This is a surprise.

It's a season of leaving. First Andrea Wagner makes an enigmatic departure from Giant Magnet and now Sheila Daniels leaves Intiman.

Daniels is a quiet person but an artistic dynamo—her work is usually tense, layered, and highly intelligent. Her three-actor Crime and Punishment, in both the small theater at CHAC and the big theater at Intiman, were scorching crucibles, as were her Waiting for Lefty, God's Country, and Bridge of San Luis Rey.

She's not flawless—her Streetcar left something to be desired—but she has a knack for finding new sparks in old works.

So what the hell happened? Kate Whoriskey is the new artistic director, but Bart Sher only hired Daniels two years ago and she's had a successful run. She just directed Abe Lincoln in Illinois, which was extremely popular (on KUOW even!), and extended for a few days. She seemed poised to achieve more greatness. So... what gives?

An email she's sent to friends, colleagues, and other people moored in her address book (time-stamped early this morning):

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is with great mixed emotions that I write to tell you I will be leaving Intiman as of December 4th, 2009. Although it is painful to me to go, it is a personal decision that is full of hope and about moving on to being a full time artist, which is simply impossible to do while maintaining an administrative position.

I will remain a friend of this theatre and an enthusiast for Kate's future vision for the theatre. For that reason, it was a hard decision to leave at this time. I am grateful to Kate for offering to include me directly in this future including the offer to direct next year's Scarlet Letter. After much thought, I could not find the passion for that play, but so look forward to seeing it, along with the rest of the 2010 Season and beyond.

A profile of Sheila being hired is here.

The rest of her resignation announcement is below the jump.

It seems like only yesterday that I received a call from Bart mysteriously insisting I meet with him the next morning at Café Zingaro. Five days later I was the Associate Director and my life changed radically. My impetus to come here was very much to work with and be mentored by Bart. But what has kept me here is the great Staff, Board and Community that is Intiman. I have been inspired, challenged, provoked and often elated. As an artist, Bart has given me projects that have been likened to kicking someone out of a plane in the challenge of their scope and seeming impossibility, and because of that I have grown immensely. In my involvement with the Community Programs, I have heard voices often silent in our country, and it has strengthened my resolve to make, and advocate for, theatre as something that is accessible to everybody and as a jumping off point for civic dialogue and activism. I am fortunate in that I have much work ahead of me, in Seattle and around the country, but will miss calling Intiman home.

My time at Intiman has been an amazing one, and in no small part because of all the wonderful artists I have been able to work with and interact with during my time here. I also thank all of you who gave me advice in tough times, and who have been so supportive from within Intiman, within this tremendous Seattle theater community or in late nights across the country.


With greatest respect,

Sheila