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. Mr. West has been an active member of the professional theater community for over 20 years. 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. Mr. West’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, Mr. West has recently helped place talented individuals through such successful search projects as Arena Stage’s Artistic Director, Seattle Rep’s Artistic Director, MacDowell’s 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, 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, Actors’ Equity Association’s Central Regional Director, Florentine Opera’s General Director & CEO, Houston Grand Opera’s Chief Financial Officer, and Weston Playhouse’s Executive Artistic Director. As a frequently published writer, Mr. West has contributed to and edited arts and architecture publications nationwide.
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.