The last few years have been a time of major changes for Cleveland’s Near West Theatre, founded in 1978.
In early 2015 it moved into its brand new multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art home in Gordon Square, after many years staging its productions in an unair-conditioned top floor of Ohio City’s St. Patrick’s Church. Having its own home allowed it to expand its core mission of producing top-notch theater with casts that were diverse in age, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender/sexual identity and more, including a mix of novices and seasoned performers.
Then early last year, NWT founder, executive director and indefatigable community advocate Stephanie Morrison-Hrbek announced her retirement the following October. Mike Obertacz succeeded her as managing director at the same time.
Now another longtime linchpin of Near West has announced his departure: artistic director Bob Navis Jr., who will be retiring in February 2019. Navis was organist and choir director at St. Francis Church and started a community theater there. He came to Near West Theatre in 1980, just two years after its founding and became its first artistic director in 1993. Navis was in charge of all of the organization’s arts programming and program development.
“It has been a wild ride of unfathomable beauty, with countless moments of healing, joy, co-creation and activism, and an honor to pour myself into this place for decades and receive a hundred-fold in return,” said Navis in a press release. “Near West Theatre is a sacred, loving space where life in all its chaos and uncertainty comes together and transcends boundaries, limits and division. Together we learn to grow and soar! I am eternally grateful for the gift of NWT.”
“I am in awe of Bob’s passion, artistic vision, and all he’s given to Near West Theatre and our community,” said Obertacz in the press release. “I am grateful to work by his side and have learned so much from him and the mission-centric process he has made an immutable part of the culture that is essential to everything we do here.”
Near West Theatre will begin its search for Navis’ successor in a few weeks, with Navis assisting. He’ll continue to be involved as a consultant and guest artist.
Cleveland, OH 44102