Courtesy Santa Fe Playhouse
Mere weeks after announcing plans to revamp its annual Fiesta Melodrama, the Santa Fe Playhouse today announced the resignations of Antonio Miniño and David Stallings—two-thirds of the nonprofit’s much-ballyhooed if fledgling triumvirate of artistic directors, which also includes Producing Artistic Director Anna M Hogan.
“Santa Fe Playhouse is sorry to confirm that David Stallings [and] Antonio Miñino have resigned from their positions as artistic directors,” the prepared statement from Executive Director Colin Hovde reads in part. “We have greatly valued the creative work they brought to The Playhouse and wish them all the best as they pursue their craft elsewhere.”
Hovde will reportedly stay on alongside Hogan and Technical Director Zac Goin, as well as the theater’s accountant Shelly Felt. They, along with “the full Board of Trustees all remain fully committed to—and excited about—the remainder of the 2024 season, as planned,” the statement continues. “This includes securing extra temporary support and filling open positions as they become defined.” No other staffing changes were announced.
Together, Stallings, Miniño and Hogan have shared joint responsibilities for the artistic vision and future of the Playhouse. Though not entirely common for a theater to count three artistic directors, Miniño tells SFR that he is “so happy to see many other companies around the nation and across the pond adopt this model.” The Playhouse announced the change late last year following the departure of former artistic director Robyn Rikoon. The triumvirate model became official in the beginning of 2024.
Theater officials have not provided an explanation for Miniño and Stallings’ resignations, and Miniño tells SFR they cannot comment other than to say that “the triumvirate was the jewel of the last seven months by allowing me to collaborate alongside Anna and David.”
SFR spoke with Hogan about her position in May.
“In a big way, it’s exactly the type of model a community needs,” she said at the time: “collaboration and letting other people lead the way if it’s more in their purview.”
Meanwhile, the theater’s annual and highly attended Fiesta Melodrama lampooning all things Santa Fe will phase from a full-play format to four shorts inspired by the theme of fire to commemorate the forthcoming 100th Burning of Zozobra. Writers Dillon Christopher Chitto, Maggie Fine, Tatiana Isabel Gil and Leonard Madrid will pen the shows with director Stephanie Grio helming all four. Writer Kevin Fairchild will also create interstitial content—though there is no word on what, precisely, that means. Dubbed A Gloves off Melodrama, performances begin Aug. 29, with tickets running $15-$60.
Hogan most recently directed the theater’s production of the Lapine/Sondheim musical Sunday in the Park with George, in which Stallings starred. Miniño, meanwhile, directs SFR to a post from his Facebook page in which he quotes performance artist and writer Luis Alfaro who, when he left the Los Angeles-based Center Theater, wrote: “I don’t always know where I am going next, as is the case here, but I do know when to move on.”
