Jim Vagias co-founded ATG in 2012 with Joe Mancuso and Rick Sordelet and has served as Producing Artistic Director since its inception. We spoke with him about his experiences as he prepares to retire July 1st.

Tell us about some of your happiest memories with ATG:

JV: There have been so very many, it’s hard to just select one.  If forced to choose, I’d have to say the opening night of Bridges of Madison County was truly spectacular. It is our tradition to gather the cast before the post-show party and then introduce them to our guests as they enter the room. While there is usually an “arc” of applause, that night the applause just kept growing louder and louder and seemed to go on forever. Our incredible cast was certainly deserving of this, and it is truly a memory I’ll never forget.

Also, Purlie was a show I’ve wanted to produce for 40 years, so the entire experience – from auditions, to walking into the first day of rehearsal, through the final show, was the realization of a life-long dream. When the closing curtain fell, the cast and crew huddled in a circle, crying and celebrating the experience. It was just extraordinary.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention our last two Galas. Two years ago we honored our Founding Board member Michele Pawk who has been so instrumental in our success: it was so fulfilling to be able to acknowledge all she has done. And of course, I was overwhelmed and humbled to be honored at this year’s event. It was definitely one of the best nights of my life.

But again, these are just a few of the countless joyous moments during the last 14 years.

How about some of your proudest moments?

Again, there have been many, but winning four Audelco Awards (recognizing excellence in Black Theatre) for Purlie, was incredible. While I don’t usually put much credence in awards, this production was a “big lift” for us and the industry recognition was very satisfying. I saw the original Broadway production four times and our phenomenal cast has made me forget that original award-winning cast.

And ATG has always focused on nurturing young artists, so I’ve been very proud to work with students and people at the start of their careers and watch them grow as artists.  That has been enormously fulfilling.

What have been some of the biggest challenges?

Anyone in theater will say it’s about finding the money. We are forced to produce with limited resources and have asked our staff and artists to go above and beyond, and against all odds. Whether faced with a shorter rehearsal period, fewer cast members or musicians, I’d like to think we’ve produced outstanding work.

Any regrets? What show do you wish you could have produced?

I can’t honestly say I have any regrets because it’s been a joyous ride.  That said,  I was disappointed that we were not able to produce a musical version of the Dudley Moore movie, Arthur.  Many years ago, I knew the commercial producers, who had hoped to mount a Broadway production after it had a run at Goodspeed, but it never came to fruition. It was a great story with a wonderful score and it’s a shame it never moved forward.  We also wanted to do Stephen Schwartz’s The Baker’s Wife this past season, but once it was announced for off-Broadway, we didn’t want to have to compete with that production.

Can you talk about the impact ATG has had on the community and on artists?

It is always so fulfilling to host our DramaFest event for high school students; to see the excitement the students feel in working with industry professionals, then witnessing their reactions to one of our performances and watching their thrill when interacting with the actors post-show. I remember one DramaFest in particular.   One of ATG’s Co-founders Rick Sordelet had just finished leading a workshop, and  right before the dinner break, told a theater full of students to spend five minutes to talk to a student they had never met from another school.  This five-minute “exercise” lasted almost 30 minutes: the students were so excited to meet fellow theater-lovers that they kept ignoring our entreaties to break and go for dinner!  And again, in the lobby after the performance, as the cast mingled with students, the teachers were unable to get anyone back on the buses to leave.  Two teachers on the way out came up (one with literal tears in her eyes) and said basically the same thing:  ‘…This is a day my students will remember for the rest of their livers.’  Similarly, it’s wonderful to see the pride and sense of discovery and accomplishment from high school students participating in our New Works/New Voices playwriting program. At the end of the program, professional actors perform the students’ new works. I remember one student watched her play being performed and said, beaming, “I made that.”

What’s ahead for you in retirement? After having to step into our production of My Fair Lady to take over for an actor who fell ill, will we be seeing you on stage again?

I have no desire to perform right now; I’ll leave that to the people with talent…. But I do want to spend more -- and less harried -- time with my wife and daughter, extended family and friends. I’ve taken up the guitar and look forward to spending more time on that. I’m also toying with joining a barbershop quartet. Overall, I want to allow myself to be open to the adventures and opportunities that await me. I am very excited about the future.

What will you miss most?

I will really miss working with the artists…walking into a rehearsal room and experiencing people working at the top of their game. I’ll even miss Tech Week, when everyone is focused and comes together towards a common goal.  There is such joy in seeing all the parts of a production gel into a cohesive whole. And I will certainly miss interacting with our audiences – hearing their feedback and seeing how our shows have affected them.

Lastly, how would you like your tenure with ATG to be remembered?

First and foremost, as the co-founder of a company with heart. That has always guided everything we do. And I hope that people will say I was a leader who loved artists, someone who made them feel safe, cherished and appreciated.

On behalf of the many young and established artists you have inspired, we thank you, Jim, for the enormous legacy you leave behind.