Barrington Stage Company has named Alan Paul as its new artistic director, succeeding co-founder and current Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, who is set to retire at the end of the current season following a 27-year tenure. Paul comes to the Massachusetts company after serving as associate artistic director of D.C.'s Shakespeare Theatre Company.
"It is my great honor to be the next artistic director of Barrington Stage Company," shares Paul in a statement. "I am deeply inspired by the incredible staff and artists who have made BSC such a vibrant hub for both classics and new work. I am excited to build on BSC’s legacy as an incubator for new plays and musicals from a broad variety of voices. Musicals are my first love, and I plan to make the advancement of musical theatre a cornerstone of my vision. The Berkshires are a magical place for theatre, and I look forward to becoming an active member of the community."
Among Paul's directing credits at STC are productions of Camelot; Kiss Me, Kate; and Man of La Mancha, which hold the distinction of being the theatre's second, third, and fourth (respectively) highest-selling productions. He also directed All the Devils Are Here for the screen. Focused on developing new materials, among his commissions are Lauren Gunderson's feminist take on Peter Pan and Wendy, which premiered in 2019. Paul has also directed productions for 5th Avenue Theatre, Arena Stage, Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Studio Theatre, and Round House Theatre.
"After a comprehensive nationwide search led by AlbertHall&Associates, Alan proved to be the perfect choice to succeed Julie,” says BSC Board of Trustees President Marita Glodt. "He is an enormous talent, a successful director, a collaborative leader, invested in community, and a champion of diversity and inclusion. He has demonstrated his love of classics, musicals, and new works and his extensive knowledge of the theatrical canon. He will honor the past and develop new and exciting programming for our audiences. We are thrilled that he will be joining Barrington Stage as our artistic director and look forward to introducing him to the Berkshires."
"I am pleased and delighted with the choice of Alan Paul to lead BSC," adds Boyd. "He has a history of bold and inventive work in new musicals and classics, both with the Shakespeare Theatre Company and at prestigious theatres around the country. Moreover, we connected artistically from the moment I met him. I am so proud of the work we’ve done at BSC in close to three decades, but it is time for someone to lead the theatre in exciting new directions, both on our stages and in our community. Alan is the ideal person to be Barrington Stage's new artistic leader."
BSC's A Little Night Music, starring Emily Skinner, Jason Danieley, and Mary Beth Peil and directed by Boyd, is poised to begin on the company's Boyd-Quinston Stage August 6, with the world premiere of All of Me following from September 21. At the St. Germain stage, Mark H. Dold and Kevin Isola will lead Waiting for Godot beginning August 19. Visit BarringtonStageCo.org.
