PASADENA, Calif (October 11, 2022) — A Noise Within announced today that managing director Michael Bateman will be departing the theater after a nine-year tenure.

“We are unbelievably fortunate to have had Michael by our side for the past nine years,” said producing artistic directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott in a joint statement. “He has been an invaluable asset to the organization and a great thought partner to the two of us. His commitment to creating theater that centers the art, and all who participate in making it both onstage and off, has been a gift to us. We are a better organization because of his contribution and now look forward to ANWs next phase.”

During Michael’s tenure, A Noise Within experienced a period of tremendous growth. While expanding ANW from a budget of $1.6 million to over $3.7 million in the 2022-23 season, Michael ensured the organization’s financial stability through growing cash reserves, retiring its debt, navigating pandemic relief programs, and establishing an endowment for the organization's expansive education program. Through a combination of sound fiscal management, prioritizing artistic excellence, and pursuit of greater equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism practices, known as EDIA, Michael leaves ANW in a strong position to tackle the future challenges of the theater field.

Prioritizing EDIA projects for the organization has resulted in a greater variety of stories and artists onstage and greater BIPOC representation on the board of directors. In addition, Bateman helped produce over 60 mainstage productions and dozens of additional community events, including playing a central role in envisioning and establishing ANW's ground-breaking Noise Now program, which expanded programming to include dance, music, art installations, non-traditional theater and beyond.

“I feel tremendous gratitude for the opportunity I have had to contribute to A Noise Within's meaningful and deeply impactful mission,” Bateman says. “After almost a decade of wonderful partnership with Geoff and Julia, artists, staff, board, teaching artists and our community, it was a sad but healthy decision for me to leave the organization as I look forward to digging deeper into some of my other passions. ANW is an extraordinary community that produces stunning plays, introduces new generations to theater, and is rigorously accountable to a vision of a more equitable and inclusive field; I am proud to have helped lead the company and am pleased to be leaving it in a strong and stable position coming out of the pandemic. I'll be watching what comes next for ANW, and with the incredible leadership of the producing artistic directors; the guidance of a dedicated board; and the talent and collaborative spirit of staff, artists and teaching artists, I have no doubt that it will be spectacular.”

Maryellen Gleason, who previously worked with A Noise Within as the interim director of development, will serve as the interim managing director while a national search is conducted for Bateman’s successor. The details of the search will be announced in the coming weeks.

A Noise Within has been called “an oasis for those who love classic stories” by the Los Angeles Times and is a leading regional producer based in Pasadena, California. ANW’s award-winning resident company is committed to representing the entire community at their state-of-the-art, 324-seat performance space. In addition to producing world-class performances of classic theater, the organization runs robust education programs with the goal of inspiring diverse audiences of all ages. ANW believes in working hard on our anti-racist practice across the whole organization. By interpreting our mission to fully engage audiences through community and artist-centered work in multiple creative disciplines, ANW is striving to be a theater that better serves our entire community.

For more information, go to www.anoisewithin.org