Loretta Greco
on Italy, Spain, a good beach, and Ted Lasso taking center stage
Loretta Greco became artistic director at Huntington Theatre Company last July and has already made her mark on the local theater scene, with plays and musicals such as the Tony Award-winning “The Band’s Visit” (which is being co-produced by SpeakEasy Stage Company), coming to the newly refurbished Huntington Theatre in November. A champion of new plays and musicals, Greco, who was artistic director of San Francisco’s Magic Theatre for 12 years before coming to Boston, is also passionate about creating opportunities for diverse artists. “The Huntington allows me to have a breadth of programming. The Magic, which I loved, was strictly dedicated to new work; new plays [and] new playwrights. So I’m really excited about being able to have conversations between the classics and new work, musicals. … There is more of an appetite for variety of programming here,” said Greco, 62, who said she is “beyond excited” for the upcoming season at The Huntington. “It is a season all about connection. It is a season that has thrilling new plays, incredible reimaginings of the classics, and one of my favorite musicals of the last decade, ‘The Band’s Visit,’” she said, adding that audiences can expect to see “great writing and wonderful, rich stories which ask big questions about what it is to live in the world today and stories that are both emotionally rich and full of opportunities to laugh together.” We caught up with the Miami native, who lives in Boston with her husband, Mark Luevano (a theater, TV, and film production manager), and who has a 22-year-old daughter, Sophia Brill, to talk about all things travel.
If you could travel anywhere right now, and money was no object, where would you go?
Calabria in Italy. My grandmother grew up in Cosenza [and] I’d love to experience the rich and varied terrain of the very southernmost “toe” of Italy and then to hop the ferry and explore Sicily.
Where was the first place you traveled to after COVID restrictions were lifted?
Spain: Barcelona, San Sebastian, Granada, [and] Sevilla. It was for our honeymoon and we had canceled twice, due to COVID. We spent almost a month there and it was incredible.
Do you prefer booking trips through a travel agent or on your own?
On my own. I’m always looking for a good bargain and there’s always some kind of cultural calling. I think having someone else plan it would spoil the fun of it.
Thoughts on an “unplugged” vacation?
Yes! Family vacations as a kid were an old-school version of unplugged, and the joy of hiking, swimming, cooking, eating, reading, playing cards, word games, and puzzles still holds up as the best way to truly reset and restore.
Do you use all of your vacation time or leave some on the table?
Rarely leave it on the table. Sometimes this means taking it all at once.
What has been your worst vacation experience
I’ve never had a bad vacation experience. I guess I’m really lucky.
Do you vacation to relax, to learn, or for the adventure of it all?
I am always down to relax — a great beach is my go-to — and to experience new cultures through art, nature, and food. I hope for adventure, too — but what I mean by that is hopping on the subway to enjoy a Tokyo Giants game — not sharkdiving.
What book do you plan on bringing with you to read on your next vacation?
“Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman.”
If you could travel with one famous person/celebrity, who would it be?
Ted Lasso because he’s infinitely curious and positive and fluid and all of the things you want as you explore life on another planet. And he makes me laugh.
What is the best gift to give a traveler?
A Travelpro Expandable Spinner suitcase.
What is your go-to snack for a flight or a road trip?
Almonds.
What is the coolest souvenir you’ve picked up on a vacation?
A plastic lobster bib from Luquillo kiosk No. 2 in Puerto Rico.
What is your favorite app/website for travel?
Scott’s Cheap Travel.
What has travel taught you?
Not to schedule anything before noon.
What is your best travel tip?
Solicit experiences from friends and locals alike — and don’t forget to look up.