The Garfield Center for the Arts Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the selection of Tess Hogans as the Garfield Center’s new Executive Director. Tess has done a fantastic job as Theatre Manager since she joined the Garfield in 2014 and is ready to take on the challenge of the Executive Director position.
“As the Garfield Center for the Arts enters its second decade, the Board is thrilled to have Tess as its Executive Director. Her enthusiastic leadership assures us that the next decade will be filled with exciting events for everyone.” – Judy Kohl, Vice President, Garfield Center for the Arts Board of Directors
The board voted unanimously to offer the position to Tess during their regular meeting at the end of 2017.
A life-long resident of Kent County, Tess attended Kent School and graduated from Gunston Day School. Tess went on to major in Theatre and Dance Studies at Wheaton College and was the recipient of the college’s 2010 award for Excellence in Acting. Tess returned to Chestertown and began teaching drama part time for grades 6-12 at The Maven Academy in Annapolis as well as running an after school acting workshop at the Garfield.
Along with her Executive Director responsibilities Tess will continue to spearhead the Garfield’s highly regarded Playmakers’ Summer Theatre Camp. She oversaw the Playmakers’ productions of The Hobbit, Peter Pan & Wendy, Charlotte’s Web, The Princess Bride and is looking forward to working on this summer’s production of Alice in Wonderland.
Tess is also an active volunteer director for the Garfield’s theatrical productions. Her past efforts include Mister Roberts, My Fair Lady, A Christmas Carol, and Inherit the Wind. She especially enjoys working with community members who are new or returning to the stage and would like to encourage anyone with an interest to make a New Year’s resolution to audition for one of the Garfield’s 2018 theatrical productions. When she is not working at the theatre you can find Tess in the wizarding world where she has served on the Chestertown Harry Potter Festival Board since its inception in 2014 and is the current President of the festival board.
Tess lives in Chestertown with her husband Matthew and their two daughters, Marian and Ronan. Her parents, Jonathan and Beverly also live in the area as does her brother Ben Jones and sister Marva Jones.
If you haven’t had a chance to meet Tess, please stop by the theatre during the week and introduce yourself. She has already begun her work as the new Executive Director and invites the community to stop in and see what’s happening next at the Garfield.
“My main goal is to make this a space that everyone in the community feels like they have ownership of – like it is a part of their home. I am really hoping that we can do more partnerships with the community and community organizations. We are in the middle of the Arts & Entertainment district and we want to be a hub for creativity!”
“I really want this to be a home for artists – whether you are an aspiring actor or a painter or a director or a playwright – we have opportunities for you! I want to get the word out that if you have something you want to try –this is the space to try it!”
Tess is pleased to announce that Bryan Betley will be stepping up to take on the role of Theatre Manager. Bryan has been a member of the Garfield staff first as an intern starting in 2013 and was soon promoted to Production Assistant in January 2015.
Bryan has assisted Tess in the Playmakers’ Summer Program and looks forward to taking on more responsibility with the youth camp and production. A talented actor in his own right, Bryan delighted audience members with his portrayal of Freddie in My Fair Lady and showed off his range and comedic timing playing three different characters in Sylvia. He has directed several 10-minute plays in Short Attention Span Theatre the Garfield’s signature 10-minute play festival. Don’t miss Bryan’s production of The Little Prince a performance-art piece based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exuperey. The Little Prince opens February 16 and kicks off our theatrical productions for 2018.
After having been homeschooled, Bryan went on to receive his GED and diploma at age 16, and shortly after began classes at Chesapeake College. Bryan currently studies photography and fine arts privately through several online programs including acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz’s master class. Bryan currently resides in Chestertown but spent much of his upbringing in Kent County with his family on Colchester Farm in Galena, and prior to that, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
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