The Weekend Theater Board of Directors today announced that Jamie Scott Blakey will be stepping down as Artistic Director and that the board will begin an immediate search for its third artistic director in the theater’s 25-year history.
Blakey is completing her third season as artistic director and will remain at the helm for the next few months as the theater completes its 25th anniversary season and finalizes its line-up for the new season beginning in June. She has served on the theater’s Board of Directors since 2006 and will continue in that position.
“We are grateful to Jamie for her leadership and artistic vision,” said Kim Labbate, president of the theater’s board of directors. “She is passionate about the mission of this theater in bringing socially conscious theater to central Arkansas, and The Weekend Theater would not have had the successes it has had without her.”
Blakey has been a longtime volunteer at The Weekend Theater for more than 20 years. She has been directly involved with nearly 100 productions and has directed, produced, stage managed, occasionally acted, and mentored numerous volunteers. She became artistic director in 2015 after former artistic director and TWT co-founder Ralph Hyman retired.
“The Weekend Theater has a huge part of my heart,” Blakey said. “And, as I have told many people, I will never be very far away. I am excited about watching TWT continue to produce meaningful and quality theater at the corner of Seventh and Chester with a new artistic director.”
The board is accepting applications for artistic director as well as a technical director. The Weekend Theater stages shows year-round and typically produces five plays and four musicals each season. Both jobs are volunteer positions. The application deadline is March 31. Interested persons should email a resume and letter of application to TWT Executive Director Andrea McDaniel (andrea@weekendtheater.org).
