William Jones to Join Casa Mañana as President
and Executive Producer in November

Mr. Jones was formerly the Executive Director and Producer of
North Carolina Theatre, in Raleigh.

    (FORT WORTH, TX) – Teresa Hubbard, Chair of Casa Mañana's Board of Directors, announced today that William (Wally) Jones has been selected as Casa Mañana’s new President and Executive Producer effective November 3, 2008. His appointment comes following an exhaustive national search and unanimous approval by Casa Mañana’s Executive Committee.

    He joins Casa Mañana as the organization celebrates its 50th year as a theatrical force in North Texas. Mr. Jones was the search committee’s first choice for the top position.

    “Mr. Jones’s leadership abilities, artistic insight, energy, and innovation will guide and inspire Casa Mañana,” said Rob Hood, Casa Mañana’s Interim President and Executive Producer, and member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. “We’re thrilled he’s on board.”

    Teresa Hubbard confirmed the sentiments.

    “Mr. Jones has served with North Carolina Theatre for over 20 years, investing his talents over the last six years as the NCT’s Executive Director and Producer. He consistently demonstrates progressive leadership by balancing the important aspects of creative artistry and impressive business insight.”

    Wally Jones was equally enthusiastic about this new role.

    “Casa Mañana is a strong organization with a great reputation,” he said. “I am excited to continue its growth and success and to expand its horizons.”

    As Executive Director and Producer, Mr. Jones brought Raleigh the critically acclaimed production of The Sound Of Music starring the actual Von Trapp great grandchildren and The King & I starring Lou Diamond Phillips (reprising his Tony-nominated role). He is also credited with renewing the theatre’s youth education, performance, and outreach programs. Wally sustained and enhanced the Capital Awards, NCT’s unique version of the Tony Awards, in order to celebrate the work of aspiring young performers in the community, elevate the importance of performing arts education in community high schools, and perpetuate the community’s support and passion for the performing arts. He conceptualized and coordinated Kids on Broadway & the North Carolina Theatre Conservatory, which trains young people in the performing arts, and also formed William Jones Productions to produce theatre for young audiences through tours.

    “Wally Jones will bring even more fresh ideas, innovative thinking, and leadership to Casa Mañana,” Mrs. Hubbard said.

    “I’ve known Wally Jones for several years and he is imminently qualified to be the next President and Executive Producer of Casa Mañana,” said Denton Yockey, Casa Mañana’s former President and Executive Producer. “Wally has the passion, the experience, and the knowledge about all aspects of the theatre industry and arts education. I think Wally is a terrific choice to lead Casa because he has both the artistic skills and the business acumen necessary to do the job and to do it very well.”

    “Casa Mañana is very fortunate to have found such an outstanding talent as Wally Jones to be its next President and Executive Producer,” said Michael Jenkins, President and Managing Director of Dallas Summer Musicals. “He has an outstanding national reputation and brings an inventive style and fresh approach that will surely benefit the local and regional arts community.”

    Mr. Jones and his wife Allison will be living in Fort Worth and are eager to take advantage of the wonderful and varied offerings that the city provides. Allison grew up on a ranch in Virginia and will continue her horseback riding here in Fort Worth. An executive with ConAgra, she plans to continue her career after their relocation.

    About Casa Mañana

    Now celebrating its 50th Anniversary Season, Casa Mañana is a Fort Worth-based live theatre company that offers a diverse range of services to the benefit of the communities in North Texas.

    Casa Mañana produces and presents up to 20 live theatre productions each year at two performance venues – Casa Mañana Theatre and the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall. By combining the talent of award-winning directors, choreographers and musicians with outstanding professional actors from across the United States to Broadway and Hollywood, Casa Mañana’s self-produced musicals, plays and world-premieres are among the best in the nation. Casa Mañana is also proud to be Fort Worth’s premiere presenter of Broadway’s hottest national touring shows, making Casa Mañana the largest performing arts organization in Tarrant County.

    Casa Mañana also produces a series of Children’s Playhouse performances that strive to bring the magic of live professional theatre to the youth of North Texas. During the 2007 – 2008 Season, over 124,000 patrons, including students from area independent school districts and various special interest groups, attended a Children’s Playhouse production. Tickets for this popular series are kept affordable through generous donations to Casa Mañana’s Annual Campaign. The Playhouse Season features live theatre productions that offer a rich assortment of life lessons and educational values to theatre lovers of all ages.

    Casa Mañana also makes a committed effort to reach out to adults and children across North Texas through its nationally-recognized arts education and outreach programs. Each year, over 900 students enroll in Casa Mañana’s Theatre School program, which is one of the largest acting schools for children and adults in the United States. The Casa Kids is a company of young performers chosen from the Theatre School to perform at after-school programs, nursing homes, and other community-wide organizations. The Casa Playaz is a performance troupe of professional actors who not only entertain students, but also address the essential arts requirements of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum requirements that help prepare students for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). The Betty Lynn Buckley Awards, named in honor of Fort Worth’s own Tony Award winning actress Betty Lynn Buckley, honors excellence in musical theatre among participating Tarrant County high schools. In the summer, Camp Casa offers an exciting educational experience that blends arts education with the magic of performing on stage at Casa Mañana Theatre. And throughout the school year, Casa Mañana partners with the Fort Worth ISD on the Adopt-A-School Program to provide students from the Applied Learning Academy with hands-on theatre training through scholarships and scenic, technical and production assistantships.

    As a performing arts organization, Casa Mañana strives to create, nurture and advance live professional theatre unparalleled in artistic excellence for the enrichment and education of our diverse community and its future generations of artists and patrons.

Contacts:
Gene Almy817-321-5023, Gene.Almy@casamanana.org
Paige Hendricks or Susan Flyzik
817-924-2300, pkhendricks@phprinc.com, sflyzik@phprinc.com