Something in the works? Former White House photographer spotted scoping out The Zeiterion

Seth Chitwood, Standard-Times
·2 min read
5
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

NEW BEDFORD — The Chief Official White House Photographer for President Obama was spotted scoping out The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center on Wednesday.

Pete Souza, a Dartmouth native, best known for serving as the director of the White House Photography Office, took a tour of the theater with Executive Director Rosemary Gill and Penny Pimentel, marketing director of The Zeiterion.

Although Pimentel was quiet about the reason for Souza's official visit, she did hint that it could be about a future appearance in which he would hit the stage to share images, discuss his books and tell a few stories about his time in the Oval Office.

“Our 2022-23 season will be announced at the end of August, so until then our lips are sealed,” teased Gill.

Pete Souza, Dartmouth native and famed Chief Official White House Photographer for President Obama, tours The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center with Executive Director Rosemary Gill, right, and Marketing Director Penny Pimentel, center.
Pete Souza, Dartmouth native and famed Chief Official White House Photographer for President Obama, tours The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center with Executive Director Rosemary Gill, right, and Marketing Director Penny Pimentel, center.

Will he bring his show to The Z?

In April 2019,  New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks! and the New Bedford Historical Society presented a solo exhibition Souza's work, titled "Obama: An Intimate Portrait, A South Coast Look into The White House Photographs by Pete Souza," and featured 50 photographs hand-selected by Souza.

“You can’t plan for the way your career is going to go," Souza said in an interview with Cape Cod Life. "When I look back at decisions I made 20 or 30 years ago and how they led to things that happen in the present day, it’s still amazing to me.

Pete Souza, Dartmouth native and famed Chief Official White House Photographer for President Obama, tours The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center with Executive Director Rosemary Gill, right.
Pete Souza, Dartmouth native and famed Chief Official White House Photographer for President Obama, tours The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center with Executive Director Rosemary Gill, right.

"If I had turned left instead of right, who knows where I would have ended up. That’s the way life goes.”

Souza also worked as a photographer for the Chicago Tribune, stationed in Washington D.C. from 1998 to 2007. He started his career at the Chanute Tribune and the Hutchinson News in Kansas.

"We hope the stars align to bring this photographer and best-selling author back to the South Coast soon," Gill said, adding to check the website for possible updates.

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter: @ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: White House photographer Pete Souza tours Zeiterion in New Bedford