Entertainment
Pulling into the Depot
Debra Levy Martinelli to become new director of Performing Arts Studio Saturday
By Adam Scott
entertainment editor
As of Saturday it's official: Debra Levy Martinelli is the new executive director of the board of trustees for the Performing Arts Studio inside Norman's historic Santa Fe Depot at 201 S. Jones Ave.
Levy Martinelli applied for the job after she saw "the board had an ad in The Norman Transcript and I thought, 'Wow, how fun would that be?'" she said.
"Most of my experience in public relations and marketing, a lot of it is in science and technology, business, law, real estate. So the opportunity to get really involved in the arts community was very appealing to me."
Levy Martinelli, who succeeds PAS founding member and Executive Director Nancy McClellan, isn't the only one new to the PAS board. Of the 16 members on the board besides her ex-officio position, eight have recently been named, including Janet Foss, Mike Jones, Neil Kingsley, Claire D. Lee, Neil Robinson, Sue Schofield, treasurer Susan Warram and Nick Wu.
"I'm very, very excited to have the opportunity to work with existing board members and new board members because they bring so much to the table and will make my job easier and a lot more fun," she said.
"They come from all walks of life. What they have in common of course is that they love art and music."
Another source of welcomed support will be McClellan herself, who Levy Martinelli said was "hanging the art" for an upcoming exhibit as this reporter interviewed Martinelli, who will hit the ground running in her new job. Sunday, the day after she officially becomes the new PAS executive director, is the date of an opening reception for "eMotion," an exhibit of paintings and photographs by local artist Janet Brenan Sherry.
"Nancy leaves very large shoes to fill," Levy Martinelli said. "She will stay active and involved with the Performing Arts Studio and I'm very grateful for that. She'll be a wonderful, wonderful resource for me but I think she's just letting me try my own wings here as executive director."
A background in journalism will be an asset to the incoming executive director.
"I'm originally from Albuquerque, N.M.," said Levy Martinelli, a former editor of the student newspaper at the University of New Mexico who then worked at ABC News Radio in New York before moving to Norman in 1996.
An official reception will be set at a later date to welcome Levy Martinelli, who also will wear another hat during her time as PAS executive director.
"I have my own public relations business that I just started a few months ago," she said. "I will continue to handle other clients while I do my part-time executive directorship of the Performing Arts Studio."
Levy Martinelli looks forward to being a part of the vibrant arts community in Norman.
"I like to think of Norman, and I think a lot of folks in this community do, as an arts and culture destination. Part of my job is to make that more visible beyond the confines of Norman. Also in the community, there are lots of people who don't know about the Depot and the fact that the Performing Arts Studio is housed here. So that is one of the things that I certainly want to make more public and invite them to come and visit and come to our events."
Levy Martinelli wants to get Normanites involved in the PAS "as members, in any way -- as art lovers, as music lovers. There is a great deal to offer" and expressed great enthusiasm for forming partnerships with other art and culture organizations "to make Norman more of a true destination."
Since it's not official until Saturday, Levy Martinelli said she couldn't speak on more definite future plans for the PAS just yet. Still, "we'll have some new things on the horizon," she said.
Adam Scott
366-3533
pop@normantranscript.com
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