GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – Grand Rapids Civic Theatre announced today that Artistic Director Allyson Paris will depart the organization later this summer to join the Arts and Humanities Department at Muskegon Community College (MCC) as full time theater faculty. She will teach various theater courses, including Acting and Theater Appreciation and lead workshops that are open to students and the community. Paris will also be directing, designing, and music directing for play and musical productions.
Hired as Civic’s Associate Director in 2015 after a nationwide search, Paris transitioned to a new role as the first sole Artistic Director in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s history in the summer of 2021. As Artistic Director, it was Paris who oversaw the programming and educational initiatives of the theatre, including all of the theatre’s mainstage productions, as well as the entirety of the School of Theatre Arts until a Director of Education and Outreach was promoted from Education and Outreach Manager in 2021 amidst overwhelming School of Theatre Arts growth.
Les Rorick, Theater Faculty and incoming Director of Center for Theater, said he is delighted to welcome Paris to the MCC team. “Allyson’s commitment to collaborative and community-focused theater education makes her a perfect fit for the MCC Theater Program, which has been improving the lives of students and the West Michigan community through inspiring theater for over five decades,” added Rorick.
Muskegon Community College offers 54 associate degree programs and 32 certificate programs in Muskegon, Newaygo, and Ottawa counties. MCC is a vibrant part of Muskegon’s arts and entertainment community, offers the most intercollegiate sports of any other community college in Michigan, and also delivers high-tech, hands-on training in the heart of trendy downtown Muskegon.
Paris has directed sixteen mainstage productions as a full-time staff member at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre with highlights such as Once, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Akeelah and The Bee, Matilda: The Musical, Frozen, Jr., and Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins. In addition, it was Paris who during the 2020 global pandemic led Driveway Cabaret, a performance and fundraising effort where teams of Civic performers drove to patrons’ homes and put on 45-minute cabaret shows in driveways and yards throughout West Michigan. The innovative program was widely replicated across the country and caught the attention of The New York Times.
Over the course of her eight-year tenure, in addition to the artistic contributions of Paris, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts also grew exponentially under her leadership. Highlights include:
- The launch of the new School of Theatre Arts curriculum and program structure in 2016-17, which includes Performance Block, an opportunity for young theatre lovers to experience the process of bringing to life a full-scale production on the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre stage.
- The development of Civic’s Young Artist Studio in 2022: a ten-month intensive training program providing experienced mentorship, advanced training, and growth opportunities for young artists in grades 7-12 who are considering a career in theatre performance or production.
- The creation and execution of the Ten for All Playwriting Festival during the pandemic in 2021, allowing for new work by West Michigan playwrights to be read and performed on the Civic stage; the fourth annual event will take place in 2024.
- The implementation of an equitable process for local artists to apply for season hiring within production teams while also providing additional training and support in those areas; more than a dozen new contractors were hired as directors, choreographers, music directors, and stage managers since 2022.
- Collaborating with Steelcase in both the Social Innovation University Program and developing a partnership that will support the launch of Civic’s City Wide Drama Club in the Fall of 2023.
Prior to joining the Civic team, Paris received her Master’s in Fine Arts in Directing Asian Theatre from the University of Hawaii and spent five years as Education Coordinator at Hawaii Opera Theatre. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois and is a native of Greenville, Michigan.
Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, Holly Sullivan, shares: “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Allyson for her outstanding contributions to GRCT over the last eight years and the lasting legacy she leaves behind. Her visionary leadership not only set the stage for continued growth and innovation, but also fostered a culture of collaboration and inclusiveness, and inspired many to reach their full potential.”
Paris will remain in her role of Artistic Director at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre through much of the summer and will serve as the director of The SpongeBob Musical which will open Civic’s 2023-24 Season on September 15. While she will remain a resident of Grand Rapids, Paris will begin her commute to Muskegon Community College in August.
“I am grateful to the Civic Theatre family for the many years of collaboration and theatre magic,” shares Paris, “I started as a Civic volunteer and teacher almost a decade ago, and hope to continue serving as the organization’s biggest cheerleader and supporter from the sidelines. As I transition to a faculty role at Muskegon Community College, I can’t wait to start working with incredible students, teachers, administrators, and artists! Their focus on student centered, innovative, and joy-filled programming is a gift to the West Michigan community, and I’m honored to be joining the team.”
Adds Civic Board Chairperson Holly Sullivan, “I am excited for Allyson as she embarks on her new venture, confident that her unique talents will continue to sharpen and inspire the arts community for many years to come.”
A nationwide search for the next Artistic Director of Grand Rapids Civic Theatre will commence in the near future with details to be announced at grct.org.