playbill vip

In the world of theatre, directors often talk about seven-year cycles; whether it’s the length of time actors should wait to tap into their emotionally/personally powerful experiences or Shakespeare’s Seven Ages of Man, the idea is the same… we change and we need to move on. With this in mind, after seven years at Newport Harbor it is my time to move on, pass the baton, step aside for the next director/producer/instructor and, with my wife, start the next chapter of our lives. Change is healthy, change is good. And although change also brings initial uncertainties, change brings growth. With my exit growth will occur. A new teacher with his or her or their ideas about the theatre will step in – as I did when I arrived – and create an imprint on the students and the school. The key as a community is not resisting this change but embracing it as a natural course of life. Every year students graduate and every year a new group of students step in, step up, and pleasantly surprise us. So too, will it be for whomever takes the helm next. Rest assured that the Newport Harbor administration will find the right fit. 

Thank you for the past seven year cycle and always be open to change.

Regards,

Mr. Joseph D’Aquino

Theatre Instructor and Program Director, 2016-2023