Helen R. Murray is out at American Stage

American Stage, the oldest professional theater company in the Tampa Bay area, has announced the departure of Producing Artistic Director Helen R. Murray, effective immediately.

A reason for Murray’s exit was not given in the brief announcement posted on the nonprofit’s website.

Murray was American Stage’s third artistic director in five years. She replaced Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, who held the position for six months in 2021 and ‘22.

Maharaj was hired to replace Stephanie Gularte, who resigned for health reasons in 2021.

Gularte was diagnosed with the degenerative eye disease retinitis pigmentosa. She had served as producing artistic director since 2015.

Gularte has been re-hired as a Strategic Consultant, offering strategic counsel to staff, including Interim Artistic Director Anthony Gervais, and board leadership.

Murray arrived from Aurora, Colorado, where she had been executive director of the Aurora Fox Arts Center. Prior to that, she was co-founder and 10-year Artistic Director of The Hub Theater in Fairfax, Virginia.

During her tenure at American Stage, Murray wrote, and directed, for the stage. She programmed the last three seasons of shows. Most recently, she directed the Demens Landing Park production of Into the Woods.

Murray was the driving force behind the “Save Park” fundraising effort, launched to cover the mounting expenses of the Demens Landing shows.

American Stage and other professional theaters have felt the sting of both the pandemic, and its aftermath, and the elimination of state arts funding under Florida governor Ron DeSantis.

“We’re stable, but we’re not back to our pre-Covid numbers in either attendance or income,” Murray told the Catalyst in March. “And quite frankly, and not to be dark about it, we’ve lost people. People have passed on, and some of our larger donors moved away after the hurricanes.

“But we are seeing an uptick. While we’re seeing growth, it’s not at the speed we would like it to be. So we have to be very careful and mindful.”

“American Stage’s leadership and Board are working closely together to ensure a seamless transition,” the online notice read, “and the upcoming season will move forward as planned.”

Messages sent  to American Stage, Murray, Gervais and Gularte were not immediately returned.