Joe Martinez takes leading role at MCT, Inc.
Published: September 14, 2011
Joseph Martinez brings plenty of breadth and experience to his new role as artistic director at MCT, Inc.
The veteran actor and director spent 13 years with Missoula Children’s Theatre and MCT Community Theatre, before leaving in 2005 to help open the Arizona Broadway Theatre, a successful professional dinner theatre in Peoria, AZ.
Martinez joined Missoula Children’s Theatre as a tour actor, and then worked at the home office in Missoula in a variety of roles, including publicist and production manager. He also directed 13 shows for MCT Community Theatre, including sold-out performances of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “Kiss Me, Kate,” and the school edition of “Les Misérables.”
“When the artistic director position opened up, I jumped at the chance to return to MCT. Remembering that feeling of making a difference in someone’s life was one of the main reasons I wanted to return,” Martinez said.
Martinez came on board in July and has already co-directed a show this summer with 30-year MCT veteran and executive director Michael McGill. He also directs “Miss Nelson is Missing” Sept. 15-18, in conjunction with National Arts In Education Week, and will direct MCT Community Theatre’s “She Loves Me” in December and “West Side Story” next May.
“After directing and managing at the Arizona Broadway Theatre, Joe brings great experience and highly developed skills to MCT,” said McGill. “We’re delighted to have him back.”
This marks the first time MCT has had a full-time artistic director in its 40-year history. Martinez’s new duties include overseeing productions of MCT Community Theatre, which kicked off its 2011-2012 season with a production of "Dracula" on Oct. 21, and serving as “quality control” for Missoula Children’s Theatre’s touring actors/educators when they hit the road this fall, taking MCT productions to more than 1,200 communities around the world.
Martinez also plans to help “rebrand” MCT Community Theatre so that it stands more clearly apart from the children’s theatre.
“We have so many projects to go around, and it’s nice to share the fun,” says McGill. “Joe and I have had many different jobs at MCT and we speak the same language.”
“Coming back after six years is, as they say, like riding a bike,” says Martinez. “It feels like I’m in the right place, where I need to be.”
Although he enjoyed launching a new theatre in Arizona, Martinez retained his deep affection for MCT. “The passion that people have for this company, as well as the passion the community has for the arts – there is nothing better,” he says. “To be able to be part of this is very rewarding.”
For more information on MCT, visit www.mctinc.org.
