Theatre Squared has only been around since 2005, but they’ve already made quite a splash in Fayetteville. Two weeks ago, the professional theatre company added to their leadership team in hopes to make an even bigger impact.
On July 13th, Fayetteville native Martin Miller was named managing director of Theatre Squared by Artistic Director Robert Ford and the T2 Board of Directors. Miller will co-lead along with Ford, with an emphasis on the institutional side of the theatre group.
“It’s a combination of the people, the work, and this place that led me back here.” Miller told us. “I’ve known Bob Ford since he directed me in a production of The Importance of Being Earnest in high school, and Fayetteville is home, and there are a lot of people I know here that have been great friends.
“Also, Theatre Squared does such amazing work. I realized after seeing one of their performances that I could go months in Chicago without seeing a production of that quality.”
Miller had been in Chicago for six years where he served as Associate Producer for the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre before accepting the position to come back to his hometown. While at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Mr. Miller led producing efforts on a number of acclaimed shows, including a hip-hop version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, a bilingual Romeo and Juliet, and The Second City’s Rod Blagojevich Superstar.
He also came up with the concept of a “Talk like Shakespeare Day,” (think talk like a pirate day) that received national attention from Brian Williams of NBC Nightly News, CNN, and the Guardian in London, among others.
Miller will focus on fundraising, as well as production work in his new role, but one of his biggest goals is to make sure all of Fayetteville knows what Theatre Squared has to offer.
“I think there is a real mandate on me coming in to grow the audience, the age range, and ultimately, the numbers of people that are sititng in the seats.” Miller said. “I’ll definitely be putting out the word to the community, making sure everyone knows there’s a show on and it’s worth seeing.”
Theatre Squared’s next performance is on September 4th, when they will perform a 2 hour Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at Nadine Baum Studios. Tickets for the show will go on sale beginning in August.
