By the end of December, Nike Imoru will leave her post as artistic director of Spokane Interplayers Ensemble, says Carol Shore, who works in group sales for the theater.
One immediate effect is that The Fantasticks, scheduled for Dec. 1-17, will be directed not by Imoru but by another locally prominent director long associated with the theater.
Imoru is obviously leaving on friendly terms: She's staying in Spokane, and executive director Mary Ann McCurdy is quoted on the Spokesman-Review's Web page saying that she hopes that Imoru might return as a guest director a couple of times a year.
Bobo had predicted privately -- and hoped he was wrong - that Imoru would only stay one full season at Interplayers before moving on to other assignments. Well, we only had her as official A.D. for not quite one and a half seasons. It's a loss to the Spokane theatrical community: Nike is a gentle, creative soul and an accomplished theater artist.
Asked for a reaction -- and specifically about how Imoru's resignation might affect the rumored "merger" of Actors Rep and Interplayers (if at all) -- Grant Smith of ARt had this to say: "Nike is a wonderful world-class artist, and we are fortunate to keep her in Spokane. Michael [Weaver] and I look forward to seeing future projects that she helms."
I concur with Mr. Smith on that note: Dr. Imoru is in a class by herself and any community is lucky when she merges her energies with theirs. Best of luck to her in the future!
ReplyDeleteso, what is she going to do?
ReplyDeleteNike is an amazing artist/stage animal. She has shed a little sunshine on the professional theatre endeavors in Spokane
ReplyDeletePerhaps they were just not ready for her.
She'll be fine.
Is there some reason you can't name the new director of The Fantastiks?
ReplyDeleteYes. I only have an unsure single source. I'm working on it. I'm trying to reach Mary Ann and Nike, too.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to know who's directing The Fantasticks, check it out on the Interplayers web site. It's posted there.
ReplyDeleteit's roger welch
ReplyDeletei hope everything is okay with interplayers finances and such. nike is leaving very suddenly.
ReplyDeleteOf course things are not fine with Interplayers finances they have not been fine in some time.I hope the fine cast and director Of The Fantasticks can help them out.
ReplyDeleteWe need to support this theatre we need it to survive or we only have Art and Civic both wonderful companies but actors in this town need more venues esp that pay something.
We love you Nike you did what you could so glad to hear you will be around perhaps at Gonzaga? just a guess
Roger Welch is directing The Fantasticks, with Carol Miyamoto as musical director.
ReplyDeleteActually, in reference to paying actors, CenterStage also pays its actors, $35 to $50 per show per actor.
ReplyDeleteA VERY small stipend but better than nothing
ReplyDeleteThanks Tim for reminding us that you pay too.
ReplyDeleteHow bizarre that Interplayer's web site has nothing on Nike's leaving.
ReplyDeleteThat is not bizarre they just found out and that is the least of thier worries give them some time.
ReplyDeleteYeah, this is all good and well, but what is the true reason an artistic director left in the middle of a season?
ReplyDeleteI want more Yvonne Stories
ReplyDeleteWe have to remember that Interplayers has only been paying a stipend to local actors for the last couple of years, not a living wage. It's been minimum wage for rehearsal and only for the hours the actor is called, then $25 to $35 dollars a performance. And they've been using a lot of local actors. I don't think $150 a week constitutes professional theatre. I've been thinking of them as Civic South for a while now.
ReplyDeleteNot so much nobody is making $150 a week do not know where you got your information my friend and they should take advantage of the wonderful local talent.
ReplyDeleteCivic south you are clever
ReplyDelete