Accessibility and Representation in the Arts
with Special Guests
Marcie Braumuci (Executive Artistic Director, Hedgrow Theatre- Media, PA)
Phillip Crosby (Executive Director, Richmond Triangle Players- Richmond, VA)
Ben Raanan (Artistic Director, Phamaly Theatre Company- Denver, CO)
James Ricks (Producing Artistic Director, Richmond Shakespeare- Richmond, VA)
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Marcie Bramucci (Executive Artistic Director)
Marcie Bramucci is an artist, arts producer, champion for inclusion, and mother of three. She listens deeply and collaboratively dreams up ways in which to meet our moment, while seeking to expand theater’s connectivity and reach. Marcie fosters radical inclusion and serious play; and values active sharing, curiosity, and care.
Currently
Marcie is Executive Artistic Director of Hedgerow Theatre in Rose Valley, PA, a 99-year old resident professional theatre with a robust slate of year-round offerings. The Theatre is housed within an 1840s gristmill on a bucolic campus, with an historic Farmhouse for artist housing and offices just up the road.
For Hedgerow, she recently co-directed Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman which was celebrated as "deftly directed" by the Barrymore Committee of Theatre Philadelphia and garnered an overwhelming press and patron response.
She recently received the Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability (LEAD) Community Asset Award from the Kennedy Center's Office of Accessibility & VSA for her work in arts inclusion and the Main Line Times "Power Women" honor (2022) for her leadership at Hedgerow.
Marcie is a US representative of the International Network of Relaxed Performances and regionally launched a cohort of theatres who collaborate toward increased arts access and inclusion throughout Pennsylvania. Marcie also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Villanova University, where she teaches Theatre Administration.​
Education
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​MA Arts Administration from Columbia University
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MA Theatre Arts from Villanova University, where she served as an Acting Fellow
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BA Theatre Arts from Point Park University
Background
Previously, she was the Director of Community Investment for People's Light in Malvern, PA. In this role, she supported new play development and fostered community exchange. On behalf of People's Light, Marcie is the proud recipient of Art-Reach's 2015 Cultural Access Award for the theatre's relaxed performance initiative and inclusive practices.
Marcie served as the Managing Director of Penobscot Theatre Company, where she supported the Northern Writes New Play Festival, implemented humanities-based programs, and directed mainstage productions including Last Gas by John Cariani and a puppet-based adaptation of The Velveteen Rabbit.
She also worked with Philadelphia Young Playwrights, Creative Capital, the National Theatre (American Associates of the NT), Pennsylvania Humanities Council, WHYY, Upper Darby Summer Stage, Saturday Night Live, Mosaic Media Group, Mike Lemon and Diane Heery Casting.
Previous roles include Associate Producer, New Projects Manager, Creative Consultant, Dramaturg, Children's Theatre Director, Administrative Associate, Production Assistant, and Talent Manager's Assistant.
Marcie's work has been shared at regional and national convenings, including Theatre Communications Group's annual conference, Milwaukee Rep's Intersections Summit, and Kennedy Center's LEAD Conference, among others.
Philip Crosby he/him (Executive Director)
Philip Crosby he/him (Executive Director) Philip is in his second decade leading Richmond Triangle Players. He has over thirty-five years of experience leading nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, including as a professional marketer, publicist, fundraiser and strategist for Cleveland’s Great Lakes Theater Festival, Boston Shakespeare Festival, TheatreVirginia, and Richmond Ballet. During his career, he has had the great good fortune to work with some of the most celebrated names in theatre and film including Tom Hanks, Olympia Dukakis, Hal Holbrook, Alfred Drake, George Abbott, Ruby Dee, Graciela Daniele, and Gerald Freedman. He joined the Board of RTP in 2001 and became the company’s first full-time Managing Director in 2009. In concert with RTP’s Board, artists, staff, patrons and volunteers, he has helped transform this company from a small fringe theater into one of Richmond’s most vital arts institutions and the cultural anchor of the revitalized Scott’s Addition neighborhood. He holds a BS in Speech from Northwestern University. He was appointed by former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe to serve on the Commonwealth’s first LGBTQ Tourism Task Force, has served on several advisory panels for the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and has been a member of Richmond Region Tourism’s OutRVA Campaign since its inception. He is the current president of the RVA Theatre Alliance and serves on the board of the Scott’s Addition Business Association.
Ben Raanan he/him (Artistic Director)
Ben (he/him) is the Artistic Director at Phamaly Theatre Company. Ben is a disabled director whose work focuses on creating artistically rigorous theatre with, for, and about the disabled community. His favorite directing credits include: Mockingbird (Falcon Theatre), Antigone: born against, The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love Suicide, Crumble: Lay Me Down Justin Timberlake, Love & Information (Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati), Falling (DePaul). In addition, Ben has worked as the Education director & inclusion specialist at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati & has previously served as the artistic director at Spectrum Shakespeare. Ben also proudly serves as the board president of Ideas Stages in Denver.