WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Barack Obama has announced his decision to nominate Center Theatre Group associate artistic director Diane Rodriguez to the National Council on the Arts, the White House announced last week. Rodriguez is also the president of the board of Theatre Communications Group, and recently spoke to American Theatre‘s OffScript podcast about L.A. theatre, her history with Latino activism and the national theatre scene.
Rodriguez, who lives in Echo Park in Los Angeles, got her start as a member of El Teatro Campesino, which began by producing comic sketches for United Farm Workers in central California. She later cofounded El Teatro de La Esperanza and the comedy troupe Latins Anonymous, and won an Obie award in 2007 for playing multiple roles in Heather Woodbury’s Tale of Two Cities. Her directing credits include Erik Patterson’s Sick at Playwrights’ Arena, Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel at City Theatre of Pittsburgh and Culture Clash’s Bordertown at Actors’ Theatre of Phoenix.
The National Council on the Arts advises the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, who also chairs the Council, on agency policies and programs. It reviews and makes recommendations to the Chairman on applications for grants, funding guidelines and leadership initiatives.
Though the president nominates individuals for the Council, the appointments will not be final until it has been approved by the Senate
