After an extensive international search, David G. Watson has been named Executive Director of the International Society for the Performing Arts Foundation. David currently is the Executive Director of the Emelin Theatre for the Performing Arts in Mamaroneck, New York, where he oversees the presentation of over 200 performances a year in chamber music, theatre, folk and popular music, film, and dance.

David brings to ISPA an extensive background in the performing arts, both in Europe and in the United States. Prior to joining the Emelin in 1994, he served as President of Strut & Fret, Inc., a New York-based theatrical service organization with clients in the U.S. and the U.K. In addition, he served as the Project Director in London for the British Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival. He has had an extensive producing and directing career in both New York and regional theatre and in the Metropolitan Opera's outreach programs.

After receiving his bachelor's degree from Yale, David, who is fluent in French, spent a year teaching in Switzerland. His other academic credentials include an MBA from Columbia University, and both an MFA and MA in theatre from the University of New Orleans and California State University-Los Angeles respectively. He has traveled extensively throughout the world -- including crossing the Atlantic twice and the Pacific once under sail!

David attended the Congress in Stockholm and will begin his official duties as Executive Director on July 6. He is already working closely with Deanne Hardy on plans to move the office from Michigan to the New York City area and to assure a smooth transition in all of the Society's affairs.

David is looking forward to meeting every ISPA member in the near future.

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International Society for the Performing Arts Foundation
17 Purdy Avenue
P.O. Box 909
Rye, New York 10580
USA
tel 914.921.1550
fax 914.921.1593
info@ispa.org
http://www.ispa.org/