SEATTLE -- Mame Hunt of San Francisco's Magic Theatre has been appointed associate artistic director at Seattle's A Contemporary Theatre, to replace Leslie Swackhamer.

Hunt, who will join the ACT staff in May, has been the artistic director of Magic Theatre since 1993. In her years there she introduced several new works and leading theatre artists including Athol Fugard's play Funland, Joseph Chaikin in Beckett's Texts For Nothing and A Huey P. Newton Story by Roger Guenveur Smith, as well as her own adaptation of the trial testimony of Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas, Unquestioned Integrity: The Hill/Thomas Hearings.

Hunt has also developed scripts by new playwrights Nilo Cruz, Jose Rivera, Claire Chafee and Marlane Meyer. Prior to her being appointed artistic director at The Magic Theatre, Hunt was Literary Manager at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

"I am truly excited and ACT is extremely fortunate to have Mame Hunt join our staff" says artistic director Gordon Edelstein. "Mame brings with her some very strong connections to West Coast writers, directors and other theatre artisans. Her vitality and spirit will be a welcome addition to ACT."

-- By David-Edward Hughes
Seattle Correspondent