Jonathan West | Managing Director & Consultant
Prior to joining MCA in 2015, Jonathan was the Director of Communications for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and led all institutional messaging for the organization founded by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Jonathan worked as theater producer, artistic leader, director, and actor for over twenty years, and he continues to work in the theatre as a playwright. He founded Bialystock & Bloom, a daring professional theater company noted for “edge-treading” material and served as its Producing Artistic Director for 11 years. He successfully led the Sunset Playhouse, a 54-year-old community arts center in Southeastern, Wisconsin, through a period of great transition to stability and growth as their Managing Director from 2008-2012.
His consulting work in media and press relations has allowed him to offer his expertise to organizations such as Ten Chimneys Foundation, Skylight Music Theatre, and other performing arts, educational, and cultural institutions. As a frequently published writer, Jonathan has contributed to and edited arts and architecture publications nationwide and served as The Pfister Narrator, the in-house writer-in-residence for the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, WI. Jonathan’s work as an Equity actor and stage director has been seen at Tanglewood Music Festival, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and many other companies.
For MCA, Jonathan has done significant work across disciplines with an emphasis in theatre, opera, and literature. He has facilitated successful search projects such as Arena Stage’s Artistic Director, Seattle Rep’s Artistic Director, MacDowell’s Executive Director, Indiana Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director, Asolo Repertory Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director and Managing Director, Children’s Theater Company’s Artistic Director and Managing Director, Geva Theatre Center’s Artistic Director and Executive Director, The Center for Fiction’s Executive Director, Actors’ Equity Association’s Central Regional Director/Assistant Executive Director, American Stage Theatre Company’s Producing Artistic Director, Central City Opera’s President and Artistic Director, Opera Idaho’s General Director, Merola Opera Program’s Executive Director, Calgary Opera’s Artistic Director, Apollo’s Fire’s Executive Director, New Music USA’s President & CEO, Wharton Institute of Performing Arts’ Executive Director, CATCO’s Artistic Director, Florentine Opera’s General Director & CEO, Houston Grand Opera’s Chief Financial Officer and Director of Community and Learning, and Weston Playhouse’s Executive Artistic Director. He has done organizational and strategic planning work with organizations such as Roundabout Theatre Company, Town Hall (New York City), Chicago Shakespeare Theater, New Music USA, and Madison Youth Arts Center.
He is based in New York City with his wife Paula Suozzi, Executive Stage Director of The Metropolitan Opera, and their two daughters Dorothea and Carmela. He is a graduate of New York University’s Gallatin School for Individualized Study with a concentration in Theatre Administration & Directing and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, SAG-AFTRA, and The Dramatists Guild. Jonathan proudly serves on the Board of New York City’s Classic Stage Company.