Carmel Community Players has named Hannah Janowicz its artistic director.
The Noblesville resident has been involved in performance art from a young age, performing in more than 20 productions and providing costuming, makeup, prop making and assistant direction.
Janowicz graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in public communication and theatre studies, with an emphasis in arts administration and advocacy. Since then, she has worked in marketing, ticket sales and community outreach for various theater companies, including Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre and Muncie Civic Theatre. She recently returned to the stage and was featured in CCP’s 2022 productions of “The Fantasticks” and “Shipwrecked! An Entertainment.”
Janowicz is replacing Lori Raffel, who she met while working on CCP’s production of “Shipwrecked!”
Raffel, who has served on CCP’s Board of Directors since 1999, stepped down as artistic director in November 2022.
“Hannah taking over the artistic direction is a great start in a new direction,” Raffel stated. “I have enjoyed every minute of my experience with CCP, and I plan to continue directing for them. I am thrilled with Hannah accepting this position, and I know she will bring her considerable knowledge and creativity with her.”
Janowicz said the CCP community gave her a strong welcome as an actor.
“I’m eager to step into the role and begin preparing for a new season, as I know I have big shoes to fill,” she said. “Community theater cultivates such a unique space for play, exploration and connection. As theatre artists, we never truly stop learning, be it through auditions, board meetings, rehearsals, or a seat in the audience. What a gift it is to learn while we play. I’m so fortunate to begin this journey with CCP. I believe we have new stories to tell, new faces to meet and new opportunities to bring our audiences back for more.”
Janowicz is responsible for managing the main stage artistic activity of CCP and reporting to the board of directors. In addition, she assumes responsibility for conceiving, developing and implementing the artistic vision and the focus of the theater.
