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Theatrikos Theatre Company, Flagstaff’s beloved local theatre that has logged over 50 years, has welcomed a new Executive Director this year. Announced in December, Jeremy Blunt officially took on the role on January 6, 2025. Making the move to Flagstaff from New York just two days prior, the transition has “been a whirlwind,� according to Blunt.

Blunt took an interest in theatre as a child when his mother got him involved in a community theatre. He shared he was an “awkward kid� growing up and would sometimes be picked on, causing him to be a little shy. Theatre was his way of connecting with others, to learn about the world around him and jump into a character.

“Theatre was one of those things that, not to be grandiose with it, changed my life,� said Blunt. “It definitely had a huge impact on who I became and my overall growth as a person.�

He continued to participate in theatre throughout high school. In college, Blunt doubted that he could make a career out of theatre so he pursued a business degree but stayed involved with theatre on the side. Despite the encouragement to pursue a professional career in theatre from a professor, Blunt finished his MBA in business from California Baptist University in Southern California. He then joined the military, doing a seven year career in the Army before joining the Air Force National Guard.

When Blunt was still in the military, he decided to pursue theatre again. He would get involved in any way he could, utilizing his free nights to usher or be a house manager. Blunt said the days were long, but he was passionate about it. After finishing his time in the military he went back to school, earning his MFA in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College in New York.

Before moving to Flagstaff, Blunt spent two years as the general manager for a company called Theatre for a New Audience, an off-Broadway theatre. His move toward the West was prompted by both the desire to be closer to family and the posting of the position at Theatrikos. Blunt was looking for a place that he could have an impact on, one with a strong and growing arts community that he could help take to the next level.

“I saw that here at Theatrikos,� said Blunt. “And when I started to get to know the team, the board, the staff, it was just kind of a no-brainer.�

As the Executive Director, Blunt is in charge of the strategic direction for the theatre. He handles anything business related for the company, balancing the budget and overseeing the staff duties. His job also entails guiding the artistic team in planning ways to improve the quality of shows, diversify the audience and develop new programs. His hand is in all areas of the company, and he reports to the board of directors to make sure everything is running smoothly.

"That's my niche... I get to combine my passion for theatre with the skills that I have developed and learned in business to enrich the lives within our community by supporting the artists, technicians and arts administrators in creating great art, said Blunt. "While I did act when I was a child and directed in college, I feel where I'm most useful is really helping to guide other artists and be a mentor."

As Blunt begins this new journey, he plans to dive into understanding Theatrikos as well as the community, learning its uniqueness and its strengths. He aims to continue the growth and improve every aspect of the theatre. One area that he hopes to especially focus on is their education programs.

"There is a real need and demand within our community for quality arts education. I know this, because our education programs at Theatrikos are selling out every single year. How do we increase capacity to meet this demand and serve more students?" Blunt said. "How do we make theatre education accessible to eliminate any barriers for students? These are the questions we will tackle head on."

There are so many important life skills that theatre can teach, through acting or music or dance, they all work together. Each subject in school is vital to a child’s growth, as they develop their confidence and problem solving, learn to face challenges and how to overcome them, experience failure and how to come back from it. These are the ways Blunt shared the theatre can have an impact.

“I think it's so important to try to get kids into the theatre or to bring theatre to them in any way we can, so they can get access to this great, great art form,� he said. “We're really going to be doubling down on theatre education. We already have a great program, but I'll be working with Joe Maniglia, our education director, and really look at how we can expand, how we can really be that source for families to get their kids into theatre.�

Providing a top notch education is important to Blunt and the company. He said that when children come to take part in one of their programs, whether that be participating in a show or taking a class or summer camp, his hope is that they leave changed and that their lives have improved in some way. “If we can do that, I think we've made a difference in the community.�

As Blunt continues to meet with different community leaders and gets to know the staff, his ultimate goal is to make Theatrikos a hub for all types of people to learn about and appreciate theatre.

"We know people will come through here and they'll go to the snow or the mountains to ski, or they'll go to the Grand Canyon� Flagstaff is a stopover. But we really want Flagstaff to be a place where people come to experience great art in all its disciplines," Blunt said. "Our part in that will be to work and collaborate with other performing arts organizations and find ways to continue to grow while bringing unique plays and musicals to the beautiful city of Flagstaff."

A program the company hopes to continue is its collaboration with different film companies, including the Sedona International Film Festival and Flagstaff International Film Festival, which they started several years ago. These organizations bring together local filmmakers and introduce audiences to new films that are typically geared around local themes. Theatrikos also works with various music and concert groups, such as the Candlelight Concerts presented by Fever. Blunt said sharing the facility and the space for more high quality programming outside of just theatre is a great way to open up to a broader group of people.

As for Theatrikos� own performances, Blunt said he has adopted this season’s show selection but he’ll get to take part in choosing the next set of shows with the artistic committee and the board.

“I think they did a great job choosing this season. It's gonna be a lot of fun,� shared Blunt. The company’s first show “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery� opened the same week Blunt started the job, being the first Theatrikos show he’s seen and providing the chance to see how production goes right off the bat.

One show coming later in their season that Blunt is especially excited about is “The Play That Goes Wrong,� which will open May 8. He shared that it’s a fun show, and for those who have ever been an insider in theatre, it will resonate. It goes through the emotional happenings of stage fright, nightmares, show mayhem and basically anything and everything that can go wrong� in a hilarious way. “That’s one I’ve enjoyed seeing in the past,� said Blunt.

Blunt is interested in all areas of operation at the theatre, and looking at how they can improve. As he establishes relationships with the artistic team and the actors, he will reach out for feedback on their experience to find more areas the company can refine. “I mean, our goal is to be the premier theater company in Northern Arizona. And so to do that, you have to always think of how we can get better.�

Blunt said he is aware of the tight knit community within Theatrikos and Flagstaff. Coming from mainly working at larger theatres in bigger cities, he said he knows there will be things that come up that will require him to learn from the audience, the directors, the actors and the community overall. It’s clear to Blunt already what the theatre means to this community, and what kind of impact he can have. Having to learn the dynamics of the company, while relying on everyone to help bring him along, will be a challenging yet rewarding experience for Blunt.

Working in theatre north of 20 years, Blunt has formed valuable relationships throughout the country within the theatre community. He has met and worked with people and organizations at all levels, from large commercial theatres to smaller non-profits. These relationships made along the way will continue to prove useful as Theatrikos aims to grow.

Getting the chance to collaborate with other arts organizations and develop local art is “important for the future of Theatrikos,� said Blunt. “To invest in not only our artists but to our arts administrators here, to our technicians that are here, to our designers, directors, that we can make sure that we have a community that can support the art that we're creating.�

Theatrikos receives a ton of support through volunteers. Last year, they reported 26,000 hours of volunteer work, people donating their time and efforts to help put on these shows. The company also receives funds and grants from different foundations and individuals locally that allow them to continue. These relationships are vital to the company and Blunt plans to continue fostering the connections to the people and organizations that invest in and support Theatrikos.

As the new executive director continues in his role, he appreciates the encouragement from the community and the company. Blunt’s drive to expand their audiences, grow their education programs and desire to keep the integrity of the beloved theatre goes to show that he deserves and will excel in this position. With its season in full swing and this big change in leadership, Theatrikos has an exciting year ahead.

“Theatrikos is a great organization, and one with great support from the community. So it's been neat to just meet everybody, to get to dive right in, connect with the artists,� said Blunt. “I’m really getting to understand who Theatrikos is and what Flagstaff is all about.�

To find ways to support the theatre and learn more about upcoming shows, go to