AURORA | Aurora Fox Arts Center executive producer Helen R. Murray will depart this fall for a new role as the producing artistic director at the American Stage in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Murray will kick off the Fox’s 38th season with its first gala since the pandemic in September and “Futurity,” the first performance of the season in October before she leaves. A national search for her replacement will begin soon, the city announced in a Wednesday news release.
Murray came to the Fox three seasons ago after serving as artistic director of the Hub Theater in Virginia. She was responsible for shepherding the theater through the COVID-19 pandemic, which upended much of its scheduled 2020 performances and redefined live theater nationwide.
In a statement, Director of Library and Cultural Services for the city of Aurora Midori Clark praised Murray for her work during the pandemic.
“Helen helped elevate Aurora’s place in the professional theater industry with award-winning, high-quality productions and several premieres,” Clark said. “With her passion for thought-provoking shows and her intentional selection of diverse productions that contribute to conversations about important topics of our times, she set a solid precedent for the future of the Aurora Fox. Without a doubt, her shoes will be hard to fill.”
Murray said in a statement that it is bittersweet to leave the Fox but that she believes it is in good hands. She thanked the city for its support of her work.
“As the theater industry across the world struggled, Aurora saw the importance of the art we make and the stories we tell,” she said.
