steven Woolf was named artistic director while he was still managing director, as well as production manager, the board of directors sought a new managing director. At the end of a lengthy national search, the board appointed Mark D. Bernstein, who arrived in February 1987 to oversee The Rep's administrative, financial and marketing affairs.

The mix was balanced. And the theatre goes on.

This history is based upon A Challenge to Meet—A Promise to Keep, a commemorative publication written on the occasion of The Rep's 25th anniversary season by Marcie Woodruff.

Original credits and acknowledgements: "The assistance of many people made this history possible. Thanks go to Nancy Forsyth Reed, Peggy McClellan and Joanne Kohn, who provided background and helped choose photographs; to Homer E. Sayad, Leigh Gerdine and Peter Sargent, who supplied details of The Rep's separation from the college; to Kim Bozark and Laura Wandersee, who compiled lists of The Rep's productions; and to Judy Andrews, Leslie Hellam, Marita Woodruff and George Gitto, who captioned photographs. Barbara Harris, Steve Woolf and Mark Bernstein offered invaluable editorial advice."