The new leaders of Vancouver’s nonprofit Magenta Theater are familiar faces to local theatergoers.
David Roberts, a longtime veteran of Magenta and many other local stages, has been named executive director. Gina George, who has been acting artistic director in recent months, will assume that role permanently. The new leadership announcement was made last week by the theater’s board of directors and its chairman, Tim Neill.
“I’ve been involved with Magenta for 14 years and I love the people there,” Roberts said. “When COVID hit and shut everything down, it was like a stake to my heart. When this opportunity came along, I thought it was my time to step up.”
Roberts has been seen on the Magenta stage many times over the past 14 years, most recently as hapless Bertie Wooster — his favorite role of all, he said — in the comedy “Jeeves Takes a Bow.” He’s also served on the Magenta board and worked in the box office, and said he understands the finances and complexity of running a theater.
Roberts was directing rehearsals of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” at Magenta early last year when the coronavirus pandemic struck, and the show never opened. Getting “Much Ado” up and running on the Magenta stage is his top priority for as soon as the place can reopen its doors, he said.
“Our number one challenge will be just opening up safely and bringing the audience back,” he said. “We are hoping for three live shows this year, but that might be too optimistic.”
Roberts said he fell in love with theater in middle school, dropped it for a while as a busy adult, then realized he needed a relaxing hobby.
“And I ended up working harder than ever before” doing live theater, he said with a chuckle. This will be his second stint at the helm of a theater group; Roberts led the short-lived Vancouver Onstage Productions when it was housed at the former Columbia Arts Center, he said.
Staying visible
While the theater at 1108 Main St. has been closed for nearly a year, a core group of Magenta volunteers has stayed busy since fall with online presentations as well as charity food collections — just to do some good and keep Magenta visible in the community at a time when live performance isn’t possible, George said.
In August, the board appointed George as interim artistic director, assisted by Kristen Bennett. George directed 13 short “spooky stories” by Magenta actors that were posted online for Halloween season. She has studied and worked in theater, film and television all over the country. As well as directing, choreographing and acting at Magenta — where her favorite role was Barbara in the thriller “Prescription for Murder” — she has served as house manager.
As Magenta’s new artistic director, George said, she wants to balance reliable, family-friendly fare with newer plays that draw more diverse audiences — as well as more diverse actors, directors and behind-the scenes volunteers.
“I feel strongly that Magenta is a place for families, but I also strongly believe in pushing boundaries,” she said. “By pushing boundaries we can bring a more diverse crowd to our shows.”
While Roberts is focused on staging “Much Ado” later this year, George wants to continue streaming virtual performances much sooner. Look for a new online Magenta presentation in March, she said.
Training
David Roberts is not related to Magenta Theater founder Jaynie Roberts, who spent 20 years growing Magenta from a DIY project into a thriving and popular nonprofit business. She was widely admired for her creativity and drive. But last spring widespread Black Lives Matter protests cropped up at Magenta too, in the form of allegations of racial bias against Roberts, who resigned from the organization.
The theater’s board of directors began the hunt for new leadership, and promised to make racial sensitivity training mandatory for Magenta volunteers.
“I took the training, along with multiple members of our community,” said David Roberts, who works as a real estate photographer. “It was very helpful and eye-opening. We want to make sure we are as open and welcoming as possible to the entire community.”
“It was fantastic,” said George, a project manager for Kaiser Permanente who has taken dozens of similar training courses in the corporate world. “I think that’s something that’s never going to stop at Magenta. No matter how many classes I take, I learn something every time.”
Roberts and George, both of whom will make small stipends in their new roles, said that taking the responsibilities that used to reside in one powerful job and splitting them in two — executive director and artistic director — will make for better teamwork and collaboration throughout the volunteer organization.
“Theater can still bring us together,” George said. “Theater is something every single person can be part of.”
