Artistic Leader * Producer * Consultant
Peter comes from a theatrical family and has spent 35 years in professional theatre, film and
televisionas an Artistic Director, Producing Director, producer, director, consultant, actor and teacher.
For the last 20+ years he has held leadership positions in prominent theatres and academic
organizations and consulted with many theatres and schools on both artistic, managerial, marketing
and development issues.
Peter has been lucky enough to work with some of the very best artists in the American theatre. He served thirteen years as Artistic Director of the William Inge Center for the Arts at Independence Community College in rural Kansas, and seven years as Producing Director of the Los Angeles Repertory Company. At the Inge Center, he produced thirteen William Inge Theatre Festivals (named state theatre festival of Kansas during his tenure), hosted several-hundred professional guest artists, aided the development of more than fifty full-length plays and hundreds of short plays, and created both local and nationally recognized programs and partnerships. Despite its tiny size and rural location, the Inge Center, under Peter’s leadership, received more National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding over the previous five years than all but four other theatres in the country.
At the Inge Center, Peter forged unique collaborative artistic partnerships with many organizations including the Martha Graham Company, Cornerstone Theater, 24 Hour Plays Co., National Park Service and the Lawrence Arts Center. Peter developed a hybrid professional/academic theatre using the ensemble theatre mentorship/apprenticeship. He also created many educational programs and partnerships with Lincoln Center Institute, KCACTF and EDTA. Peter was the founder of the recently completed inaugural ASTRA multi-arts summer festival in Independence. Artists referred to him as “the Willy Wonka of Independence.” At the Los Angeles Repertory Company he built one of LA’s leading ensemble theatre companies, created a professional training academy, built a very busy rehearsal/performance complex (now home to Second City) and directed, among many other productions, the acclaimed Los Angeles premier of Sondheim and Weidman’s Assassins. Prior to that, he worked as a freelance professional director, producer, actor and stage manager. Peter has worked in theatre across the country from Los Angeles to New York, San Diego to Alaska, Broadway and Off-Broadway. His productions have received numerous awards and nominations.
Peter served on the Governing Council of the Association of Theatre for Higher Education. Peter was elected to two terms on the Board of Governors of Theatre LA (now LA Stage Alliance). He served as panelist for the NEA, the Kansas Arts Commission, the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, and as a Site Visitor for the NEA and the California Arts Council. He has lectured and presented workshops on a wide variety of theatrical and creative topics. Peter studied professionally with Stella Adler, David Craig, Paul Sills and many others. He attended American Conservatory Theatre and received his Masters of Fine Arts Degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
For over thirty years, Peter has taught acting, directing, voice, Shakespeare and musical theatre professionally and academically. Peter is a member of AEA, SAG, SDC and DG. Peter is active politically and was pleased to serve twice on the Barack Obama campaign’s National Arts Policy Committee. Peter found his wife Annette, stepdaughter Ava, and his two dogs by moving to the Midwest. He is blessed with an incredible network of artists and friends with whom he frequently collaborates and draws inspiration.
