The Heiress

Seema Sueko

Director

joined the Arena Stage staff in July 2016 as deputy artistic director and has since directed The Price and Smart People. She previously served as associate artistic director at The Pasadena Playhouse and executive artistic director of Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company. Her directing and acting credits include The Pasadena Playhouse, People’s Light, The Old Globe, San Diego Repertory, Yale Repertory, 5th Avenue Theatre and Native Voices, among others. As a playwright, she received commissions from Mixed Blood Theatre and Center Stage. Her work has been recognized by the California State Assembly, NAACP San Diego, Chicago Jeff Awards, American Theatre Wing and American Theatre magazine. Seema developed the Consensus Organizing for Theater methodology, has done research on the neuroscience of acting and serves on the Diversity Committee of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Ruth and Augustus Goetz

Playwrights

collaborated on many Broadway plays including Franklin Street (1940); One Man Show (1945); The Heiress (1947); The Immoralist (1954); and The Hidden River (1957). The Goetzes also collaborated on the films The Heiress (Academy Award winner, 1949); Sister Carrie (1950); Rhapsody; Trapese; and Stagestruck. Augustus Goetz died in 1957 and was memorialized by Ruth in her play Sweet Loved Remembered (1959). Her last play was Madly in Love (1963). The daughter of theatrical producer Philip Goodman, Ruth was trained in all aspects of the theatre. Ruth died in 2001. They were founding members of the Dramatists Guild.