NEW YORK CITY: The pioneering docu-theatre company the Civilians has added a like-minded expert to its ranks with the appointment of Jane Jung as its new managing director. Jung previously served as general manager for Ping Chong + Company, where she supported Chong’s work and the company’s Undesirable Elements documentary theatre series.
“As our investigative theatre explorations continue to expand across new mediums, this is an ideal time for Jane to bring her talents and perspective to the company,” said Civilians artistic director Steve Cosson in a statement. “I believe that her commitment to our company’s mission and background make her ideally suited for this role.”
Fran Kumin, a former casting director and now a strategic consultant to the arts, served as the executive search consultant who made the match between the Civilians and Jung.
Jung, who replaces interim managing director Sarah Benvenuti, joins the company at a busy time. The troupe’s 2014–15 season has them installed as the artist-in-residence of Met Museum Presents at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and they’re in the midst of mounting their first self-produced musical, Pretty Filthy, about the adult entertainment industry, opening on Jan. 31, 2015 at Abrons Arts Center. A one-night-only cabaret featuring excerpts from Pretty Filthy will be presented at 54 Below on Dec. 2, 2014.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Civilians at such an exciting juncture,” Jung said in a statement. “The company is a leader in creating innovative productions through their methods of creative inquiry, using theatre to investigate many of the most signifcant and complex questions facing current society. The work both challenges and entertains, and I look forward to working with this dynamic, vibrant and inspiring group of artists.”
Jung also held positions as managing director of Second Generation Productions (2g) and as producer for Little Lord. As a New York City–based producer, she has developed and produced new work at several venues, including the New Ohio Theatre, City Center Stage II, the Bushwick Starr, La MaMa, and the
Public Theater’s Under the Radar Festival. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and the Yale School of Drama.
