Federal Way’s Centerstage Theatre hires new managing director

Published 9:30 am Friday, July 29, 2016

Angela Bayler’s job as Centerstage Theatre’s new managing director consists of numbers, business and operations.

But don’t categorize her just yet.

Her favorite play is “Dancing at Lughnasa” by Brian Friel, and she holds a Master of Arts in theater. That degree is in addition to her bachelor’s degree in arts administration and her master’s degree in arts leadership.

“I have an extremely varied background because I have educational theater experience, I have community theater programming and experience, and I have professional theater experience, which, given the setup of Centerstage, works well because we have a relationship with the city because the city owns the property,” Bayler said, referring to the city-owned Knutzen Family Theatre where Centerstage is located.

A professor once told Bayler, “Without art, we’re just monkeys with car keys,” she laughed.

Centerstage, a nonprofit, created Bayler’s position on July 1. Before then, Alan Bryce was the organization’s managing artistic director; with Bayler’s hiring, Bryce will transition to a part-time role as Centerstage’s artistic director.

“Centerstage is starting to grow, and Alan really wanted to focus on the artistic side, and so this is something they’ve actually been working towards for several years and it’s just now coming,” Bayler said. “They’re at a point where they’re willing to take the leap.”

Bayler is referring to Centerstage’s Board of Directors, who Bayler, as well as Bryce, will answer to.

While Bryce maintains the artistic side of operations, Bayler’s first goal is to understand the nonprofit’s budget. Next up? Building relationships with community leaders.

“A long-term goal is figuring out how Centerstage can help the community of Federal Way and the surrounding areas,” Bayler said. “I am a firm believer in the power of theater, not just to entertain but to improve lives.”

One of those relationships is with Performing Arts and Events Center Executive Director Theresa Yvonne.

When asked about her perspective on the controversial arts center, Bayler responded, “In order for everyone to succeed, we need to work together.”

“Division doesn’t help growth, but unity does,” she said. “You can look at just what’s going on in our world. When we unify, when the opposing sides come together, we can only achieve great things. But if we’re fighting against each other, we’re not going to gain.”

In May 2015, the city of Federal Way and Centerstage discovered how important it was to work together when there was friction over the terms of Centerstage’s contract with the city. Although that issue has since been resolved, Bayler said keeping open communication with city officials in the future is key.

“The problem with the nonprofit model is that people think – they hear ‘nonprofit, here’s “not for profit,” therefore we can’t make a profit’ – and that’s not correct,” Bayler said. “It just means that, if the organization does really well, I can’t issue stock.”

Aside from figuring out the budget and maintaining open communication with leaders during negotiations, Bayler will also be tasked with making sure the theater operates within the law, as well as getting to the bottom of why the theater hasn’t reached full capacity for its shows.

“From an artistic standpoint, why are we stuck at 50 percent?” she said, noting that wasn’t a hard number. “Is it because we don’t have the staff to execute what we need to? Things like that, figuring out why.”

Before Bayler moved to South Seattle in 2013 to earn her Master of Fine Arts in arts leadership from Seattle University, she was a professional stage manager with experience in the Actors’ Equity Association union. She’s taught college, worked as a supervisor in recreation and cultural arts at a park district in Illinois, and she’s directed a children’s theater, which was “children’s theater for children, by children.”

“I do miss the artistic side a bit,” she said, “but I also know my strengths lie on the business side.”

For more information on Centerstage Theatre, visit www.centerstagetheatre.com.