Jack Viertel stepping down at Encores

[JSquared2]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 2:21pm

Just announced that after this year, Jack Viertel will step down as Artistic Director aof City Center Encores. Mr. Viertel has done a commendable job for the last 20 years -- but it's time for some "new blood" and some new ideas. Wonder who will take his place -- Jeanine Tesori?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 2:38pm

Tesori is too in-demand as a writer. She's at Off-Center as a consultant now. There are many people who could do this –– whether they're directors (Scott Ellis, George C. Wolfe, Warren Carlyle, Darko Tresnjak, John Rando, Kathleen Marshall again), people already on payroll at Encores (Lear deBessonet, Anne Kauffman), or other theatre people (Seth Rudetsky, Craig Burns, Jen Tepper, Ted Chapin, Lawrence Maslon). They could even elevate Rob Berman's Music Director role to a greater decision-making capacity, or turn Encores into more of a regional theatre structure (Artistic Director/Managing Director).

I do wonder if the regular ENCORES season will start to look more like Off-Center. Reading between the lines (and seeing recent small houses and a few not-great productions), there's clearly some soul-searching to be done about how to celebrate old musicals while bringing in new audienes.

Viertel has had a great run and has really elevated ENCORES into what it is today.

Updated On: 7/16/19 at 02:38 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/16/19 at 11:41pm

Is this because somebody in an OKLAHOMA! thread posted that Viertel should step down? How much power does this site have?

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 7/17/19 at 3:47am

What I had heard was that he was just getting on in years and ready to retire to Palm Springs. So, all the best Jack. Thanks for the memories.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/29/19 at 12:58pm

Lear deBessonet has been announced as the new Artistic Director of ENCORES: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/theater/encores-city-center-lear-debessonet-jack-viertel.html

Updated On: 10/29/19 at 12:58 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/29/19 at 1:10pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Lear deBessonethas been announced as the new Artistic Director of ENCORES:https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/theater/encores-city-center-lear-debessonet-jack-viertel.html"

I was just getting ready to post that that was the best (and one of the few good) choices among those you listed. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/29/19 at 1:31pm

She's a wonderful director who has managed to transcend so-so material in the past.

Since Jack and his predecessors have had such affinity for old musicals, she is an interesting choice and I'm curious about the types of shows she'll bring to Encores. Something tells me she will have less affinity for, say, Flahooley or Golden Rainbow than ADs in the past (which perhaps is a good thing!)

[GaryTokyo]

Posted: 11/2/19 at 5:27am

Encores has been a spectacular success under Jack Viertel, who clearly had a love and deep knowledge of musical theater that made every season an event. His successor seems to have a different view of the series judging from her interviews, but hoping for the best. She's directing the final show of Viertel's final season, Thoroughly Modern Millie, a baffling and discouraging choice for this classic series. Anyone else find that decision odd??  https://sekenbanashi.wordpress.com/2019/06/27/encores-and-millie/

Updated On: 11/2/19 at 05:27 AM