Mark Fleischer. Mark is a Theater Director, Educator and Producer who is currently based in Chicago where his most recent projects were Water Street by Alex Lewin at the Bailiwick Repertory Theater and We Came Here Because it’s Beautiful by Stephen Cone at Collaboraction.  While in Chicago Mark completed his graduate degree in directing at The Theatre School at DePaul University where his thesis project was References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot by José Rivera. While at DePaul, Mark received the Joe Slowik Scholarship and the Michael Maggio/Joseph Jefferson Directing Fellowship for artistic and academic achievement.

 

Prior to attending graduate school, Mark served as the Artistic Director of Plano Repertory Theatre in suburban Dallas. During his tenure, the company moved from all volunteers to a professional theatre operating under an AEA SPT contract. In addition the company started premiering and commissioning new work, initiated education and apprenticeship programs, and working with the City of Plano built a new home as a part of the city’s downtown redevelopment plan. Under Mark’s leadership, PRT emerged as one of the leading theatre companies in the Dallas area increasing its subscription base from 538 to more than 3,000 subscribers and its budget from $150,000 to $750,000.  PRT swept the 2000 and 2001 Dallas Theatre League Leon Rabin Awards including seven awards for Mark’s production of Sunday in the Park with George.

 

Many of these advances occurred not only through Mark’s commitment to artistic quality, but as a result of his commitment to the theatre playing an active role in the community. This was manifested through civic involvement, community oriented programming, and developing programs in concert with other area organizations (arts, civic and private businesses). 

 

Mark is drawn to scripts with heightened language and great stories.  Favorite projects before graduate school include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Tempest, All My Sons, Not About Nightingales, Talley’s Folly, and The Diary of Anne Frank, and the musicals My Favorite Year, A Chorus Line, Passion, and Sunday in the Park with George as well as the regional premieres of The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me, Raised in Captivity and Bash.

 

In addition, Mark has a strong interest in new play development.  He has directed readings, workshops and world premieres of both plays and musicals. During graduate school, he interned in the literary departments of both the Goodman Theatre and The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center. Mark also worked as an Assistant Director at the Goodman Theatre/Teatro Vista and the Victory Gardens Theatre.

 

When not directing, Mark can be found pursuing his love of food, travel, and political talk shows.