[ This Just In! ]

For Immediate Release
Date: January 18, 2000

Salvage Vanguard Theater Hires New Co-Artistic Director

AUSTIN, TX -- On Monday, January 3, Dan Dietz began in a new full-time capacity with Salvage Vanguard Theater, joining Jason Neulander as co-Artistic Director of the six-year-old theater company.

Jason Neulander, Salvage Vanguard Theater's founder and original Artistic Director, has this to say: "Salvage Vanguard has been going through some major artistic and organizational shifts over the past year-and-a-half. It became increasingly clear that I simply could not do all of the administrative work on my own. Dan is the ideal choice for this new position. He and I share very similar artistic ideals. Since we worked together on Centaur Battle of San Jacinto in 1997, Dan has consistantly brought a unique and productive perspective to the theater company. He has garnered two Austin Critics' Table awards for the company and he has a vision for theater that I know will carry us strongly into the 21st century."

Dan had formerly worked with Salvage Vanguard Theater as an actor (Centaur Battle of San Jacinto, Song of Evil, When You Know What It Is You're Doing, Altamont Now), a director (Scavengers), a production dramaturg (The Ravaging, Venus), a producer (The Next Best Salvage Vanguard Holiday Ever 1999), and a playwright (Dirigible). Dan served as the company's Literary Manager from 1997 to 1998. He received the 1997 Austin Critics' Table (ACT) Award for Best Actor in a Drama for his work on Centaur Battle of San Jacinto and the 1999 ACT Award for Outstanding New Play for his script Dirigible. Dan received his MFA in Playwriting from the University of Texas at Austin in December 1999.

Dan says that he is excited to be able to take on the role of co-Artistic Director: "Since I first started working with SVT in 1997, I felt a deep sense of connection with the company and in particular with Jason. Jason and I have always approached our work in ways that complement one another nicely, and our aesthetic values line up really well. Becoming equal partners in the company was the perfect next step. Now I have the chance to shape the company in larger ways than just project-to-project."

Salvage Vanguard Theater is a nonprofit arts organization located in Austin, Texas, committed to fostering a dynamic exchange between visionary artists and audiences new to their work. To that end, Salvage Vanguard Theater seeks to combine explosive energy with expert technique, creating forms which defy theatrical traditions and define a new American avant garde.

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