Adirondack Theatre Festival (ATF) is thrilled to announce the return of its founding Artistic Director, Martha Banta, who will once again take the creative helm of the company, joining forces with Managing Director Tracey Sullivan to lead the organization into a bold new era—one that promises fresh energy, expanded programming, and world-class theatre right in the heart of Glens Falls.
Together, Banta and Sullivan are already crafting an ambitious 2026 season featuring everything audiences love about ATF - and more. Expect a Tony Award-winning musical, a brand-new world premiere by a Broadway playwright, a recent Broadway hit fresh off the stage, and the return of children’s theatre. The upcoming season will also be longer, with more performances and new opportunities to engage the community.
Banta, who founded ATF in 1994 and led its first 13 seasons, brings a wealth of directing experience from Broadway and regional theatres nationwide. Her Broadway credits include RENT and MAMMA MIA! (which recently reopened this August). She has also held artistic positions with the award-winning Off-Broadway New York Theatre Workshop and the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center. In ATF’s early years, Banta was the driving force behind transforming the vacant Woolworth’s building in downtown Glens Falls into a performance venue - a vision that paved the way for what is now the Charles R. Wood Theater, ATF’s summer home.
Sullivan, who has served as Managing Director since 2019, offers a deep understanding of the organization’s operations and a passionate commitment to ATF’s artistic and community-driven mission. The two previously collaborated on ATF’s triumphant 2021 season - the festival’s first return to live performances after the pandemic shutdown - and are delighted to be joining forces once again to guide the company’s next phase of growth.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to be working together again,” said Sullivan. “Martha and I share a deep love for this company and for the community that sustains it. We’re already collaborating closely to build a season full of energy, creativity and heart.”
“I’m so happy to be back at ATF,” said Banta. “When I founded this company, it was out of imagination, a little chutzpah, and a lot of love for Glens Falls—and look what it became! I want to contribute everything I can from my years of working on Broadway and working with theaters across the country. So much in the world, and in Glens Falls has changed, but the spark is still there and although it’s a new challenge, I’m eager to take it on. Returning now feels both familiar and full of possibility, and I’m excited for what lies ahead.”
ATF also celebrates Miriam Weisfeld, who recently concluded her tenure as Producing Artistic Director to become Producing Artistic Director at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany (part of Proctors Collaborative). Weisfeld’s artistic leadership helped shape ATF’s recent seasons, and the company is proud to see her step into this exciting new role. ATF looks forward to staying connected with Weisfeld and the Collaborative and announcing future creative opportunities between the two organizations.
With Banta and Sullivan leading the way, the Adirondack Theatre Festival is poised for a vibrant new era with an upcoming season of professional Broadway content and talent that reaffirms its mission to produce bold, original, and contemporary theatre to the heart of Glens Falls.
