THE CITD BOARD

Playwright and arts advocate. Recently returned to NYC after three transformative years in Budapest, where he was in residence at Arts Quarter Budapest (AQB) and created work deeply informed by Eastern European performance traditions. During Philip’s final engagement in Budapest, he and Basila forged a partnership rooted in their shared passion for the region’s contemporary performance culture.

Mike Hurley has 30+ years of experience in the Foreign Service, which took him to Malaysia, Hungary, Indonesia, Russia, and assignments in DC, including head of the European Bureau’s public affairs office.  In the U.S. Embassy in Russia, Hurley was the chief architect of a two-year cultural exchange between the US and Russia, through which he met John Freedman and Philip Arnoult. They pitched their “Beyond the Capitals” program—and then collaborated on it for several years.  Mike went back to the State Department to work in the Global Engagement Center, working closely with Ukrainians and other European countries to expose and counteract disinformation coming from Russia, China, and Iran.

Artistic Director of Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. Formerly the Artistic Director and co-founder of Cutting Ball Theater, he has directed at The Public Theater, The Guthrie, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Old Globe, Asolo Rep, and Strindberg’s Intimate Theater in Stockholm, Sweden. Rob and his wife, Cutting Ball co-founder Paige Rogers, first became connected through CITD by life-changing trips to festivals in Poland at Philip Arnoult's invitation.

Artistic Director of New York Theater Workshop from 1988 to 2022.  Began collaborating with Philip Arnoult in 1994, participating in CITD’s US/NETHERLANDS TOURING PROJECT, which yielded Ivo van Hove’s debut outside Belgium and The Netherlands at NYTW.  Jim and NYTW continues to work with CITD, joining Philip in visits to Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and most extensively in Hungary.

Director, playwright, producer, and educator. Served as Artistic Director of CSC Repertory in New York from 1988-1992 and of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco from 1992 to 2018. Traveled extensively with Philip and engaged in numerous international exchanges.

Baltimore-based writer and director of operas, plays, and other works. Artistic director of Company One Theater in Hartford (1989-1994). Working with Philip Arnoult, was the Founding Director of Towson University's ground-breaking MFA in Theatre Arts program in 1994, where she is now Professor Emerita.

Senior Litigation attorney at Arnold & Porter, long time Woolly Mammoth board member and one of the  founders of the Professional Non-Profit Theater Coalition. Longtime CITD supporter who has worked with Philip and Howard, studied Eastern European theatre with Howard and attended CITD related festivals in Budapest and Krakow. 

Longstanding CITD board member brought on by Philip. Collaborated on the US/Netherlands Touring & Exchange project.  Worked for more than 40 years in the (international) performing arts world and was among others responsible for the promotion of Dutch theatre, dance and music companies and artists abroad.