By ANTHONY CHASE
Rumors were rampant for months, including a little blind item in Javier's column on this website, but now it's official. Kate LoConti Alcocer will become the Executive Artistic Director of the Irish Classical Theatre Company on July 1, 2020.
The announcement was made on the Andrews Theatre stage by Kevin C. Brady, President of ICTC’s Board of Trustees, and founding artistic director Vincent O’Neill.
The transition will begin in the 2019-2020 season and will be completed during the 30th Anniversary Season in 2020-2021.
For now, Vincent O’Neill will remain ICTC’s Artistic Director, and Kate LoConti Alcocer will join the Irish Classical Theatre Company as Associate Artistic Director on June 1, 2019. This transition is being supporting with funding from the Cullen Foundation.
"For the first three months of the transition period, Kate will work closely with ICTC Producing Director Fortunato Pezzimenti on all administrative functions of the company. Then, for one full Season (September 2019 through June 2020), she will work in tandem with and under the supervision of Vincent O’Neill on all artistic and production aspects of the Company."
When the mentoring process is complete, Kate LoConti Alcocer will become Executive Artistic Director on July 1, 2020, with absolute discretion, independence and authority in all artistic and production matters of the Irish Classical Theatre Company.
Vincent quipped that he hopes Kate might hire him to act or direct from time to time.
“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Kate LoConti Alcocer to the Irish Classical Theatre Company’s creative team,” said O’Neill. “Discussions about her role in the Company and her vision for the future of ICTC began in May 2018 and came to fruition with the enthusiastic approval of ICTC’s Board of Trustees on September 2018. This calibrated transition in Artistic leadership will allow the Irish Classical Theatre Company to move forward seamlessly into 2020 and beyond with Ms. LoConti Alcocer at the helm.”
Vincent recalled that he first knew Kate as a freshman acting student at U.B. and emphasized highlights of her resume, including her MFA from Columbia University, her work with Shattered Globe Company in Chicago, as well as at Chicago's famed Steppenwolf and Goodman theaters. He also reminded the group that Kate has appeared on the Andrews Theatre stage in 14 productions.
There was a sense of nostalgia and an air of the historic on the occasion of the March 25th announcement. Peter Andrews sat front and center with Larry Quinn, a member of the founding board. Vincent O'Neill called out the names of longtime employees and supporters. The late co-founders, Chris O'Neill and James Ward, were remembered, as were Joan Andrews, Calvin Rand, and others. Co-founder Josephine Hogan was there. Directors from other theaters attended: Scott Behrend of Road Less Traveled Theater; Javier Bustillos of BUA; Lisa Ludwig of Shakespeare in Delaware Park and Saul Elkin of Shakespeare and Jewish Rep; and Loraine O'Donnell of the Kavinoky Theatre all attended.
There was great enthusiasm for the choice and confidence in the theater's future.
For more news of the theater see "Theater News" by Javier.
