Maria Gobetti directed the theatre’s first production – and the world premiere – of Beth Henley’s critically acclaimed The Miss Firecracker Contest. She recently directed the critics’ choice, world premieres of Resolving Hedda by Jon Klein, The Engine of Our Ruin by Jason Wells, and Pie in The Sky. Among prior plays: the Shoplifters, and the critically acclaimed production of the west coast premiere of Ten Cent Night. She has directed over 80 plays, including My Old Friends by Norman Sachs and Mel Mandel. Maria is the Director of the Gobetti-Ormeny Acting Studio, coaches at various major studios, and teaches at the New York Film Academy.

Maria spent two years as Director of Development for The Brillstein Company, and worked as both director and coach at Hanna-Barbera. A member of the Directors’ Guild as well as Women In Film, and Women in Theatre. She chaired the producers committee of the 99 seat/AEA Review Committee.

Awards: 1992 WIT Outstanding Achievement In Theatre; Red Carpet Award for Excellence in Theatre (with Tom Ormeny); 2017 Los Angeles Drama Circle Critics’ Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre and Direction and she and Tom Ormeny’s received the 2017 Stage Raw Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Maria Gobetti and Tom Ormeny are the co-founders of The Victory Theatre Center.

Tom Ormeny was born into a theatrical family in Hungary and continues the legacy as Artistic Co-Director of the Victory Theatre Center. He was instrumental in forming the Los Angeles Municipal Promotions (LAMP) and is President Emeritus of the Board of Governors of Theatre LA. Tom is also the proud recipient of The Los Angeles Theatre Alliance’s James A. Doolittle Award for Leadership in Theatre.

Tom directed the unanimously, critically acclaimed Who’s Your Daddy? by Johnny O’Callaghan. He moved the show to the Edinburgh Festival, and then to New York to The Irish Arts Theatre in Chelsea in April of 2013, with Tom as Director. He produced the world premiere comedies The Engine of Our Ruin, by Jason Wells, Pie in the Sky by Lawrence Thelan, Resolving Hedda by Jon Klein & Sex and Education by Lissa Levin. He is currently at work producing the Halfway Home musical workshop by Jon Klein, Norman Sachs and Mel Mandel.

As a director, Tom received many awards for the Victory’s production of The Mound Builders and he recently directed a world premiere production for The National Theatre of Hungary. Tom’s other directing credits include the award winning Olympic Arts Festival production of Back to Back and the Victory’s original production of Venus in Orange. He has numerous producer credits including the Drama Critics Circle award-winning On the Money, and wrote and produced the world premiere of Life On The Line.

Tom recently appeared in the critically acclaimed Broken Glass at the Victory as well as a guest starring role in Grey’s Anatomy. Tom is a devoted teach acting coach at the Gobetti-Ormeny Acting Studio, & has taught at Cypress College and the New York Film Academy. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America. He is also a member of AEA, AFTRA and SAG.tomormeny@mindspring.com