London’s Young Vic has announced that Kwame Kwei-Armah will become the new artistic director in February 2018. The director and playwright, who is the outgoing artistic director of Baltimore Center Stage, is set to take over from David Lan, who is stepping down after 18 years in the role.
“To walk into the Young Vic is to come face to face with everything I love about theatre, so I am beyond humbled, if not a little scared,” comments Kwei-Armah in a statement. “But to lead this magnificent theatre at this time in our nation’s history, after such a visionary as David, excites me beyond words. I can’t wait to get started.”
“The choice the panel has made is inspired,” added Lan. “I welcome it wholeheartedly and will do whatever I can to support Kwame in the early days as he finds his own distinctive way to keep the Young Vic one of the great producing theatres of this country and the world.”
Kwei-Armah will announce his first season of work at the Young Vic in the new year.
Kwei-Armah has served as artistic director of Baltimore Center Stage since 2011, where he announced this summer that he would be leaving his position at the end of his contract. While at Baltimore Center Stage, Kwei-Armah is credited with producing three of the top-selling shows in the regional theatre’s history: The Mountaintop, Marley, and One Night in Miami….
His works as a playwright include One Love (Birmingham Rep), Marley, Beneatha’s Place (Baltimore Center Stage), Elmina’s Kitchen, Fix Up, Statement of Regret (National Theatre), and Let There Be Love and Seize the Day (Tricycle Theatre).
He was the Chancellor of the University of the Arts London from 2010-2015, and in 2012 was awarded an OBE for Services to Drama.
For more information on the Young Vic, visit YoungVic.org.
