Publisher David Kiley transfers theatre community website to John Sloan II

DETROIT, MI—EncoreMichigan.com Publisher and Editor David Kiley announces that the website, which has served Michigan’s theatre community for more than two decades, will transfer all rights and operations of the site to John Sloan III (AEA, SAG, DGA) effective October 31.

Sloan is a Detroit based artist and activist with over twenty years of professional experience in theatre, film, and event production. After attending the University of Michigan for Musical Theatre, he spent twelve years working as an actor for numerous regional theaters, and most notably, on the national tour of Disney’s The Lion King. Sloan moved back to Detroit in 2017 to build his company, GhostLight Creative, while producing corporate events for businesses and nonprofits in Metro-Detroit.

“I am really thrilled that John Sloan III will be carrying on EncoreMichigan.com,” says Kiley. “Eleven years ago, I took over the operation from Founder Don Calamia who wanted to retire and founded the site originally under Prime Source Media. As I retire from the operation, except for being a contributor, I know that John Sloan III is the perfect, committed person to carry it forward.”

Sloan is the Founder and Executive Director of The GhostLight Arts Initiative, a social-impact organization dedicated to the use of the performing, creative, and media arts as a catalyst for social change. As founder, Sloan also operates as the Producing Artistic Director for GhostLight’s signature project, The Obsidian Theatre Festival (OTF); founded in partnership with David Carroll and Nicely Theatre Group in 2021. In addition to producorial work, Sloan writes and directs across the state – working with Detroit Public Theatre, Detroit Repertory Theatre, Plowshares Theatre Company, and FIM, among others. As the grandson of a Tuskegee Airman, Sloan is committed to serving community. For the last seven years, he acted as Co-Lead Organizer for Black Lives Matter Detroit and as the Director of Operations and Administration for The Detroit Safety Team – recently vacating both positions in June of 2024. 

“I’m just grateful to be trusted with such an awesome responsibility,” says Sloan. “David has done an incredible job building EncoreMichigan as a platform for artists across the state.  He built upon Don’s legacy, and I’m honored to be able to build upon his.”

As part of the agreement, Kiley will stay on as a Contributor, writing reviews and occasional features. “I still have things to say about the arts and theatre scene in Michigan, but I have other creative pursuits that demand my time,” says Kiley, who is a playwright and Artistic Director and Founder of The Michigan Irish Repertory Theatre.

“I have reviewed hundreds and hundreds of reviews and logged a lot of miles. I really think EncoreMichigan is in better, younger hands now, and John will put a fresh set of eyes on things and apply his considerable insight and energy to it,” says Kiley.

Sloan will launch a new website attached to the EncoreMichingan domain January of 2025, along with a new strategic plan for growth. Kiley will remain as Editor-at-Large.  “I’m not just going to make decisions in a vacuum,” says Sloan. “EncoreMichigan belongs to the performing arts community of this state, and I want to make sure I’m listening to everyone as we build the most beneficial media platform possible.”  

Over the coming years Sloan plans to work collaboratively to build EncoreMichigan.com into a statewide media outlet that produces content across a variety of platforms. All current EncoreMichigan staff will have the opportunity to stay affiliated with the site, while new artists and creators will be encouraged to contribute. 

Kiley will retain rights to the Wilde Awards, the only state-wide award program exclusively for professional theatres. “I have a vision for how to keep The Wilde Awards going by continuing to tap the different reviewing sites and their critics to pay annual tribute to the Michigan Artist Community,” says Kiley.

This is a challenging time for regional theatres. Many have gone out of business since the return to theatre after the Covid pandemic. Many others are struggling. But Sloan and Kiley have hope that the artists who believe in the magic of live theatre will figure it out.

“Our state is sitting at an inflection point,” says Sloan. “In just the past ten years we have seen a massive influx of new producing organizations. Companies like A Host of People, GhostLight, Theatre NOVA, Open Book Theatre, The Dio Dining + Entertainment, Nicely, and Detroit Public Theatre have joined an ecosystem anchored by Plowshares, Flint Rep., Meadowbrook, The Barn, Williamston, The Encore Musical Theatre, and Detroit Rep. among others.  EncoreMichigan is uniquely positioned to support this growth, and I am so excited to stand at the helm for this next chapter.”