THE JUNGLE THEATER ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP TRANSITION
We write today with bittersweet news: Our talented Artistic Director, Sarah Rasmussen, has been offered the position of Artistic Director of the McCarter Theatre Center, in Princeton, New Jersey, one of the largest and most respected regional theaters in the country. This is an amazing opportunity, and we are so proud of her. We are deeply grateful for what she has done in the past five years at the Jungle by bringing inclusive and bold stories, diverse talent, and gender parity to our stage.
We are happy to share that our very own Christina Baldwin will be stepping in as interim Artistic Director. Thanks to a BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle grant, Christina has been mentored by Sarah for the past two years and has become an integral part of the Jungle’s artistic endeavors. Christina's talents as an actor, singer, and director have helped make the Jungle Theater what it is today, and we could not be happier to have her as the Jungle's interim Artistic Director.
The board recently appointed Robin Gillette permanent Managing Director after several months in the interim role. The Jungle is happy to have her steady administrative and financial leadership during this time of Covid-19 and with this leadership transition.
As a local theater with national impact, we couldn’t be more thankful for all Sarah has done for our theater. She has helped put the Jungle on the nation's radar. We are excited to see where her artistic career takes her in this new adventure — and we know she will be back. As she has said, “Minneapolis is the community that inspired my love of theater as a kid. It will always be my theatrical hometown and I look forward to staying connected and championing the work of so many artists I love here."
Official press release available here.
GET TO KNOW A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THESE
THREE INSPIRING WOMEN
Q: The three of you have known and worked beside one another on and off for the past five years. What has been your favorite memory in that time?
Sarah: There are too many to count! But I think my favorite memories all involve a group of artists coming together to make something bigger than the sum of the parts. I'll never forget the experience of working with casts like The Wolves and seeing them truly form a team that supported each other on and offstage. I love that theater creates new families and lifelong friendships. I love this Minneapolis family of artists and hope to stay an honorary member of this "home team" of artists.
Robin: In December 2018, Sarah and I wanted to bring the Jungle family together to celebrate the holidays. Christina volunteered to share a giant bottle of wine she'd been given by the cast of The Wickhams. However, we discovered that regular-sized corkscrews don’t work on giant bottles, so I ended up opening it with a Makita drill and a knife.
Christina: That’s when I realized that Robin is not only smart and resourceful, but not to be messed with!
Q: Sarah, what are you most excited to bring from the Jungle/our Minneapolis arts community to your new adventure in New Jersey at the McCarter Theatre?
Sarah: I really love the values we live by at the Jungle — stories, people and audience matter — and we take great pride and care in the details of our artistry. And we also have a ton of fun making art and remembering that there is great reward in taking smart risks. Those values, and all I've learned from the wonderful Jungle artists, staff and audiences, will continue to guide my next chapter. I'm forever grateful for my first artistic director job here at the Jungle and all I've learned. Robin and Christina have not only been important colleagues, they've been teachers to me as well.
Q: The Jungle has always been a community that fosters talent, especially women artists with the grant from BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle. Can you tell us more about this incredible organization and how the Jungle has been working closely with them over the past few years?
Christina: The BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle is an initiative to support and promote women’s theater leadership. Sarah and the Jungle received this amazing grant to foster opportunity for emerging female leaders in theater. Sarah created an amazing opportunity for me to learn the ropes of artistic management in theater, including me in the daily leadership discussions and decisions over the past two years. I also gained entrance into a cohort of creative leaders, mentors and peers from all over the country. We discuss the challenges and opportunities for our theaters in monthly discussions and also meet in person to share knowledge. This has been a transformative experience for me, and has been the perfect preparation to step in as Interim Artistic Director at the Jungle.
Q: How would you describe Robin to someone who doesn’t know her?
Sarah: I always say Robin would make a great special agent. She's just really great at figuring things out, and that's always made me feel empowered to focus on the art. I know she's got the management well in hand!
Christina: I have yet to find something that Robin doesn’t do well. She is a dauntless problem-solver, works harder than anyone I know, and is a wickedly good chef. Also, when I was playing Nora in A Doll’s House Part 2, she was my (un)official understudy—actually, I was her understudy. She was generous is letting me have the opportunity to do the part night after night. ;-)
Q: What will you miss most about not having Sarah around the building?
Robin: Sarah brings such a clear artistic vision to the table, and her ability to spot up-and-coming talent in actors, designers and directors is impeccable and has made such an impact on the Jungle in the past five years. We'll miss that, but she's definitely leaving her mark on the Jungle and the rest of the Twin Cities theater world through the talent she's lifted up.
Christina: Sarah is a dear friend, and I will miss the camaraderie, perspective, and her keen wit around the office. Sarah really operates in abundance and opportunity—when paired with her immense creativity and artistic taste, it is a powerful thing. The mentorship that I have received from Sarah is priceless. With the support of the BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle, Sarah deliberately created space for me. She is a true mentor, including me in every aspect of learning and leadership at the Jungle. McCarter Theatre is lucky to have her, and I look forward to our continued conversations and what we will continue to learn. We will just have to plan ahead to coordinate our coffee break conversations!
Q: From her portrayal of one of history’s most iconic leading ladies to her performance as a mother whose son may be the reincarnation of a Buddhist Lama to her direction of a charming Austen holiday classics and the delightfully demented dark comedy Hand to God, what is your favorite Baldwin show or role?
Sarah: Christina is a wonderful artist and leader, because she always leads with her humanity. We all love her warmth, sense of humor and the deep wisdom she brings from a multi-faced arts career!
Christina: Such great shows! It’s hard to choose just one favorite. I always have loved being directed by Sarah Rasmussen—she is insightful, thoughtful and creates so much space for people to do their best work. Her production of The Oldest Boy was a wonderful experience, with so much beauty and intention. Of course, I have a special fondness for the Austen-inspired holiday shows—Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon created great worlds to inhabit, the cast and crew made every day a hilarious adventure, and Miss Bennet was my first show that I directed at the Jungle. I do have to say that Hand to God was a particular joy. It’s not every show that you get to have conversations with an accomplished set designer like Chelsea M. Warren about the perfect “wrong” place to put a stupid pole on the set, or the perfect “wrong” and inane graffiti to scrawl on the walls. So many good memories. That’s why I look forward to returning to telling our stories together at the Jungle!