FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Julie Hennrikus, StageSource
(617) 720-6066; jhennrikus@stagesource.org
April 2011
JEFF POULOS
TO BE HONORED WITH
2011 STAGESOURCE THEATRE HERO AWARD
Award to Be Presented at the StageSource Theatre Hero Bash on June 28, 2011
(Boston, MA) – The StageSource Board of Directors has named Jeff Poulos, former executive director of StageSource and current executive director of Associated Grant Makers as the recipient of the 2011 StageSource Theatre Hero Award. The Theatre Hero Award is being presented to Mr. Poulos for his service, inspiration and role as a champion to Boston area theatres and the arts.
During his ten years at StageSource, Jeff Poulos managed a tremendous period of growth for the organization. He oversaw an increased membership of 40%, introduced health insurance plans for freelance artists, published multiple editions of The Source Directory, launched an online resource database and social network for artists, and produced a biennial Boston Theatre Conference and annual Job Expo.
"Jeff Poulos was a natural choice for this year's Theatre Hero Award. He has been a true champion of Boston theatre and has done so much to foster a real sense of community among Boston theatre artists and professionals,” said Temple Gill, Director of Marketing of the Huntington Theatre and StageSource board member.
Actress Anne Gottlieb, also a StageSource board member said that “Jeff's work at StageSource is only a part of what he has done to nurture so many artists, designers and administrators. His fingerprints are everywhere. You would be hard-pressed to find a theatre company or theatre practitioner in a 30 mile radius who has not benefitted directly or indirectly from Jeff's vision, wisdom and encouragement.”
"Jeff transformed StageSource -- and by extension, the whole community it represents. He moved StageSource into the forefront of New England's arts and advocacy institutions. He developed new partnerships with national arts service organizations, the corporate and foundation communities, and the media. But most of all, he championed Boston theatre artists and producers. Supported by his leadership, many Boston area companies opened new theatres and succeeded in expanding their artistic reach and scope. We are a vastly different community from 11 years ago. Boston theatre would not be as thriving, diverse, ambitious, and filled with creative opportunity as it is today without Jeff's love and care." Said Scott Edmiston, former StageSource Board Chair and Director of the Office of the Arts at Brandeis University.
Selection
Nominees were put forth by individuals from the Greater Boston theatre community for the 2011 Theatre Hero Award. The recipient is determined by the StageSource Board of Directors, currently comprised of 21 leaders of the theatre community representing theatre artists, audiences and producing organizations. The award is presented each year to “an exceptional member of the Greater Boston theatre community who has demonstrated a history of service and commitment to the community through leadership, support, inspiration, innovation and promotion of the art of theatre throughout the region.”
Presentation
Presentation of the the Theatre Hero Award will take place on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at the Hero Bash at OBERON starting at 6:30PM. Tickets on sale after April 27th at http://www.cluboberon.com/ or call 866-811-4111. Past Theatre Hero Award recipients have included Jack Welch, former Managing Director of Baker’s Plays (2000), Kate Snodgrass, Artistic Director of Boston Playwrights’ Theatre (2001), Wheelock Family Theatre (2002), Spiro Veloudos, Producing Artistic Director, Lyric Stage Company of Boston (2003), Jacqui Parker, Artistic Director, Our Place Theatre Project (2004), Scott Edmiston, director and long-time StageSource board member (2005), Susan Gassett, co-founder and Artistic Director of City Stage (2006), James Spruill, co-founder of New African Company and longtime Associate Professor of Boston University (2007), SpeakEasy Stage Company (2008), Joyce Kulhawik (2009) and Michael Maso, Managing Director of the Huntington Theatre (2010). Information about the Theatre Hero Bash can be found at www.stagesource.org.
Biography of Jeff Poulos
Jeff Poulos is the Executive Director of Associated Grant Makers, the regional association of grant makers for Massachusetts and surrounding areas, which promotes the practice and expansion of effective and responsible philanthropy to improve the health and vitality of the region.
Prior to AGM, Jeff served for ten years as Executive Director of StageSource. Jeff has also worked at the Huntington Theatre Company in a number of positions and as General Manager at the New Repertory Theatre.
Jeff is currently on the board of Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and has served as Chair of the Arts Services Coalition of Boston, as Board Treasurer of Massachusetts Advocates for Arts Sciences and Humanities (MAASH-ED), and as a member of The Boston Foundation Arts and Culture Advisory Committee and the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Advisor Corps. In 2007, Jeff was one of 56 arts leaders to attend the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leadership-Arts at Stanford University Graduate School of Business Center for Social Innovation. Jeff is a resident of Watertown, Massachusetts and a graduate of Ithaca College.
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About StageSource
Founded in 1985, StageSource provides leadership and services to advance the art of theatre in the Greater Boston region. Our mission is to unite theatre artists, theatre companies and related organizations in vision and goals that inspire and empower our community to realize its greatest artistic potential. Current membership stands at over 2,000 individual theatre artists working both onstage and off. Our membership resides in all six New England states and New York. Our 220 organizational members operate from Western Massachusetts to upstate Maine. Their repertoire ranges from classical theatre to experimental and they range in size from the largest institutional theatres to smaller start-up and community theatre companies. The audiences they serve are as diverse as their repertoire.
For more information, contact StageSource at (617) 720-6066 or visit www.stagesource.org.
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