People
Leadership
Artistic Director
This modal contains biographic information about Clare Drobot
Clare Drobot
Artistic Director
CLARE DROBOT
Artistic Director
She/Her
Cdrobot@citytheatrecompany.org
Clare has been a member of City Theatre's Artistic Leadership since the fall of 2021. She joined the staff at the theater in 2015 serving as the Director of New Play Development and later as Associate Artistic Director, and then Co-Artistic Director. A dramaturg, playwright, and producer Clare has worked in various capacities at Premiere Stages at Kean University, Laura Stanczyk Casting, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The McCarter Theatre, The BE Company, Play Penn, and New Dramatists. Her credits as a playwright include work showcased in Ars Nova’s ANT FEST and through the New Hazlett Theatre’s CSA Series among others. She has dramaturged and developed work with Stephen Belber, Liza Birkenmeier and Jill Sobule, Chisa Hutchinson, Matt Schatz, Anna Ziegler and many more writers and directors. She serves on the boards of the National New Play Network and Brew House Arts and is a member of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s Generations Speakers program. She was a member of the inaugural Global Fellows Cohort through the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and is a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh (LP XXXVIII). BA/BFA Carnegie Mellon University, member of LMDA.
Managing Director
This modal contains biographic information about James McNeel
James McNeel
Managing Director
JAMES McNEEL
Managing Director
He/Him
Jmcneel@citytheatrecompany.org
James joined City Theatre as its Managing Director in January 2015. He came to Pittsburgh after four seasons in the same role at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where he was integral in the development and production of 20 new plays (including 10 world premieres and four commissions). Previously, he served as Literature Specialist at the National Endowment for the Arts focusing on grants to nonprofit presses, magazines, and literary organizations, as well as awards to individual poets, writers, and literary translators. While at the NEA he also worked on the development of such national initiatives as Operation Homecoming, Shakespeare in American Communities, Poetry Out Loud, and the National Book Festival. In 2005, James moved to New York City where he was General Manager and project consultant for the arts management firm, The Center for Creative Resources. At the Center, he worked with numerous individual artists and arts organization in all facets of institutional development and was a team leader in the feasibility study, opening, and first year management and operation of The Times Center, owned by The New York Times Company and designed by Renzo Piano. In addition, he was Director of Development and Marketing at the historic Cherry Lane Theatre, located in Greenwich Village. James holds a degree from Shepherd University and studied Arts Management at American University. He is currently a board member of the South Side Chamber of Commerce and is on the national board of the League of Resident Theaters (LORT), the largest theatre association if its kind in the United States.
Artistic Staff
Director of Education and Accessibility
This modal contains biographic information about Katie Trupiano
Katie Trupiano
Director of Education and Accessibility
KATIE TRUPIANO
Director of Education and Accessibility
She/Her
Ktrupiano@citytheatrecompany.org
Artistic Associate
This modal contains biographic information about Melva Graham
Melva Graham
Artistic Associate
MELVA GRAHAM
Artistic Associate
She/Her
MGraham@citytheatrecompany.org
Melva Graham is a Pittsburgh native and graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she received a BFA in Drama. She played Black Mary in Cygnet Theatre’s production of Gem of the Ocean in San Diego. She is also the author of Your Black Friend Has Something to Say: A Memoir in Essays. She’d like to thank her family and friends for their continued love and support.
Line Producer
This modal contains biographic information about Miso Wei
Miso Wei
Line Producer
MISO WEI
Line Producer
She/Her
mwei@citytheatrecompany.org
Miso Wei is a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University, teaching courses in Stage Management, Production Management, Communication, and International and Cross-Cultural Management. She has a strong passion for interdisciplinary and cross-cultural projects and has contributed to regional theaters, musical theater, corporate events, theater festivals, and dance both nationally and internationally. Her notable credits include La Jolla Playhouse, the Old Globe, Broadway, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Taipei Fringe Festival, Tainaner Ensemble Theatre, M.O.V.E. Theatre, and the Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra. Miso was part of the opening team for Shanghai Disney Resort and served as the Production Stage Manager for the first Mandarin version of The Lion King musical. During her time with Disney, she also worked on special events, theme park shows, and project management of resources and planning. In her final role as part of the senior entertainment leadership, she managed a team of 800 people responsible for parades, atmosphere, characters, and athletic training. Her current research focuses on two areas: culturally responsive teaching and management practices, particularly in support of international students and artists; and embodiment practices in leadership, exploring how physical presence, emotion, and power dynamics influence communication and connection in professional settings.
Resident Production Stage Manager
This modal contains biographic information about Patti Kelly
Patti Kelly
Resident Production Stage Manager
PATTI KELLY
Resident Production Stage Manager
She/Her
PATTI KELLY (Production Stage Manager) is thrilled to return to City Theatre for her 35th season! Having been with the company for over half of its lifetime, some of Patti’s favorite shows at City Theatre include The Old Man and the Old Moon, The Royale, Hand to God, The 39 Steps, Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, Molly Sweeney, The Baltimore Waltz, and Our Country’s Good. Other credits include Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Hartford Stage; Hysteria for Pittsburgh Public Theater; Richard II, The Tempest, Othello, As You Like It, Horse of a Different Color, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth for Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival; and over 30 plays for the Carnegie Mellon Showcase of New Plays. Patti is a recipient of the Fred Kelly Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity.
Stage Manager
This modal contains biographic information about Taylor Meszaros
Taylor Meszaros
Stage Manager
TAYLOR MESZAROS
Production Stage Manager
She/Her
TMeszaros@citytheatrecompany.org
Taylor K. Meszaros (she/her) spends her time as a Stage Manager and as a Standardized Patient for the University of Pittsburgh, Carlow and Duquesne Universities. She is based in Pittsburgh and has collaborated with theatres across the country. In addition to spending many seasons with City Theatre Company, she has led teams at Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, TheatreSquared, People’s Light, and Berkshire Theatre Group. Taylor completed her second year with KCACTF Region 2 this past January, sharing insights into stage management with students and professionals alike. She was a camp counselor at Chatham University Music & Arts Camp for three summers. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Illinois Wesleyan University and completed a semester program at LAMDA. She is a member of Actor’s Equity Association.
Administrative Staff
Director of Ticketing and Patron Services
This modal contains biographic information about Joel Ambrose
Joel Ambrose
Director of Ticketing and Patron Services
Marketing Director
This modal contains biographic information about Nikki Battestill
Nikki Battestill
Marketing Director
NIKKI BATTESTILLI
Marketing Director
She/Her
NBattestilli@citytheatrecompany.org
Nikki has been the marketing director at City Theatre since August 2018. She has had the pleasure of working for a variety of organizations including Iron City Circus Arts, Front Porch Theatricals, SHARP Dance Company, Wolf Performing Arts Center, Brian Sanders JUNK, The Resilience Group, Starlight Dance Academy and more. She is also the Executive Director of the Indiana Arts Council and Footlight Players: Theatre for Youth Camp. M.S. (Arts Administration) Drexel University. B.A. (Theater) Robert E. Cook Honors College at IUP.
Interim Director of Development
This modal contains biographic information about Jim DeGood
Jim DeGood
Interim Director of Development
Annual Fund Manager
This modal contains biographic information about Sarah Gabrick
Sarah Gabrick
Annual Fund Manager
Director of Operations
This modal contains biographic information about Jason Clark
Jason Clark
Director of Operations
Facility Manager
This modal contains biographic information about Dustin Medvid
Dustin Medvid
Facility Manager
Patron Services Manager
This modal contains biographic information about Jay Chapman
Jay Chapman
Patron Services Manager
Production Staff
Production Manager
This modal contains biographic information about Rachel D'Amboise
Rachel D'Amboise
Production Manager
Technical Director
This modal contains biographic information about Sam Karas
Sam Karas
Technical Director
Costume Manager
This modal contains biographic information about Madison Michalko
Madison Michalko
Costume Manager
Madison Michalko earned her BA in Theatre, specializing in costume technology and design, from Oklahoma State University in 2014, gaining hands-on experience in costumes, props, crafts, hair, and makeup. Before graduating, she worked at Dallas Theater Center on Les Misérables and joined City Theatre Company in Pittsburgh, where she has been Costume Shop Manager since 2017. Design credits at City include: The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, The Burdens, The Santaland Diaries, F*ck 7th Grade, Claws Out, The Garbologists, Native Gardens & POTUS.
mhack@citytheatrecompany.org
Sound and Media Engineer
This modal contains biographic information about Brad Peterson
Brad Peterson
Sound and Media Engineer
Props Manager
This modal contains biographic information about Alexx Feather
Alexx Feather
Props Manager
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