Greco comes to the Magic — a company devoted to new plays — with many directing credits in New York City and around the country. She was producing artistic director of Women's Project in New York City, and served as associate director and staff producer of McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ.

Greco has strong connections to the Bay Area with past productions. She directed the world premiere of Morbidity & Mortality at the Magic and staged Speed-the-Plow, Blackbird and Lackawanna Blues at American Conservatory Theater.

Greco was appointed to the Magic after a four-month national search led by the firm Albert Hall & Associates. She will start her post immediately to begin season planning for Magic Theatre's 2008-09 season of new plays.

"I am thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with David Jobin in launching the next era of adventuresome work at Magic Theatre," Greco said in a statement. "I believe Magic's 41-year legacy of unwavering commitment to playwrights and the development of bold new work is truly paramount to the future of American theatre. I can't wait to bring my passion for new work to a city I adore and to join San Francisco's rich and wonderful community of artists."

Greco's New York credits include The Story, Lackawanna Blues, Two Sisters and a Piano (Public Theater); Victoria Martin: Math Team Queen, Touch, Gum (Women's Project); Meshugah (Naked Angels); Mercy (Vineyard Theatre); A Park in Our House (New York Theater Workshop); and Under a Western Sky (INTAR/Women's Project). "Loretta is the ideal choice to be leading the Magic at this time," stated Harold Goldstein and Missy Kirchner, co-presidents of Magic Theatre board. "Her experience and commitment to Magic Theatre's mission was clear from the first day we met her. The board and the staff are excited to be working with her to build on Magic's foundation and legacy, most recently accomplished under Chris Smith's leadership."

"Loretta’s résumé and reputation speak volumes," stated managing director is David Jobin.

Greco's regional credits include Romeo and Juliet and Stop Kiss (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); and productions at Long Wharf, South Coast Repertory Theatre, McCarter Theater, Intiman, Williamstown Theater Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Repertory Theatre of St Louis, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Playmakers Repertory Company, and the Cleveland Play House.

Greco also directed the national tour of Having Our Say as well as the play's international premiere at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Greco's own play, Passage: Stories of the Cuban Balseros, premiered at Miami's AREA Stage where it ran for six months before transferring to the Coconut Grove Playhouse.

From 2004-06 Greco served as producing artistic director of Women's Project, where she produced the premieres of Antigone Project written by Karen Hartman, Lynn Nottage, Tanya Barfield, Chiori Miyagawa and Caridad Svich; the rhythm and blues musical, Best of Both Worlds, created by Diane Paulus, Randy Weiner and composed by Diedre Murray; Rinne Groff's Inky; Neena Beeber's Jump/Cut, directed by Leigh Silverman; and Lisa D'Amour's The Cataract, directed by Katie Pearl.

Greco received her MFA from Catholic University and is the recipient of two Drama League Fellowships and a Princess Grace Award.

Founded in 1967, Magic Theatre is "solely dedicated to development and production of new plays."

For more information visit the Magic Theatre website at www.magictheatre.org.