Wojtunik, who previously helmed Proof for the Astoria theatre company, has also directed the Off-Broadway productions of The Miss Education of Jenna Bush, The Play About the Naked Guy, and served as a resident director of Ensemble Studio Theatre.

"I am committed to continuing the tradition of high quality theatre and entertainment that APAC audiences have come to expect," Wojtunik said in a statement. "I am floored by how supportive the Astoria community is to APAC – it's clear they believe a local professional theatre is vital. Programming a season is a great responsibility and I look forward to beginning this dialogue with APAC audiences – a dialogue that takes shape through the work we put on our stages. I am eager to produce relevant plays and musicals that resonate with our audience, but new work will now be a major facet of future programming as well."

Wojtunik will premiere APAC's new works program The 15/20s, a series of staged readings that will allow audiences a peek at the developmental process of plays and musicals.

Named for Equity's staged reading guidelines, which allow 15 hours of combined rehearsal and performance time for a play and 20 hours for a musical, the series will commence with Woyzeck: Homecoming by Eric Henry Sanders, directed by Wojtunik, on Oct. 8 at 7 PM.

Additional titles for The 15/20s include End of Land by Kathleen Warnock, The Patient River by Kevin Brofsky and Sans Merci by Johnna Adams. Also on the bill for the 2008-2009 season at APAC is the Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens and Terrence McNally musical Ragtime, as well as Lillian Hellman's The Children's Hour.

Complete casting and dates will be announced at a later date.

For tickets and further information visit apacny.org.