Duluth Playhouse artistic leader to depart

portraits of men during interview — Duluth Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Phillip Fazio is stepping down.

By Jay Gabler

February 04, 2025 at 3:03 PM

DULUTH — Phillip Fazio, producing artistic director at Duluth Playhouse, is set to step down after five years, during which the organization saw significant growth and change.

Duluth Playhouse announced Fazio's departure in a Tuesday news release, simultaneously announcing that the organization's executive director, Wes Drummond, will see his role redefined as executive producing artistic director. The organization will launch a search for a new leadership team member with the title of associate artistic director.

"The future of the Playhouse is looking very bright, and I’m excited to see how the organization continues to grow," Fazio said in the release, which did not provide a reason for his departure. He was hired in 2020 to succeed longtime leader Christine Gradl Seitz.

Fazio and Drummond, the latter hired in 2021, have become highly visible faces of a post-pandemic era in Duluth theater. In the wake of COVID shutdowns, the Playhouse moved to consolidate programming at the NorShor Theatre, leaving the St. Louis County Depot after decades of tenancy there.

In the release, Playhouse Board President Justin Peck praised Fazio for his "bravery and decisiveness in making tough, yet necessary, changes (that) allowed the Playhouse to survive and thrive during a time when so many organizations were struggling."

actors at rehearsal — Actor Phillip Hoelscher, left, listens to Director Phillip Fazio as actor Alyson Enderle looks on during a 2023 rehearsal for the Duluth Playhouse production of "The Sound of Music."

Fazio and Drummond, both hired from out of state, have moved the Playhouse in an increasingly professional direction, raising production values and artist pay. The organization acquired what was popularly known as the Encounter building, turning it into "The Annex" and using it for storage and classroom space.

While Fazio has led the Playhouse's artistic side, directing 15 shows during his tenure, Drummond has also been highly involved in the organization's artistic endeavors. Both men are experienced directors for the stage and have earned praise for their close partnership at the organization's helm.

"Under (Fazio's) guidance, the organization saw a significant increase in ticket sales and season memberships," according to the news release. The Playhouse also expanded its commitment to diversity, enlisting national talent to join productions like "Ragtime" (2022).

"We have made great strides in broadening the voices we represent and the stories we choose to tell," said Fazio in the release. "It has been extraordinarily gratifying to see how those efforts have positively resonated with our audiences."

"The Light in the Piazza," a March production directed by Fazio, will be his last show with the organization.

By Jay Gabler

Arts and entertainment reporter Jay Gabler joined the Duluth News Tribune in 2022. His previous experience includes eight years as a digital producer at The Current (Minnesota Public Radio), four years as theater critic at Minneapolis alt-weekly City Pages, and six years as arts editor at the Twin Cities Daily Planet. He's a co-founder of pop culture and creative writing blog The Tangential; he's also a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the Minnesota Film Critics Association. You can reach him at jgabler@duluthnews.com or 218-409-7529.

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Duluth Playhouse artistic leader to depart

Producing Artistic Director Phillip Fazio, succeeding Christine Gradl Seitz, joined the nonprofit in 2020. Executive Director Wes Drummond will now take on an expanded artistic role.