Meet Geri Wright | Arizona Theatre Company Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Geri Wright and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Geri, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
It was actually my nonprofit career that naturally moved me into the artistic field. I have worked in the industry for more than 25 years and the arts found me! I started in the human services nonprofit field and made the jump to the creative side when I started at the Heard Museum in 1998. I’ve been here ever since and love the joy that the arts bring to peoples’ lives.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Arizona Theatre Company is a LORT theatre – the only one in the state of Arizona. What that means is that we are a member of the League of Resident Theatres, of which there are 75 member theaters nationwide. ATC is the only one in the country that produces in two cities – Tucson and Phoenix – and we are known for producing high-level, intellectually rich theatre that you would see in NYC for example. As the state theatre, and as a nonprofit, we rely on contributions along with subscriptions and ticket sales to make ends meet. But what makes ATC different than many other theaters is that we actually create the sets, design the costumes, cast the shows, etc. So, what you see is the result of an incredible amount of time, talent and treasure invested on stage. We differ from a touring company that drives into town, sets up a pre-designed set and unloads costumes, then the cast arrives. Producing theater takes significant resources and that is why the support of the community is so important.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Let’s see … I would start with a visit to the Heard Museum for a taste of Arizona’s cultural history, do a little shopping at the store there. Then we’d have to go for some tacos at Oscar’s and maybe an amazing drive along the Apache Trail or Mogollon Rim Road to witness the wide-open Arizona skies and take in one of our spectacular sunsets. We’d sprinkle the weeklong immersion with experiencing stellar theatrical productions at Arizona Theatre Company wherever our journey took us in either Phoenix or Tucson!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout goes to the team of ATC! We work incredibly hard: long hours, minimal resources, and not enough hours in the days to do what we love. The ATC staff and volunteers are a dedicated bunch, and ATC wouldn’t be where we are without their commitment!

Website: https://atc.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arizonatheatre/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/arizonatheatre

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArizonaTheatreCompany

Image Credits
Tim Fuller