Max Woodward has announced his retirement as the vice president of theatre programming at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, according to Friendscript, the institution’s official newsletter. Woodward began his career at the organization as an usher in 1971, when the Center had just opened its doors.
Tony nominee and Side Show star Emily Skinner was among those who attended Woodward's retirement celebration in Washington, D.C. March 29; she took to Facebook to post kind words and photos of the event. See Skinner's post below.
A musical theatre lover, Woodward was behind some of the Center’s key events, including the 2002 Sondheim Celebration and the 2011 revival of Follies with Bernadette Peters. He worked with such show-business icons as Elizabeth Taylor; “she turned out to be the most wonderful person,” Woodward said of the star. During his initial years he also worked as an auditor, assistant house manager and general manager. In 2002 he took on the position at the helm of theatre programming.