ABOUT ROUNDABOUT


ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director/CEO) is committed to producing the highest-quality theatre with the finest artists, sharing stories that endure and providing accessibility to all audiences. A not-for-profit company founded in 1965, Roundabout fulfills its mission each season through the production of classic plays and musicals; development and production of new works by established and emerging writers; educational initiatives that enrich the lives of children and adults; and a subscription model and audience outreach programs that cultivate and engage all audiences. Roundabout presents this work on its five stages and across the country through national tours. Roundabout has been recognized with 36 Tonys®, 51 Drama Desks, 62 Outer Critics Circle, 12 Obie and 18 Lucille Lortel Awards. More information on Roundabout’s mission, history and programs can be found by visiting roundabouttheatre.org.


2017-2018 SEASON


STAFF SPOTLIGHT: INTERVIEW WITH KIM ORIA, SENIOR MANAGER OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS


Ted Sod: Tell us about yourself. Where were you born and educated? How and when did you become the Education department's Senior Manager of Education Programs? Kim Oria: I grew up in Chicago and attended public schools. I was fortunate to have access to free arts programs—these programs were offered to the schools I attended, so I was bitten by the theatre bug early on. My senior year of high school, I decided I wanted to pursue the management side of theatre, so I attended Ithaca College for Theatre Arts Management. That degree allowed me to take classes in directing, acting, and design while also studying finance, marketing, and business. I came to New York after graduating from Ithaca and got hired as the Education Apprentice here at Roundabout. After completing the nine-month apprenticeship, I went to work at Manhattan Theatre Club as their Education Coordinator. I completed one season with MTC, and then I transitioned into my current job at Roundabout in 2013.


TS: Describe your job at RTC. What are your responsibilities?


KO: I manage Roundabout Education’s theatre-based programming, which includes our afterschool program, the Roundabout Youth Ensemble (RYE), the intern and apprentice programs, and Theatre Plus, our audience engagement programs. I’m responsible for these programs running smoothly and serving our various constituencies well. Every project I work on offers a wide range of programming to its participants, so to do my job I have to wear different hats. In


TS: Why do you choose to work at Roundabout?


KO: I choose to work at Roundabout because the work we do bridges my passion for community outreach and for theatre. It’s a wonderful environment because I am able to introduce students from many of the boroughs of NYC to the world of theatre and to foster in them a passion for the arts.•


any one day, I might be acting as hiring manager for the career development programs, mentoring the students in RYE, and/or working as an events manager. It’s a job that keeps me on my toes!


TS: What is the best part of your job? What is the hardest part?


KO: Over the summer, the RYE fully produces a student-written play in Roundabout’s Black Box Theatre. Students make all of the artistic and managerial decisions. Seeing this come together is the best part of my job. I act as producer for the show, and I get to work with these students as directors, stage managers, technicians, actors, and designers. I get to see a group of 30 young people transformed by creating art with one another and own the work they’re doing. It’s inspiring to see the stories they choose to tell and to see them come together as an ensemble. The hardest part is working with these students for four years and then having to say goodbye when they graduate. The consolation is seeing them go on to do inspiring work in their own lives!


Learn more at roundabouttheatre.org. Find us on: AMY AND THE ORPHANS UPSTAGE GUIDE 23


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