Telluride Theatre has announced the creation of a new full-time position and the hiring of Mary Higgins as its new Development and Operations Manager. Higgins is joining the company after five years of performing as an actor and audiences may recognize her from several Shakespeare in the Park productions. In this new position, Higgins will manage Telluride Theatre’s fundraising and grant writing efforts and donor/membership relations.
“The addition of Mary has really created such a well-rounded team for Telluride Theatre,” said Producing Director Melissa Trn. “Mary’s ongoing connection to TT as a performer and collaborator has made her such an asset to our organization in terms of connecting with patrons and donors alike. We are so excited for this fierce addition to our woman-driven leadership at Telluride Theatre.”
Her previous nonprofit theatrical work includes Creative Strategies for Change in Denver, Pillsbury House Theatre in Minneapolis, BETC Colorado in Boulder, and local nonprofits including Telluride Academy and the Telluride Historical Museum.
“While I still look forward to performing with the theatre, I am truly excited to learn a different type of role, one whose sole focus is to support the Telluride art scene,” Higgins said in a recent news release. “We have so many incredibly talented artists here, from dancers to directors, technical artists and teaching artists, I want to continue to ensure there is room and opportunity for them to grow in a way that matches our burgeoning economy.”
Higgins attended Trinity College in Dublin Ireland, where she received a Masters of Philosophy, with focuses in Theatrical Theory and Performance.
What drew her to applying for the newly-minted position, Higgins said, was the passion demonstrated by the company’s leadership, not only with Trn, but Artistic Director and the company’s founder, Sasha Cucciniello.
“Theatre is an all-encompassing art form that I fervently believe can be for everyone, and is a part of a healthy community,” Higgins said. “The leadership of the organization didn’t necessarily appeal to me because of the female factor, but more so because I knew there were people at the helm who are just as passionate as I am about the importance of theatre. And I mean passionate, like loving something to a fault. So I figure, if you ever have to double down over something you believe in, you’d want to have people by your side who feel the same way.”
The power of theatre, she said, can be summed up in a word — storytelling.
“It’s the oldest possible form of communication, humane connection, and the beautiful, out-loud wondering of trying to make sense of whatever this existence is that we happened to stumble into,” Higgins said. “We all know what it feels like to love and lose and mourn and to dance with joy, and if we don’t, it gives us the opportunity to understand what life can be, for better or for worse. It’s lifeblood.”
For this new, off-stage role, Higgins is charged with donor relations and nurturing the growth of the company’s financial health.
“The position mainly consists of supporting the growth of the theatre in its evolution and efficacy of the overall picture,” she explained. “I guess it’s like being a godparent in some ways. Though I didn’t create it, I’m going to be watching out for it, offering advice and support, and helping it to achieve its goals and projects to be a happy and fulfilled space through practical day to day management. Thankfully, the staff of the theatre is an all-hands-on-deck environment, so we all do this in a variety of ways, depending on what the needs might be.”
Higgins has appeared in numerous Telluride Theatre productions, including last spring’s original adaptation of “The Odyssey.”
“The show allowed for a lot of physical movement, mixed artistic forms, and involved the classic heroes journey,” she said. “But mostly, it was the collaborative nature of the work that I would love to see come back again and go further. This style of work is one that has been at the core of my practice since I was a teenager in festivals and art venues, and it offers a unique opportunity to explore on a different level than traditional scripted plays.”
To become a member or to donate to Telluride Theatre contact Higgins at mary@telluridetheatre.org.
Telluride Theatre is committed to advancing the performing arts in our region through innovative productions, education programs and community involvement. We create theatre that lives in moments of truthful human connection, promotes joyful celebration and is an open dialogue, accessible to all audiences. Learn more at telluridetheatre.org.
