Chil Kong, newly appointed Artistic Director of Adventure Theatre MTC (Photo: Erin Quill)
Glen Echo, Maryland— Adventure Theatre MTC (ATMTC) announced today that Chil Kong has been named the organization’s next Artistic Director, succeeding Michael Bobbitt after 12 years of leadership at ATMTC. “We had over 100 applications for this position nationwide, and it was a long process in finding the right fit. Chil not only brings the experience, but the joy and community engagement that Adventure Theatre is known for,” remarked Impending Executive Director Leon Seemann.
Chil Kong will bring extensive experience across disciplines to his new position in the TYA field, with a career spanning theatre, film, and television. Kong spent over 10 years as co-artistic director of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble before transitioning to film and TV work. He directing two feature films (“The Mikado Project” and “QWERTY”) and multiple short films (“Pollen,” “The Oh-Malley’s,” and “The Walk”), and was later tapped as the creative director of a film fund which focused on English based stories for the Asian market. He currently has a live-action feature in development at Disney Channel.
“As a kid growing up in Woodbridge Virginia, I often had to explain my existence. Always the ‘other,’ I found myself trying to understand my place in the diverse tapestry of the American experience. So I left Virginia behind and traveled the country to grow as an Artist and find my place,” shared Kong, describing his trajectory to this position.
“And now I come full circle to my hometown and to where my artistic journey began, a different person then when I started. Realizing, after all this time, that the very thing that inspired a misfit kid from Woodbridge Virginia, was and is the same inspiration I see in my son’s eyes when I take him to the theater. It’s that joy that I want to share with every child, regardless of age. It’s amazing I had to travel the country only to discover what I was looking for back home.”
“And now I come full circle to my hometown and to where my artistic journey began, a different person then when I started. Realizing, after all this time, that the very thing that inspired a misfit kid from Woodbridge Virginia, was and is the same inspiration I see in my son’s eyes when I take him to the theater. It’s that joy that I want to share with every child, regardless of age. It’s amazing I had to travel the country only to discover what I was looking for back home.”
— Chil Kong, incoming artistic director of Adventure Theatre MTC
Kong plans to build upon the strong commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that ATMTC has become known for locally and across the field. According to the theatre’s press release, Montgomery County is very diverse, with approximately 59% of the population categorizing themselves as non-white. “The fact that Chil reflects a segment of our community not currently represented is a wonderful bonus. From our quick research, Chil is the only Asian American Artistic Director in the DMV and the only Asian American in a leadership role in any major TYA theatre in the U.S. right now. We know Chil’s will build upon our work in promoting diversity and racial equity across all cultures.”
