This December marks 17 years at the Duncan Theatre for Mark Alexander. As Executive Director, he now oversees the operations of all three Palm Beach State College Theaters – Duncan Theatre in Lake Worth, Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center in Belle Glade and the Eissey Campus Theatre in Palm Beach Gardens.

“It has been a crash course in more effective time management and adaptive goal setting to be sure,” Alexander said. “In the broader perspective, the multi-billion dollar arts industry has changed in some drastic ways over the last two decades. In all manners of speaking, these theaters and creative companies – dance, theatre and music ensembles of every shape and form – have morphed into full blown businesses with the bottom-line never far from sight. Fiscal responsibility and artistic endeavors now share the spotlight, if you will, as equal emphasis and attention are required to be truly successful in today’s competitive entertainment & arts sector.” 

Alexander’s first job out of college was working as an accountant, giving him a leg up when it comes to the business part of show business. After ten years of success in the corporate world, he made a transition to a career in theatre management. It’s the excitement of working in the arts that keeps Alexander, who identifies as gay, coming back year after year.

“The hunger I still have for what I do after 27 years in this business — creating opportunities for the curious and even just slightly curious to experience live performances and culture,” Alexander said. “There are so many more stories to share with our south Florida communities through dance, music and theatre. I am driven by the challenges of building and cultivating new audiences.”