Tracy Brigden has resigned as City Theatre’s artistic director after 16 seasons and 25 world premieres at Pittsburgh’s new-play theater.
Ms. Brigden’s exit is effective immediately and comes just as the South Side company completed its 42nd season on Sunday, after the finales of Momentum ‘17 and the play “Ironbound,” starring Rebecca Harris. She also turned 53 on Saturday. One of the plays developed at City, Sharon Washington’s “Feeding the Dragon,” is headed off-Broadway for Primary Stages.
“I’ve been working 60-hour weeks without a break for a long time, and we’ve had a great year and I thought, ‘I need a break. I need to reset and be an artist and not do that other part of it that is what an artistic director does for a little while,’ and I am excited about it,” Ms. Brigden said Wednesday.
Ms. Brigden, who turned 53 on Saturday, was hired from Hartford Stage in 2001, replacing Marc Masterson after his move to Actors Theatre of Louisville. During her time at City, she created the Momentum festival, City Theatre’s annual program of new plays at different stages, and presented the American premiere of Adam Rapp’s “Blackbird,” starring Michael Shannon, in 2002. She also oversaw productions of “Topdog/Underdog” with Billy Porter and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” with Anthony Rapp.
“Tracy is an exceptional artist. Her passion and energy brought exciting new and contemporary plays to life for our audiences,” said Beth Newbold, City’s board president, in a statement Wednesday. “Tracy, and the entire artistic team, consistently produced works of substance and ideas that engaged and challenged us, earning praise from audiences and critics alike, both at home and around the country.”
Since 2014, Ms. Brigden’s staff had grown to include managing director James McNeel, artistic producer Reginald L. Douglas and Clare Drobot as director of new play development.
“James is so amazing, and Clare and Reg are a fantastic artistic team, with them and the great board of directors and the rest of the City team, I know everything will be fine there,” Ms. Brigden said.
The board will appoint a task force to manage the transition, which will include a national search for a new artistic leader, starting in the fall. Mr. McNeel will take on additional leadership responsibilities in the interim, while Ms. Drobot and Mr. Douglas “will ensure that the company maintains its high quality of programming until a new artistic director is seated,” City Theatre said in a statement.
“While change is inevitable, it opens up the opportunity for reflection and growth for our organization,” Ms. Newbold said.
City Theatre produces a six-play subscription season of new plays, along with education programming and various audience engagement from its converted church home at 1300 Bingham St. on the South Side.
During summers away from Pittsburgh, Ms. Brigden has enjoyed directing assignments at regional theaters and several just across the bridge, at Pittsburgh Public Theater. She announces her departure from City not long after the Public’s Ted Pappas said he will leave after next season.
Ms. Brigden, who lives in Virginia Manor with her husband, Michael DelGaudio and her teenage stepson and stepdaughter, said she is eager to have more time to spend with her family.
Sharon Eberson: seberson@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1960. Twitter: @SEberson_pg.
First Published: June 7, 2017, 8:25 p.m.
