Justin Ball may have stumbled upon our region, but it's no accident he ended up staying here permanently. After a decade of working in NYC as a director, producer and arts educator, he was instantly charmed by the rural lifestyle of Litchfield County and soon found that our region has just as much art and theater as The Great White Way. On a whim, my wife and I came to this region nearly a year-and-a-half ago for a weekend getaway from New York City. We quickly fell in love with the charm, character and community of these quaint towns and rolling landscapes. We took in the local wineries, went biking on beautiful trails and dined at some fantastic restaurants. Little did we know that one year later I would be accepting a position as the managing director of the TriArts Sharon Playhouse. Before coming up here, I spent the last ten years working as an administrator and faculty member of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. I came to Sharon because I was interested in leading an arts organization that builds community around the performing arts and exposes future generations to professional, high-quality musical theater.
What has impressed me most, during my short time in Sharon, has been the level of talent of the local artists, both onstage at the playhouse and in the community. Whether it's visiting one of the resident galleries, shopping at a local boutique or seeing a production at the Playhouse, one does not have to look far to see the cultural riches this community has to offer. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the TriArts Sharon Playhouse and I couldn't be more proud to be producing this season of exceptional shows. I'm excited for Disney's The Little Mermaid, which will close out our season beginning August 13 and running through August 24.
