About Bari Newport
Bari Newport joined GableStage as producing artistic director in June 2021. Bari’s tenure follows the legendary leadership of Joseph Adler, “the godfather of South Florida theatre” and the producing artistic director of GableStage from 1988 – 2020.
Bari is known for her creative methods of centering a theatre company in a community. Whether it’s giving out hundreds of potted plants on Earth Day or designating Thursdays as Give a Dog a Bone Days, Bari’s belief that a theatre company is a citizen in a community rather than simply a place where plays are produced, has been the bellwether of her career.
Bari came to Miami from the Penobscot Theatre Company in Bangor, Maine where she served as producing artistic director for nine and a half seasons. Previously, she was artistic associate at the Tony Award winning Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, artistic/literary manager at the Pasadena Playhouse, associate producer at Atlanta’s Horizon Theatre and associate director of Florida Repertory Theatre. As a producer, Newport has been responsible for the creation and stabilization of a wide range of artistic initiatives, including extensive work in new play development, education and community engagement.
Her work as a director and actor has been seen at Horizon Theatre Company, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, American Stage, Cumberland County Playhouse, Florida Repertory Theatre, Penobscot Theatre Company, Sacramento Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. At GableStage, Bari has directed The Price, The Year of Magical Thinking, Heisenberg, We Will Not Be Silent, A Doll’s House Pt. 2, The Thanksgiving Play and The Lehman Trilogy.
She earned her BFA from the University of Southern California and her MFA from the University of Iowa. Bari is a 25 year member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and the Actor’s Equity Association. Email her at bnewport@gablestage.org.
THEATRE LEADERS AROUND THE NATION PRAISE BARI’S LEADERSHIP:
“Bari is a leader and a theatre artist to her very core. As a director, her fierce intensity is inspiring. She questions everything – every motivation, every idea, every movement. She challenges us to dig deeper, consider what the character wants, why they want it, why they need it and how can we best communicate it. She gets to the gut of the play which leads us to the gut of our performance. As the Producing Artistic Director, Bari has fearlessly and tirelessly led this company to great heights. She pushes and herself every day. It’s been a wonderful gift to see our company and ourselves through her lens. She has challenged us to dare, to dream and work hard and then a little bit harder. She challenged our ideas of what this company could do, always asking for more. We have expanded our season, our audience and our vision of what we can achieve. We will miss her so very much but she’s leaving this company better, stronger and fierce. As she says, “Onward!” ‘’
Jennifer Shepard
Executive Director
Penobscot Theatre Company
“Bari Newport is a stage director with a clear, refreshing perspective and a visionary artistic leader with a reputation for making bold, cutting-edge, and impactful theatre. I’ve known Bari as a colleague, fellow actor, director, and a friend for over fifteen years. She and I worked closely when I first came to Florida Rep, and it’s a joy to see her return to the state to lead GableStage into its next chapter. She will chart a course for the future that both embraces Joe Adler’s considerable legacy, but that cements her own as an artistic leader of consequence and vision in South Florida. It is an honor to welcome her back to Florida’s professional theatre community. I wish her nothing but the best and look forward to watching GableStage flourish under her leadership.”
Jason Parrish
AEA Actor/SDC Director, Associate Artistic Director
Florida Repertory Theatre
“Bari Newport is one of the most exciting theatrical minds I know. She is an energizing and exciting artist, the rare visionary as skilled at management and institution building as she is at creating theatre. Her work in Bangor has been grounded in commitment to the community, the highest artistic standards, and exquisite taste in projects. She will explode into Miami with warmth, fervor and passion! ‘’
Celise Kalke
Managing Director
Synchronicity Theatre
“From the Alliance Theater in Atlanta to the Pasadena Playhouse on the west coast, to her leadership tenure at Penobscot in Maine, Bari has broad and varied experience and will bring her smart, committed, community focused leadership to GableStage. I’m excited for this important theater’s future under Bari’s expert guidance.”
Joseph Haj
Artistic Director,
Guthrie Theatre
THEATRE LEADERS AROUND THE NATION PRAISE BARI’S LEADERSHIP:
“Bari is a leader and a theatre artist to her very core. As a director, her fierce intensity is inspiring. She questions everything – every motivation, every idea, every movement. She challenges us to dig deeper, consider what the character wants, why they want it, why they need it and how can we best communicate it. She gets to the gut of the play which leads us to the gut of our performance. As the Producing Artistic Director, Bari has fearlessly and tirelessly led this company to great heights. She pushes and herself every day. It’s been a wonderful gift to see our company and ourselves through her lens. She has challenged us to dare, to dream and work hard and then a little bit harder. She challenged our ideas of what this company could do, always asking for more. We have expanded our season, our audience and our vision of what we can achieve. We will miss her so very much but she’s leaving this company better, stronger and fierce. As she says, “Onward!” ‘’
Jennifer Shepard
Executive Director
Penobscot Theatre Company
“Bari Newport is a stage director with a clear, refreshing perspective and a visionary artistic leader with a reputation for making bold, cutting-edge, and impactful theatre. I’ve known Bari as a colleague, fellow actor, director, and a friend for over fifteen years. She and I worked closely when I first came to Florida Rep, and it’s a joy to see her return to the state to lead GableStage into its next chapter. She will chart a course for the future that both embraces Joe Adler’s considerable legacy, but that cements her own as an artistic leader of consequence and vision in South Florida. It is an honor to welcome her back to Florida’s professional theatre community. I wish her nothing but the best and look forward to watching GableStage flourish under her leadership.”
Jason Parrish
AEA Actor/SDC Director, Associate Artistic Director
Florida Repertory Theatre
“Bari Newport is one of the most exciting theatrical minds I know. She is an energizing and exciting artist, the rare visionary as skilled at management and institution building as she is at creating theatre. Her work in Bangor has been grounded in commitment to the community, the highest artistic standards, and exquisite taste in projects. She will explode into Miami with warmth, fervor and passion! ‘’
Celise Kalke
Managing Director
Synchronicity Theatre
“From the Alliance Theater in Atlanta to the Pasadena Playhouse on the west coast, to her leadership tenure at Penobscot in Maine, Bari has broad and varied experience and will bring her smart, committed, community focused leadership to GableStage. I’m excited for this important theater’s future under Bari’s expert guidance.”
Joseph Haj
Artistic Director,
Guthrie Theatre