Erin Wilson

Erin moved back to Grand Rapids after living in New York City and Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he bartended in the East Village at night, and taught English to immigrants during the day. Born in Muskegon Heights, he now lives within five blocks of Wealthy Theatre, where he's raising a family with his partner, Amy, who is a ballet dancer and instructor. Erin started with CMC as a MoLLIE instructor and web-design teacher, then transitioned to GRTV, where he became a manager. In 2006, CMC Executive Director Laurie Cirivello tapped Erin to begin work at Wealthy Theatre.

Since that time, he has transformed a formerly independent theater that had become moribund and divisive into a lively and relevant community arts resource. He is technically adept with theater equipment but also politically and organizationally aware so that he can bring together all of the diverse communities in Grand Rapids so that they can adopt Wealthy Theater as their artistic home. The theater is part public square and part art house full of interesting people and challenging ideas. Using the theater to host the presidential debates so people can watch and learn as a community was part of thinking outside the box that Erin portrays. Under his leadership the theater has grown and prospered as an authentic organization woven into the fabric of the community. It would not be the same without him.