Timothy Near, the Gradual Transition

 


A Letter From Timothy Near, September 2007

Dear Patrons,

This letter is to let you, the dear friends of San Jose Rep, know that I am beginning a gradual separation from the Rep over the next two seasons.  I recently presented a proposal to the Rep’s Board of Trustees that laid out a plan allowing sufficient time to prepare for the transition of artistic leadership.  It is rare that a theatre is given the gift of time for such a change and I wanted to make that gift.  As you know, I care a great deal about San Jose Rep but I have a longing to spend more time as an artist and less time running an arts organization.

I have just completed 20 seasons at the Rep.  It is a marvelous feeling to look back at the exciting journey we have taken together.  Some of you were here before me and some of you have come on board along the way.   Every step has been interesting and fulfilling for me, from building the new theater, to filling it with enormous talent over these past 10 years. 

I believe that theatre art has the power to celebrate what is best in human nature, while it provokes us to think, examine, improve, transform and transcend.   When you think of the Rep, I hope you think of our work as human, warm, funny and as inventive theatre that subtly gives you something to think about —always offering a friendly welcome to all who attend.  I hope you will be reminded of times that you’ve been moved by a love story, intrigued by a political social message, stimulated by the text, music and visual story telling, honored by the relating of local lore or, validated by a play that seemed written just for you.

I want you to know that one of my most favorite, favorite parts of being an Artistic Director is my interaction with you, our audience.  In my conversations with you, I have learned so much and received such a tremendous amount of warm appreciation and shared love for the art of theatre. 

How will you notice this gradual transition?  I will be delegating many of my administrative responsibilities to our wonderful Managing Director Nick Nichols, and other members of our staff, including my newly appointed Associate Artistic Director, Kirsten Brandt.   Over time, you will see less of me and hear less from me.  However, I will still be very involved in the programming and selecting of creative teams for the 08-09 season and, I will advise on the 09-10 season.   You can be assured that the superb talent, craft and creativity that are the hallmarks of the Rep will continue as the company looks forward to another 20 years of exciting and stimulating theatre.

Thank you, again, for the marvelous years of support. Your appreciation of theatre and your belief in the work we do continues to propel the Rep forward in playing a vital and creative role in our community and the national body of theatre. 

As always, with sincere appreciation,

Timothy Near

 

A Letter From Timothy Near, February 2008

DEAR AUDIENCE,

Last September I announced that, after 20 joyful and fulfilling years of providing artistic leadership, I would begin a gradual separation from San Jose Rep. In the fall I began delegating many of my responsibilities to my associate, Kirsten Brandt, and to my partner, managing director Nick Nichols. My main focus during these six months has been to choose one more season for you, our cherished audience. It has been wonderful to be able to devote a great portion of my time to working with the artistic and production staff to find a balance of insightful, inspiring, pertinent and entertaining work for

2008-2009. On March 1st, I will be moving from my position as artistic director to a new position of senior artistic advisor. This new position is part of the transition, making way for the search for new artistic leadership, while still advising, guiding and providing institutional memory for the company.

This spring my focus will be on the future: advising on and approving the creative teams of directors and designers for next season. Meanwhile, the artistic leadership of the organization is in the capable hands of our associate artistic director, Kirsten Brandt, whom many of you have met at post show discussions and Ghostlight Forums. You know her work as the director of Rabbit Hole and This Wonderful Life. She is a terrific theatre artist and very approachable, so if you see her in the lobby, please feel free to strike up a conversation about the work and the company. One of my great joys over the past 21 years has been talking to and learning from you. I know the Rep wants to continue that close relationship with its patrons.

So, this isn’t a goodbye letter. I will still be “in the wings” as we say in theatre —just not center stage. This is simply an update to explain where we are in the process of the Rep’s artistic leadership transition. Tonight, I am thrilled to introduce the Bay Area to the writing of Robert Clyman. I was very excited when I read his play, Tranced, because it is so rare to find an entertaining mystery that also looks at some of the global issues that affect us all. I am also delighted to have Barbara Damashek in the director’s chair. Barbara is a highly respected director both locally and nationally. She is also a playwright and composer and wrote Quilters, one of San Jose Rep’s most popular and well remembered plays, which we produced back in the ’80s.

 Happy New Year and have a wonderful spring!

 

A Word from Mary Kay Marvin, SJRep's Board President

Artistic director made San Jose Rep a success
By Mary Kay Marvin
Article Launched: 09/16/2007 01:49:30 AM PDT

San Jose Repertory Theatre celebrates two huge milestones this year: the 10th anniversary of our landmark theater and Timothy Near's 20th anniversary as artistic director. The "Blue Box" on Paseo de San Antonio has come to mean many things to theatergoers, passersby and visitors to San Jose. They see it as an architectural statement of excellence, of vibrancy and innovation, embodying the very spirit and substance of Silicon Valley. They know it also to be a nationally respected venue for high-quality performances of classical and modern plays, and that it has consistently presented works that engage, entertain and inspire us.

We have our beautiful theater and that reputation because Timothy Near contributed significant leadership as well as artistic and technical guidance to the interior concept and design, and because she labored for 20 years to bring the best playwrights, directors, actors and theater professionals to create superb theater for us. We've staged 13 world premieres, five U.S. premieres, 26 West Coast premieres and 25 Bay Area premieres and have produced performances by a vast array of playwrights from Euripides to August Wilson to Charles Mee to Philip Kan Gotanda. Timothy brought to us the work of powerhouse artists such as Anne Bogart, Holly Hunter, Lynn Redgrave, Sandra Tsing Loh and Holly Near. Her blend of adventurous and traditional programming has kept our subscription base at a healthy average of 10,000 to 14,000 throughout her 20 years.

We are especially proud of Timothy's mission to have the Rep not only entertain, but also to provide a humanistic social message of respect and honor for all peoples. Many of her programming choices focused on building bridges of understanding among races, cultures, genders and generations. As an example, the six-year run of the Rep's New American Playwright Festival developed and often produced the work of female playwrights and those of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. She packed the houses with young people when she brought Culture Clash and Making Tracks to our theater.

Now Timothy, with two decades of success, has decided to move on. As an artist, she is ready for fresh, new directions in her life. She wants to put more energy into creating art and less into the administration of an arts organization. She will be gradually leaving us over the next two seasons, giving us ample time to strategize the change in leadership in phases, which will only strengthen the stability and excellence of the theater.

The board of trustees is deeply grateful for the artistic vision and leadership Timothy has provided over the past 20 years. Her innovative production of the classics combined with daring contemporary works and a commitment to developing new plays have won the Rep a respected place in American theater. She has led the board, the city and our audiences to make the Rep the nationally respected theater that it is today. In the future, our audiences can expect the same exciting balance of classics and contemporary works produced with the same innovative, theatrical approach that is Timothy Near's hallmark. Her vision, aesthetic and humanity are embedded in the Rep's artistic DNA.

As we begin our new season with the classic romantic comedy "The Triumph of Love," we do so with a steady hand on the business side of our mission. Having met our financial and ticket sales goals last year, we look forward to the 2007-08 season with an engaged and generous board of directors, the oversight of city financial experts and the continued support of our subscriber base.

We are grateful to the city of San Jose and the many donors to our capital campaign who 10 years ago made the "Blue Box" a reality, and we are eternally grateful to Timothy Near for her 20 years of passion and commitment in making San Jose Rep the benchmark for adventurous,

relevant and enjoyable theater for a diverse community. We have much to celebrate, much for which to be thankful, and we invite the public to join us.

MARY KAY MARVIN is the 2007-08 president of the San Jose Repertory Theatre board of trustees.  She wrote this article for the Mercury News.

PDF Artistic Director Made San Jose Rep a Success

 

San Francisco Chronicle

PDF Timothy Near Plans to Resign in Two Years at San Jose Rep

 

San Jose Mercury News

PDF San Jose Rep's Artistic Director to Leave in 2009

 

Press Release

PDF San Jose Rep Artistic Director Begins Gradual Separation