Looking Ahead

Fort Worth's Circle Theatre welcomes trailblazing new artistic director

Ashley H. White in front of Circle Theatre

Ashley H. White is Circle Theatre's new artistic director.

Photo by TayStan Photography

A leadership change is happening at Circle Theatre, with interim associate producer Ashley H. White being named its new artistic director.

White was previously the co-founder and artistic director of Imprint Theatreworks, which folded in late 2022 after five years of critically acclaimed productions.

In her new position, White "aims to grow Circle Theatre into a creative hub where artists and audiences can gather to share and experience stories which embrace the essence of humanity through innovative live theater."

A release states that White’s focus during her first year as artistic director will home in on the pillars of curiosity, collaboration, and community.

Her progression to artistic director comes after a multi-year relationship with Circle Theatre, having previously served as the resident fight and intimacy director for two years, and then acting as Circle’s interim associate producer for its current season.

In her time as interim associate producer, White launched initiatives for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion, complete with a 12-month plan for training and expansion, as well as a plan for building community beyond the traditional show-going experiences through plus-up experiences and community partnerships. White plans to build upon both of these initiatives in her new role.

White's upcoming first season, which will be announced in early fall, will feature shows ranging from reimagined classics to lesser-known yet inventive performances.

“I am beyond thrilled to be taking on this new role with Circle Theatre, a company I so love working with and have long admired," says White. "The Circle mission of captivating and engaging community through the art of live theater is one I hold very dear to my heart and aim to embrace and embolden through my work as the new artistic director.”

Additionally, Circle Theatre plans to organize post-show talkbacks with a purpose, connecting with nonprofits and leaders in the community alongside exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses to deepen the connection between artists and the audience.

Attendees can also look forward to supplemental events such as wine tastings, live music, samplings of Fort Worth food, gallery partnerships, and other experiences showcasing the talents of local artists.

“Circle Theatre is ecstatic about adding the talented Ashley H. White to our staff full time as the new artistic director," says Circle executive director Tim Long. "She’s a wonderful collaborator and her experience, expertise, and inventive insight truly make those who work around her better. I have seen her insatiable drive and curiosity firsthand and know she is eager in continuing and advancing the goal of making Circle an artistic hub for artists and audiences members alike.”

First up for White is directing the upcoming musical The Other Josh Cohen (with book, music, and lyrics by David Rossmer and Steven Rosen), running August 24 to September 16, 2023.

White has two decades of experience in creating theater, and is an accomplished director of more than 40 productions, both local and national, as well as extensive film and television credits.

She has also been nominated for Innovation in Directing awards through SDC, The National Union for Directors and Choreographers.

White is a certified intimacy director with IDC Professionals and is a certified teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. She is the only person to hold both of these certifications in DFW, and only one of two in the state of Texas.

Initiatives currently being built for Circle to support emerging playwrights through a new script development program, providing space and workshopping opportunities for local playwrights to incubate their new works.

Circle will also continue to offer professional development training opportunities for artists and actors, including continuations of their recent sold-out Meisner workshops.

theater

Ancient Sculpture News

Fort Worth museum one of only 3 in U.S. to get rare sculpture exhibit

Lorenzo di Masi/Torlonia Collection

The Torlonia Nile

A major exhibition of ancient Roman masterworks is coming to the U.S. for the first time to be viewed at only three museums — including the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.

Called Myth and Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection, it's an assemblage of works stewarded by the Torlonia Family beginning in the early-19th century, and will be installed at the Kimbell from September 14, 2025 – January 25, 2026.

As part of the Foundation’s mission to showcase these historical works to the public, the exhibition will premiere at the Art Institute of Chicago on March 15 through June 29, before traveling to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. Its third stop will be at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, from March 14 - July 19, 2026.

The Torlonia Collection was established during the course of the 19th century by the Franco-Italian banker Prince Giovanni Torlonia and his son Alessandro, then handed down over generations, eventually growing into the largest private collection of ancient Roman sculptures.

Today, the Torlonia Foundation represents the culmination of the Family’s continued passion for art. Created at the behest of Prince Alessandro Torlonia (1925–2017), the Foundation’s mission is to preserve and promote the Torlonia Collection and Villa Albani Torlonia.

In 1876, Prince Alessandro Torlonia (1800-1886) created a museum to house and exhibit the Family’s holdings, which was open to small groups until its closure at the onset of World War II. The sculptures remained unseen by the public from that time until the Foundation’s first exhibition at the Musei Capitolini in Rome in 2020. That was followed by a stint at the Louvre, the first presentation of the collection outside of Rome, where it has drawn more than 600,000 visitors to date, an unprecedented feat.

The exhibit
The curators of Myth & Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection are Lisa Ayla Çakmak and Katharine A. Raff of the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition is co-organized by the Art Institute of Chicago and the Torlonia Foundation, in collaboration with the Kimbell Art Museum, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and The Museum Box. All of the sculptures in the exhibition have been restored by the Foundation with the support of Bvlgari.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue co-published by the Art Institute of Chicago and the Torlonia Foundation, edited by Lisa Ayla Çakmak and Katharine A. Raff, with essays by Silvia Beltrametti and Salvatore Settis.

The North American presentation will feature 58 highlights from the Torlonia Collection, including 24 newly restored works that have not been on view in nearly a century. The sculptures date from approximately the 5th century BCE to the early 4th century CE, with the majority of the works dating to the High Imperial period (1st–2nd centuries CE). Highlights include examples of the most emblematic genres of ancient marble sculpture, acquired by the Torlonia Family from the most prominent collections of Rome’s patrician families, as well as from excavations made on the Family’s own estates throughout Italy.

“The Foundation is excited to be sharing the Torlonia Collection with audiences in North America for the first time. This exceptional group of ancient sculptures is a testament to the enduring cultural legacy of ancient Rome, as well as the vision and passion of multiple generations of the Torlonia Family,” said Alessandro Poma Murialdo, President of the Torlonia Foundation.

The presentation is organized thematically in six sections, featuring sculptures found on the Torlonia Family’s properties in Rome and the surrounding suburbs and their estate in Porto, Portugal, as well as a number of exceptional sarcophagi (stone coffins), among the largest sculpted works in marble to survive from ancient Rome.

The tour reinforces the work of the Foundation to advance the appreciation and understanding of this unparalleled collection and the rich cultural heritage it represents. The Foundation’s mission is carried out through a continuous joint effort between the public and private sectors, including with the cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Culture. The Foundation is supported by a longstanding collaboration with Bvlgari as the principal sponsor of the restoration project since its inception in Rome and throughout the global tour, and Chiomenti, who has lent invaluable support to the Foundation’s core activities.

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