Joe Dowling will step down from his post as artistic director of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis at the end of the 2014–15 season. He has led the theatre for 20 years. It was during Dowling’s tenure that the flagship theatre underwent a dramatic expansion into a three-theatre complex on the banks of the Mississippi River.
At New Dramatists in New York City, Emily Morse has been promoted from director of artistic development to artistic director. Morse, who has been with the playwrights support organization since 2001, takes over for Todd London, who has left New Dramatists after 18 years to become executive director of the School of Drama at the University of Washington in Seattle. Editor of the newly released collection An Ideal Theater (TCG Books), London is also a former managing editor of this magazine.
The Neo-Futurists of Chicago has promoted Kurt Chiang, previously in the ensemble, to artistic director. He replaces Megan Mercier, who moved to California. Chiang has been a member of the Neo-Futurists since 2008.
The Pearl Theatre Company in New York City has named Hal Brooks as its new artistic director. Brooks succeeds J.R. Sullivan, who stepped down in 2013, and takes over for interim artistic director Kate Farrington. Brooks has directed three productions at the Pearl.
David Andrew Snider is the new executive director at the Hubbard Hall Projects in Cambridge, N.Y. He succeeds founder Benjie White, who stepped down after 37 years. Snider was previously the director of artistic programming at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
No Rules Theatre Company, based in both Winston-Salem, N.C., and Arlington, Va., has appointed Joshua Morgan as its first full-time artistic director. An actor and director, Morgan has worked with D.C.-area theatres such as Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Signature Theatre and Arena Stage.
Vincent Marini has stepped down as producing artistic director of Flat Rock Playhouse in North Carolina, in order to pursue other artistic opportunities. Marini had been in the position since 2009. Associate artistic director Lisa K. Bryant has been promoted to interim artistic director; she has been at the theatre since 1994.
After five years at the post, NYC’s WorkShop Theater Company artistic director Scott Sickles has stepped down. He has been replaced by Thomas Coté, who starts work at the theatre this month.
After seven years, Jeffrey Herrmann has stepped down as managing director of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. He is moving to the Pacific Northwest to become managing director at Seattle Repertory Theatre, where he takes over for Ben Moore, who is retiring after 28 years. In other Seattle Rep news, following the sudden passing of artistic director Jerry Manning, the theatre has named associate artistic director Braden Abraham as its acting artistic director; he is on a two-year contract for the position. Abraham has been on staff at the theatre since 2003.
Tom Wojtunik has stepped down as artistic director of Astoria Performing Arts Center in New York City. He led the center for six years, and during his tenure expanded APAC’s programming to include workshops and productions of new work. Additionally, Erin Moore has been named APAC’s new executive director, taking over for Taryn Sacramone, who resigned last June.
Lesley Koenig has started work as managing director of Weston Playhouse Theatre Company in Vermont. Koenig had been working with the company as its interim managing director and brings with her 12 years of nonprofit management experience.
Todd Queen has been named the new dean of Louisiana State University’s College of Music & Dramatic Arts. He begins the job this month. Queen was previously the chair of the department of music, theatre and dance at Colorado State University.
Allyson Green is the new dean of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, taking over for Mary Schmidt Campbell, who stepped down after 23 years. Green joined the university in 2012 as associate dean of Tisch’s Institute of Performing Arts.
