Theatre companies and art institutions on both sides of the Atlantic have made recent changes in their leadership. Read on to see who got a new job ahead of the fall theatre season.
Looking for a job in the performing arts yourself? Visit Playbill Jobs or subscribe to the new newsletter for opportunities suited for the full spectrum of theatre professionals—from actors and musicians to technical and administrative fields.
Bevin Ross
Executive Director and Co-CEO at The Drama League (New York, New York)
Ross joins Drama League Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks as co-CEO in addition to executive director duties. “Bevin is an extraordinary leader and an inspiring advocate for the American theatre; I'm over the moon to welcome her as my new partner," said Stelian-Shanks. Ross previously served as a senior leader at the New York Academy of Sciences, where she helped develop PS122’s performing arts space and and spearheaded fundraising for several PBS programs.
Nicki Hunter
Artistic Producer at Manhattan Theatre Club (New York, New York)
After 10 years at MTC in various positions, Hunter has been promoted to artistic producer, responsible for working on season programming and producing current shows. She'll work alongside Artistic Director Lynne Meadow, Director of Artistic Development Elizabeth Rothman, and Director of Artistic Producing Stephen M. Kaus. The non-profit is gearing up for its 2019–2020 season, including the Off-Broadway world premiere of Harvey Fierstein’s Bella Bella and the transfer of The Height of the Storm on the Main Stem. 2020 will bring Laura Linney in My Name Is Lucy Barton and the recently announced How I Learned To Drive starring Mary-Louise Parker.
Viviana Durante
Director of Dance at English National Ballet School (London, U.K.)
As a principal of the Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Teatro alla Scala, Durante’s work has been seen worldwide. The dancer will take over leadership responsibilities at the start of the 2019–2020 academic year. “I am passionate about treating each student as an individual and creating a secure, positive, and supportive environment in which all can flourish as intelligent artists and rounded young people,” said Durante.
David Lloyd Olson
Managing Director at Quintessence Theatre Group (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Olson will lead the theatre company, which aims to bring classic dramas to a contemporary stage. The director has been a Allen Lee Hughes management fellow at Arena Stage and is the two-time recipient of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program. Olson also brings experience from Shakespeare Theatre Company and is the founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Pointless Theatre Company.
Nick Thompson
Executive Producer, Reading Rep Theatre (Reading, U.K.)
Previously the artistic director of Old Red Lion Theatre, Thompson joins Reading Rep as it begins a campaign to open a cultural arts hub in the U.K. town, 40 miles west of London. “Reading Rep has very quickly become synonymous with artistic integrity, meaningful political, social, and educational engagement, and a leading player in the developing creative scene in Berkshire and beyond,” said the producer. Thompson has worked on several stage projects including Wild East and Bronx Gothic at the Young Vic and Labour of Love in the West End.
