The Mansfield Playhouse is pleased to announce that Mark Sebastian Jordan has been named artistic director of the theater by the Mansfield Playhouse Board of Directors.
Jordan has been involved with the organization since 1994, when he first appeared on its stage in the play “Run for Your Wife,” directed by Millie Leverton. He made his debut as director at the Playhouse in 2002 with the play “Cash on Delivery.” He has acted, directed, and worked tech extensively for the theater over the years, most recently directing the Second Stage production of “It's Only Murder” in 2016.
Jordan is known for writing and directing his Malabar Trilogy of historical dramas (“Ceely,” “Phoebe,” and “Louie”), which were produced at Malabar Farm State Park from 2003 to 2015. He has acted and directed throughout the region and appeared as a storyteller, poet, and public speaker all over the state of Ohio. Jordan has published a mystery, a book of historical humor, and two chapbooks of poetry. He has won writing awards from Case Western Reserve University, The Ohio State University, the Ohio Theatre Alliance, the Associated Press, Ohio Poetry Day, the Ohio Poetry Association, and the Jesse Stuart Memorial Award. Jordan is also active as a music critic, reviewing classical music concerts for Seen & Heard International, a website based in London, England.
Intensely involved in the flourishing downtown Mansfield arts scene, Jordan does pre-concert talks for the Mansfield Symphony, as well as hosting their popular “Symphony Chug” monthly meet-ups. He has also hosted the Borderlands poetry reading series at Main Street Books since 2012, and currently writes for the local arts blog Voices from the Borderland, and regularly performs in the comedy improv troupe 4 Klunkers & a Chevy.
Jordan's term will begin on November 21 with auditions for the upcoming Main Stage show “Better Late” by Larry Gelbart.