St. Louis, MO— Metro Theater Company announced today that Joe Gfaller has been named the organization’s new Managing Director, succeeding JoAnne LaSala who has served as Interim Managing Director since January 2019. “The board and staff are thrilled to have Joe joining MTC as we begin our 2019-2020 season. He brings tremendous versatility and depth of experience to this role, a deep understanding of the St. Louis community, and strong local and national connections to artists, audiences, partners, and philanthropic leaders,” said Artistic Director Julia Flood.
Mr. Gfaller was selected as Managing Director after a nationwide search led by the Metro Theater Company Board of Directors. He comes to Metro Theater Company most recently from Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where for more than eight years he led the company’s marketing and communications team and initiated many of its civic and community initiatives. During his tenure there, he created the company’s Engagement + Inclusion Task Force, expanded its Young Friends Steering Committee, launched ongoing annual artist community tours, demonstrated record subscription renewal rates, and saw growth in young, diverse, and national travel audiences. The St. Louis Business Journal named him one of its 2014 Diverse Business Leaders for his work in building an inclusive community for opera. Previous to his work at OTSL, Mr. Gfaller served in marketing roles for two Tony Award- winning regional theaters—Alliance Theater (Atlanta, Georgia) and American Repertory Theater (Cambridge, Massachusetts)—and in both marketing and development roles for Atlanta’s 7 Stages Theatre. As a consultant, he has worked with the National Blues Museum, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, the documentary film Flint: The Poisoning of an American City, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, among others. He and his husband live with their two dogs in the Central West End of St Louis.
“Theater is one of the few remaining places in our public life where people from all backgrounds can come together to be united by a shared common experience,” continued Mr. Gfaller. “I look forward to working with Metro Theater Company's board, volunteers, donors, audiences, artists, and school partners to help the company realize its fullest potential to make St. Louis a better place for us all to live."
— Joe Gfaller, Incoming Managing Director at Metro Theater Company
“Metro Theater Company is an extraordinary cultural asset for St. Louis, helping to bridge the divides in our community both through both the power of theater and through the inherent potential in each and every young person in our region. I could not be more honored and excited to work with Artistic Director Julia Flood and our exceptional board and emeritus board to lead Metro into its next chapter,” said Joe Gfaller of his recent appointment. “Theater is one of the few remaining places in our public life where people from all backgrounds can come together to be united by a shared common experience,” continued Mr. Gfaller. “I look forward to working with Metro Theater Company’s board, volunteers, donors, audiences, artists, and school partners to help the company realize its fullest potential to make St. Louis a better place for us all to live.”