MINNEAPOLIS and SARASOTA, FLA.: Theater Latté Da (TLD) has announced that its founding artistic director, Peter Rothstein, will step down and become the producing artistic director of Asolo Repertory Theatre as of July 1. Rothstein has accepted a five-year contract with Asolo Rep, where he will succeed Michael Donald Edwards.
“As co-founder and artistic director, Peter has been the heart and soul of Theater Latté Da for 25 years,” said board chair Cara Sjodin in a statement. “His work here has improved the lives and careers of theatremakers, entertained and challenged audiences, and left us with a strong organization as we begin the search to fill his very big shoes. We are truly grateful for his artistic contributions and his work growing this theatre and engaging with the arts community.”
Since co-founding TLD with Denise Prosek in 1998, Rothstein has directed 82 mainstage productions, including 13 world premieres, and has seen the theatre grow from an itinerant organization to a thriving company with a permanent home at the Ritz Theater. Some of his credits include Christmas at the Local, Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical, Five Points, A Christmas Carole Petersen, Steerage Song, and the New York Drama Desk Award-winning All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, which he also created.
“Theatre by its very nature is collaborative,” said Rothstein in a statement. “No one does it alone, and I am incredibly proud of what we have created together. Minnesota is a remarkable place to be an artist; I will be forever grateful to the artists, audiences, and generous donors who have made Theater Latté Da a reality.”
In addition to his work with TLD, Rothstein has directed for Asolo Rep (Sweeney Todd and Ragtime), Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theatre Company, The 5th Avenue Theatre, Minnesota Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and an upcoming world premiere for Chicago Opera Theater. Before assuming his new role, Rothstein will return to Asolo Rep to direct Man of La Mancha this spring. Rothstein’s final production as artistic director of Latté Da will be Next to Normal in June. A search committee composed of board members, TLD staff, and community stakeholders is in formation, and a national search to find his successor will be announced shortly.
“We were overwhelmed by the number of well-qualified candidates that applied for the position,” said Asolo Rep board president Randell Johnson in a statement. “The nine-month process and the search committee’s hard work paid off. The final four candidates visited Asolo Rep, met with board members, and spent quality time with the staff. The overwhelming consensus was that Peter Rothstein is the perfect person to be Asolo Rep’s next producing artistic director.”
Theater Latté Da is the only nonprofit professional theatre in the Twin Cities that exclusively produces musical theatre. TLD aims to create new and impactful connections between story, music, artist, and audience, exploring and expanding the art of musical theatre. As of 2020, Theater Latté Da had an approximate budget of $2.6 million.
Asolo Repertory Theatre is a professional theatre company in Sarasota, Fla. Asolo seeks to be a center for theatrical excellence, staging up to 15 productions every season, spanning a diverse repertoire of newly commissioned plays, bold reinterpretations of contemporary and classical works, and provocative new musical theatre experiences. As of 2020, Asolo Rep had an approximate budget of $10.3 million.
