[Vision2020] Directed Steps Down to Attend University of Idaho

[JesseMerz@aol.com]

Hi Folks,

I hope you don't mind me sharing this press release with you. I've been 
enjoying the discussions on this list. I look forward to joining your 
community:

Have a great day!  Love, Jesse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jesse Merz, 360-501-6540
JesseMerz@aol.com

JESSE MERZ, LONGVIEW STAGEWORKS' PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, WILL STEP DOWN 
AT THE END OF THE SEASON TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO

LONGVIEW, WA - February 27, 2003 - As noted today in The Daily News, Longview 
Stageworks' Producing Artistic Director, Jesse Merz, is stepping down after 
three seasons at the helm of the theatre company.

The article can be found at:

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2003/02/27/this_day/news03.txt

Merz started as an actor with Stageworks during its inaugural season in "See 
How They Run" in 1999. In the fall of 2000, he was hiring as the Producing 
Artistic Director. While at Stageworks, Merz directed "Sylvia," "The Gin 
Game," "The Glass Menagerie," "On Golden Pond," "A Christmas Carol," "Jake's 
Women," "The Foreigner" and most recently "Les Miserables School Edition." 
Producing credits at Stageworks include "Nunsense," "Bye Bye Birdie," "The 
Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and the upcoming "The Laramie Project" and 
"Forever Plaid."  In his final production, "Forever Plaid," directed by Roger 
Welch, he will perform the role of Francis.

"I am not resigning," the 29-year-old Merz said. "I just decided not to 
accept a fourth season. "

Merz is leaving Stageworks to pursue his M.F.A. in Directing at the 
University of Idaho.

"I've realized that my heart is in working with young people and that my 
professional focus is my theatre camp. No other theatre company will let me 
have 12 weeks off each summer, so I've gotten excited about the idea of 
teaching at the University level. The University of Idaho is a great, 
up-and-coming theatre program committed to excellence, and I'm looking 
forward to learning there. I'll also be able to teach for most of my time at 
the UI, so it is an ideal match."

Merz also got accepted to the University of Portland, and applied to the 
University of Washington and Humboldt State University, but neither of the 
later two colleges are accepting directors this fall.

"We were very, very lucky to find someone like Jesse," said Ed Putka, 
president of Stageworks board of directors. "He works tirelessly."

Putka said the company has grown immensely since Merz came to Longview. "Our 
audiences are growing. Our sponsorships are growing."

Since joining Stageworks, Merz and the staff have had many breakthroughs, 
including staying fiscally conservative enough to remain in the black all 
three seasons; expanding from four shows to a five show season; successfully 
developing a full-time Managing Director position, as well as a part-time 
Marketing Director, Technical Director, Bookkeeper, and Interns; opening up 
an 1800 square-foot office space; producingStageworks' first two shows on the 
1000-seat main stage of the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts; more 
than doubling the budget, sponsorship, donations, and ticket sales; continued 
to hire Equity actors; and attracting national talent, such as Penny Orloff 
(Broadway and NYC Opera star), William S. Brown (original member of 'The 
Phantom of the Opera' company on Broadway), Nico Lang (Guthrie Theater and 
Yale School of Drama), Roger Welch (Artistic Director of the Coeur d'Alene 
Summer Theatre), Ron Daum (regional theatre director), among many others.

Jesse and his wife, Laurel, will move to Moscow sometime after June 1st, when 
Stageworks' season comes to an end. Laurel will attend the Nursing School at 
Lewis-Clark State College in nearby Lewiston. Laurel appeared in "Sylvia," 
"Nunsense," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Jake's Women" at Stageworks, and will be 
featured in the upcoming "The Laramie Project," which opens March 14th.

"I am very grateful for our time in Longview. My grandfather, Lew Merz, grew 
up in Kalama, so I have deep roots here. It has been a blessing and it will 
be tough to leave," said Merz.

Stageworks is considering hiring from within the organization as well as 
contemplating a national search for Merz's replacement.

Jesse Merz is also the Artistic Director of the Columbia Gorge School of 
Theatre (www.TheatreCamp.com). He has directed three dozen productions in New 
York City and in regional theatre, including directing Tony-Winner Daisy 
Eagan in the new musical "Suburban Dreams." He has performed in 120 cities in 
34 states on national tours, as well as off-Broadway, in regional theatre, 
and in films. He has produced over one hundred productions and received his 
B.F.A. from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied with Oscar 
nominees David Mamet and William H. Macy. He is a member of Actors Equity, 
AFTRA, and SSDC.

Longview Stageworks is Southwest Washington's professional Equity theatre 
company, located 50 minutes North of Portland and 110 minutes South of 
Seattle on I-5.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # 
LONGVIEW STAGEWORKS
Jesse Merz, Producing Artistic Director
Jennifer Mejo, Managing Director
Amber Jones, Marketing Director
1231 Vandercook Way
Longview, WA 98632
360-501-6540 (office)
360-575-8499 (tickets)
360-423-8626 (fax)
stageworks@adelphia.net
www.LVSW.org (under construction)




Jesse Merz, MFA Candidate ('06), BFA, AEA, AFTRA, DG, SSDC, VASTA
JesseMerz@aol.com  •  http://www.JesseMerz.com

Laurel and Jesse Merz, 1203 N 1st Avenue, Kelso, WA 98626 
(address to change after the summer)
360-425-5271 • 541-490-7499 (cell)

Producing Artistic Director, LONGVIEW STAGEWORKS
1231 Vandercook Way • Longview, WA 98632
360-501-6540 (office) • 360-575-TIXX (tickets) • 360-423-8626 (fax)
http://www.LVSW.org  (under construction) • Stageworks@adelphia.net

Artistic Director, COLUMBIA GORGE SCHOOL OF THEATRE
72 Staats Road • White Salmon, WA 98672
800-405-3450 • 509-493-1213 • 212-656-1336 (fax)
http://www.TheatreCamp.com • info@TheatreCamp.com

Drama Instructor, CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
http://www.CornerstoneSchool.net

Future Student & Teacher, UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO, Department of Theatre & Film
PO Box 443074  •  Moscow, Idaho 83844-3074 
http://www.class.uidaho.edu/thea/
For info on the program, call:  1-88-88-UIDAHO