The Philadelphia Theatre Company recently announced that husband-and-wife team Taibi Magar and Tyler Dobrowsky will serve as the company’s new co-artistic directors.
Taking over for Paige Price, who stepped down after a five-year tenure to focus on commercial theater production, the two are expected to start their official duties in September after receiving national acclaim for their work throughout the world of theater prior to joining PTC.
“I am very excited about Taibi and Tyler joining PTC as co-artistic directors,” said Gary Deutsch, the chairman of the PTC board, in a press release. “Taibi and Tyler are rising stars in the theatrical world, and their artistic leadership will energize PTC and the Philadelphia performing arts community. PTC is embracing a new leadership model that will take advantage of Taibi and Tyler’s complementary strengths. They share PTC’s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility and they will advance our goals of expanding PTC’s constituency and bringing entertaining and thought-provoking programs to the Suzanne Roberts Theatre.”
Magar, an Egyptian-American director originally based in New York, has produced work that’s been seen both across the U.S. and internationally. She received an Obie Award for Directing in 2018 for her work on Aleshea Harris’ Is God Is and followed that up by winning the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union’s Breakout Award in 2019. Her highly acclaimed revival of Anna Deveare Smith’s Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 will be premiering at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts this fall.
In addition, Magar has past connections to Philly, helping direct Lightning Rod Special’s Underground Railroad Game and having served as a senior lecturer at University of the Arts.
“It’s especially gratifying when a new play you’ve shepherded and produced goes on to have a rich, full life either in New York or across the country,” Magar said. “We can’t wait to work with the truly fantastic artists in Philadelphia and bring our network of collaborators to PTC in order to develop the best new plays in the country right here in Philly.”
Moreover, Dobrowsky previously served as the associate artistic director and director of new play development at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island. He has produced regional theater for the better part of the last two decades and has helped develop both programs for young people and world premiere plays and musicals.
Dobrowsky and Magar said that they’re aiming to place a strong emphasis on community engagement and education in their roles. They expressed a strong eagerness to make their mark on the Philly performing arts scene.
“We believe a theater isn’t just a place to see great plays, but that it should also be an integral part of the social, cultural and civic fabric of the city,” Dobrowsky said. “We want PTC to be a public square, a place for communal gathering, reflection and learning – a community center dedicated to art and culture that reflects this beautiful, diverse city. We want to emphasize the ‘Philadelphia’ in Philadelphia Theatre Company.”
