AUSTIN: Penfold Theatre Company has announced additions to its artistic team, expanding the company’s pre-pandemic staff by one third. Liz Fisher and Jarrett King will join Nathan Jerkins as associate artistic directors, while Carl Gonzales will join as arts administrator. Recent hire Taylor Flanagan will continue as program marketer, and Ryan Crowder will continue as producing artistic director.
“Liz and Jarrett will assist with season planning, shaping the types of programs Penfold offers and mapping out the specific productions Penfold will produce in upcoming seasons,” Crowder said in a statement, adding that they will also help select playwrights for a new commission series. “As highly accomplished artists, both Liz and Jarrett bring experience in producing, directing, playwriting, acting, and theatre education. We’re excited to have their unique perspectives and expertise.”
“I’ve felt part of the Penfold family for a long time now, having been supported by the organization as an actor and writer for several years,” King said in a statement. “Joining the team as associate artistic director gives me an opportunity to further my relationship with the immensely talented, deeply empathetic, and fiercely creative souls that populate this unique organization.”
King is a Chicago-based actor, writer, and educator who previously oversaw the in-school residency program at American Theater Company. He has performed with Chicago Shakespeare Theater and held administrative and educational positions with several Chicago institutions.
Fisher is an interdisciplinary theatremaker based in Austin. She has worked in directing and new play development for Fusebox Festival, Pittsburgh Public Theater, the National Women’s Theatre Festival, and others, including many universities. She has been a featured speaker at SXSW Interactive and is a recipient of the Princess Grace award and a fellowship from the O’Neill Theater Center, among others. A graduate of Texas State University, Fisher also works as a technology consultant and creative director.
Gonzales is an actor, director, and educator also based in Austin. He has directed and performed with Teatro Vivo, Ground Floor Theatre, and others, and his work as a composer and musician can also be heard in independent features and podcasts. Gonzales is also an artistic associate with Creative Action.
Penfold Theatre Company has served north Austin for 14 years by telling intimate stories of hope and empathy, and is now reemerging from the pandemic with a focus on reimagining classics.
