Andy’s Summer Playhouse names Jared Mezzocchi Artistic Director

Jared Mezzocchi - Award-winning Director, Educator and Multi-Media Theater Artist becomes the next leader of the 45 year old company.

Following a six month national search process, Andy’s Summer Playhouse, one of New England’s oldest and most innovative children’s theaters, announces the appointment of Jared Mezzocchi to lead the organization into the future. 

After screening dozens of candidates and conducting months of interviews, the Board of Andy’s Summer Playhouse has selected a Producing Artistic Director with a national reputation, significant experience, a wide artistic network and deep ties to Andy’s.

Board President Linda Tanner commented, “We are so thrilled that after talking with many talented candidates from across New England and the Northeast we found that the best choice for Andy’s was someone who knows us well and loves New Hampshire. Jared marries his NH roots and Andy’s experience with his years of building a theater career in New York and DC, and will bring a fresh perspective to Andy’s while staying true to the values and unique nature of the Andy’s experience.” 

Mezzochi received his MFA in Performance and Interactive Media Arts at
Brooklyn College. He is currently on faculty at University of Maryland, College Park, where he leads the projection design track in the MFA Design program. He is a resident artist at Woolly Mammoth Theater Company in DC and has directed and/or designed at theaters across the U.S. and in Europe including designing for Big Art Group and their productions of The People (San Francisco CA), The Sleep (Berlin, Germany, and NYC), Cityrama (Torino, Italy), SOS (NYC, Vienna Festival). He has worked for The Builders Association (Jet Lag), Rob Roth (Screen Test) and UTC #61 (Hiroshima: Crucible of Light, Velvet Oratorio, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep), 3Legged Dog (Downtown Loop); Jared has also worked at Arena Stage, Studio Theater, Theater J, Centerstage Baltimore, Olney Theater, Everyman Theater, Cleveland Playhouse, Milwaukee Rep, and The Wilma. In 2012 he received the prestigious Princess Grace Award, the first projection designer to be honored with this national theater award. Mezzocchi grew up in Hollis, NH, where his mother still lives and where he will make his summer home. He has been a regular artist at Andy’s since 2009, directing such original productions as The Lost World, The BFG, The Block and others. His production of The Lost World, written originally for Andy’s, received its DC premiere at University of Maryland this past year.

“Andy’s has meant so much to so many children and families for 45 years, I am honored to be at the helm of this prolific ship.” says Mezzocchi, “My vision for Andy’s is one of exploration, engagement, and exposure. I believe The Playhouse holds such a poignant sense of spirit with the children and I trust, at its core, Andy’s can and will reignite conversations around the vitality of new, multimedia, ensemble-based children’s work. Andy’s Playhouse provides a home and outlet for children as well as the professional artists, which is a rare blend of theater making that I am thrilled to help facilitate for these future generations of thinkers and doers. I look forward to evolving Andy’s relevance, innovation, voice, technological advancement and overall impact in the local and national artistic community.”

Mezzocchi will officially become Producing Artistic Director on August 1, 2015, but will be at Andy’s in July directing his original production of The Kid of Billy the Kid – a western coming of age tale written for Andy’s and to be performed by Andy’s kids – opening July 17.