HOUSTON (April 2, 2018) The Ensemble Theatre kicks off its search for the artistic associate who will work with Artistic Director Eileen J. Morris through the BOLD Theatre Women’s Leadership grant.

Morris is among five female artistic leaders selected as the first in the Nation awarded part of a $1.25 million gift of The Pussycat Foundation and Northern Stage in support of women artistic directors in professional theaters across the United States.

“We are looking forward to selecting the artistic associate who will develop their artistic leadership skills through a variety guided projects at The Ensemble Theatre,” says Morris. “This is an opportunity for us make an impact on the life of a future artistic leader who we are confident we’ll continue to hear great things about long after their tenure with us.”

Morris is scheduling interviews now and hopes to identify and announce the theatre selected candidate before the end of April.

Interested applicants must submit a resume and artistic vision statement to:

Teresa White, twhite@ensemblehouston.com

For Additional information including the job description visit: http://www.ensemblehouston.com/about/employment.html

The BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle grant, funded by the Pussycat Foundation and led by Carol Dunne, Producing Artistic Director of Northern Stage, will provide $1.25 million in support for Northern Stage and four other theaters run by female artistic directors during the 2018-2019 season. Each theater will receive a $250,000 grant. The BOLD Circle’s mission is to create a network of women artistic directors in professional theaters across the United States and empower them to address the issues preventing women from advancing in theater leadership. The BOLD Circle will offer major support of artistic initiatives focused on women artists and will create a formal mentorship program to train and prepare future women artistic directors to lead, to create, to innovate, and to deepen the impact of theater on American culture.

The first cohort of the BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle includes Susan Booth (The Alliance Theater, Atlanta, GA), Eileen J. Morris (The Ensemble Theatre, Houston, TX), Lisa McNulty (WP Theater, New York, NY), Sarah Rasmussen (Jungle Theater, Minneapolis, MN) along with BOLD founder Carol Dunne (Northern Stage, White River Junction, Vermont).

Along with the $250,000 grant, the BOLD Circle will provide leadership resources for women artistic directors as well as networking opportunities in semiannual meetings. It also provides for a woman Associate Director position designed to train the artistic directors of the future.

The Pussycat Foundation is a Private Operating Foundation in New York, New York, and is the philanthropic legacy of the late Helen Gurley Brown, founding editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine. During her lifetime, Brown began giving her money to organizations focused on transforming the lives of underprivileged children. As a trailblazer and devoted feminist, she believed that every girl and woman should feel empowered to pursue an education and cultivate a fulfilling career. Since its advent, the Pussycat Foundation’s charitable contributions have funded literacy and educational programs in various museums and universities. It is one of the largest organizations of its kind in the United States.

The Ensemble Theatre (www.ensemblehouston.com) is the oldest and largest professional African-American theatre in the Southwest, founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins with the mission to preserve African-American artistic expression, and enlighten, entertain and enrich a diverse community. Artistic Director Eileen J. Morris has helped guide the artistic vision of The Ensemble Theatre for 28 years, and has been integral to the fulfillment of its mission. The Ensemble Theatre has enjoyed national recognition and has become well-known as Houston’s premiere African American performing arts institution and the anchoring arts organization of the city’s Midtown Management District. The Ensemble is an AUDELCO award winner, and one of the only professional theatres in the region dedicated to producing works portraying the African American experience, and holds the distinction of being one of the nation’s largest African American theatres, owning and operating its facility and producing in-house. The Ensemble Theatre continues to fulfill the mission and vision of its founder by creating innovative Education and Training programs, serving diverse communities, and bringing high quality African-American theatre to over 65,000 audience members each year.