Bari Newport joined GableStage Theatre Company as producing artistic director in June 2021. Her tenure follows the legendary leadership of Joseph Adler, “the godfather of South Florida theatre” and the producing artistic director of GableStage from 1988 - 2020.  

Bari is known for her creative methods of centering a theatre company in a community. Whether it’s giving out hundreds of potted plants on Earth Day or designating Thursdays as Give a Dog a Bone Days, Bari’s belief that a theatre company is a citizen in a community rather than simply a place where plays are produced, has been the bellwether of her career.  

Bari came to Miami from the Penobscot Theatre Company in Bangor, Maine where she served as producing artistic director for nine and a half seasons. Previously, she was artistic associate at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, artistic/literary manager at the Pasadena Playhouse, associate producer at Atlanta’s Horizon Theatre and associate director of Florida Repertory Theatre. As a producer, Newport has been responsible for the creation and stabilization of a wide range of artistic initiatives, including extensive work in new play development, education and community engagement. 

Her work as a director and actor has been seen at Horizon Theatre Company, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, American Stage, Cumberland County Playhouse, Florida Repertory Theatre, Penobscot Theatre Company, Sacramento Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. At GableStage, Bari has directed The Price, The Year of Magical Thinking, Heisenberg, We Will Not Be Silent, A Doll’s House Pt. 2, The Thanksgiving Play and The Lehman Trilogy.

She earned her BFA from the University of Southern California and her MFA from the University of Iowa. Bari is a 25 year member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and the Actor's Equity Association.