Andrew (鈥淢etz鈥�) Metzroth can鈥檛 contain his joy when he talks about his new job as executive director of CU Presents, effective since Aug. 5. 鈥淚鈥檝e worked toward this for a decade鈥攊t鈥檚 truly exciting,鈥� he enthuses. As part of the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music, is the home of performing arts on campus annually presenting hundreds of events by CU Boulder students and faculty, as well as world-famous guest artists.听
Overseeing CU Presents requires administrative skill, a steady hand and a cool head. Just consider the competition Metzroth had to contend with after longtime director Joan Braun retired at the end of last season.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy that the College of Music conducted a national search,鈥� says Metzroth. 鈥淚 think there were about three dozen applicants.鈥� But one look at his r茅sum茅 and it鈥檚 not surprising that Metzroth landed the position. For starters, his years of experience in nearly every aspect of the theater鈥攂ackstage, onstage, above-stage, you name it鈥攊s mind-boggling. As his local credits will attest, he鈥檚 been everywhere at CU Presents for decades. Plus, his enthusiasm is contagious.
鈥淚鈥檝e always had a love for the theater,鈥� he says. As for his relationship with CU Boulder, he became box office manager in 2007, handling ticketing for campus performing arts events for nine years. That鈥檚 no small task, he emphasizes: 鈥淭he ticketing software [Tessitura] goes incredibly deep, and takes a long time to learn and teach.鈥� Moving further up the ladder, he became director of operations at CU Presents in 2017.听
Today, Metzroth鈥檚 responsibilities entail close involvement in managing the Artist Series in Macky Auditorium and Tak谩cs Quartet concerts in Grusin Music Hall. But there are more shows to handle鈥攁 lot more. 鈥淭here are some 450 on-campus events including about 350 College of Music events, 50 Theatre & Dance Department events and 50 Colorado Shakespeare Festival performances,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚鈥檒l be involved in strategy, ticketing, and marketing and communications for all our series, particularly College of Music events. You have to know what鈥檚 important to all of them, to know their goals.鈥�
Not that he intends to remain invisible. 鈥淚 never want this to be a desk job,鈥� stresses the four-time CU Boulder alumnus. 鈥淚 see myself as a community ambassador鈥擨 want to bring audiences into performing arts experiences.鈥�
In previous years, you could usually find Metzroth behind a box office window handling ticket sales. With a laugh, he says those days may not be entirely behind him. 鈥淵eah, I might have to work there some nights, if we鈥檙e short-staffed.鈥�
But as long as there鈥檚 a show going on, CU Presents鈥� new executive director is happy. 鈥淲e鈥檙e performance- and outreach-oriented,鈥� he adds. 鈥淎n example of upcoming outreach opportunities are student matinees of [Engelbert Humperdinck鈥檚] 鈥樷�� in October. We鈥檒l be bringing in students from kindergarten through second grade. That will take some coordinating with a number of schools.鈥�
Sounds like a lot of work for 鈥淢etz鈥濃�攂ut it鈥檚 a good bet he鈥檒l be as excited as all those kids when the school buses arrive.
