RUDY MARCONI, President
Rudy Marconi grew up in Ridgefield. Mr. Marconi attended the Nichols College of Business Administration where he earned his BBA. Mr. Marconi joined the Ridgefield political scene in 1989 when he campaigned for a seat on the Planning and Zoning Commission.  He served in this position for 4 years when he campaigned and was elected to the Board of Selectman in 1993, an office he also held for 4 years.  In 1999, Mr. Marconi challenged the incumbent and won.  Mr. Marconi was re-elected to his fourth term as First Selectman in November of 2005. Mr. Marconi is the president of the Michael Chekhov Center since 2009.


VICTOR S. TKACHENKO, Vice president-artistic director
Victor S. Tkachenko, the founder of the Michael Chekhov Center, is the theatre director, actor, producer, and teacher with international experience. He has directed, performed and taught in Europe, Asia, and America. Victor has headed and founded several professional theatre companies and centers of theatre research. His credits in directing include around 50 classical, modern and contemporary plays and musicals. He played leading roles in numerous classical and modern plays, including main characters of Anton Chekhov’s plays. Victor’s productions won prizes in international theatre festivals. Mr. Tkachenko is the author of several scripts for musicals and articles published in global theatre press. He is the participant of international theatre symposiums and the recipient of government grants and awards.


SUZANNE BENTON, Treasurer, international liaison, art projects
Suzanne Benton is a widely recognized sculptor, mask maker/performance artist, printmaker, painter, lecturer, and workshop leader. A trans-culturalist who has shared her multi-faceted art for over 30 years in 29 countries, she’s a former Fulbright Scholar, recipient of numerous grants and artist residencies worldwide. Author of The Art of Welded Sculpture and numerous articles, Ms. Benton is listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Art, and Feminists Who Changed America




IRA JOE FISHER, Literary director
A prolific writer and poet, Ira was awarded two regional Emmys for television writing.  His poetry has appeared in Poetry New York, The Alembic, The New York Quarterly, Entelechy International, Diner, and the anthology Confrontation.  He is the author of Remembering Rew, a full-length collection of verse, Some Holy Weight in the Village Air, published by Athanata Arts of New York.  A new collection – Songs From an Earlier Century – will be issued by Athanata in 2009.  Ira has a Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry from New England College.  He has taught poetry, communications and broadcast history at New England College and he lectures and teaches at the University of Connecticut. Ira regularly performed in the long-running musical The Fantasticks from 1995 to 2000.  In the summer of 2003, he performed the role of “Henry VIII” in the musical The Prince and the Pauper at New York City’s Lambs Theatre.  He appeared in the role of “Monsignor Buckley” in the two-act reader’s theatre drama The Garden of Dromore, presented at the New York University Hot Ink Festival.   Ira has also appeared in the film “California Girls” with Robbie Benson and in the ABC daytime drama “Loving”.  He has appeared on the CBS Television Network’s Early Show.


ABBY WALKER, Educational director
As an artist, Abby has explored dance, drama, music, writing and visual art. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts at Sarah Lawrence College, she worked in graphic design and advertising, before settling at The Montessori School in Wilton, Connecticut  where she taught performing arts for seventeen years. She directed numerous  productions in classical theater including Shakespeare, Roman comedies, and Greek tragedies. She has written and produced over sixty original plays and adaptations for children.  She has
exhibited locally art created at the Silvermine School of Art. She is a founding member of the Talmadge Hill Choir. Currently, she is employed by the K.E.Y.S. program in Bridgeport