A Message from Artistic Director Rodney Earl Jackson, Jr.
Dear SFBATCO Family,
I’m writing to share some bittersweet news about a person who has been an important part of SFBATCO’s story—and an important part of mine.
After 5 years at SFBATCO, Adam Maggio has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Presidio Theater and will be leaving his role as SFBATCO’s Managing Director on September 11, after our gala on September 10.
For me, this news is particularly personal. Adam and I grew up doing theater together. Long before either of us had a title at SFBATCO, we were two young people who believed deeply in the power of theater and in the artists and communities that make it possible. Adam was a supporter of—and artist with—SFBATCO from its earliest days and later became our first official Managing Director. Since joining the organization, he has played an enormous role in building the infrastructure, resources, and capacity that have allowed the company to grow into the organization it is today.
During his time at SFBATCO, Adam has worked to lay the foundation that will allow this organization to continue growing for years to come. Together with our staff, artists, Board, and community, he helped us:
Double our year-round staff and more than triple our operating budget.
Provide health benefits to all year-round staff members and increase salaries and wages every year.
Move actor compensation from stipends to Tier 2 Equity minimums.
Launch the New Roots Theatre Festival, which ran for four seasons and brought together 14 organizations and over 300 artists from across the Bay Area.
Expand professional development opportunities for artists, including creating the Creators Lab program and securing OEWD funding to launch new training initiatives.
Build partnerships and co-productions with 10 organizations and produce work in 7 different venues.
Expand our youth programming through partnerships and programs including Ida B. Wells, MAPA, and other San Francisco schools.
Keep our ticket prices accessible while continuing to invest in the artists and staff who make our work possible.
But Adam’s impact goes beyond any list of accomplishments. He has helped SFBATCO become a more sustainable and professional theater company—one with the infrastructure to support artists, the capacity to produce increasingly ambitious work, and the resources to deepen our impact in the Bay Area.
Adam asked me to pass along this message to our community:
“I leave SFBATCO with an enormous amount of gratitude for everyone who has made the last five years a success. Rodney and Marcelo set out to create a company that would celebrate the Bay Area, that would truly be a home for local artists who might be overlooked elsewhere, and that would produce work that changed hearts and minds. It hasn’t always been easy, but I can proudly say that everything I’ve done over the last five years has been in service of that mission. Building this organization alongside Rodney and our extraordinary team has been one of the great privileges of my life. I want to thank the incredible staff, board members, volunteers, audience members, and artists who have made this work worthwhile, and from whom I have learned so much. I am so proud of what we’ve built together, and I look forward to seeing you all in the audience for Every Saturday Night!”
I have a lot of love for and am deeply grateful for everything Adam has contributed to SFBATCO, and I’m especially grateful that this isn’t goodbye. While he is leaving his position, Adam will continue to support the organization, and I know our friendship and creative partnership will continue well beyond his time on staff.
Looking ahead! Rest assured that SFBATCO is on solid ground. Our Board of Directors is currently developing a transition plan and will announce next steps regarding the Managing Director position in the coming weeks. Our staff, artists, Board, and partners remain focused on the work ahead, including the exciting projects already underway.
Adam, thank you for believing in SFBATCO from the beginning. Thank you for helping us build the organization that our founding team envisioned, and for helping turn that vision into a sustainable institution. And thank you for being my friend and theater-making partner for all these years.
I am so proud of what we have built together, and I am excited to see what Adam builds next at the Presidio Theater. I know he will bring the same generosity, vision, and commitment to that organization.
And here at SFBATCO (12 years strong!), we’re just getting started.
With gratitude,
Rodney Earl Jackson, Jr.
Artistic Director
San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company