Rick Dildine starts this month as executive director of Shakespeare & Company in Lennox, Mass. He was formerly the artistic and executive director of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, a role he occupied since 2009.
Michelle Preston is the new executive director of SITI Company in New York City. Preston first joined SITI in 2012 as deputy director and has been interim executive director since January.
Peter Ellenstein has announced that he will step down as artistic director of the William Inge Center for the Arts in Independence, Kans., in December. Ellenstein has held the position since 2002. A search for his replacement is underway.
Julie Crosby left the post of producing artistic director of Women’s Project Theater in New York City after a disagreement with the board. Crosby was first hired in 2005 as the theatre’s managing director. Lisa McNulty, who served as artistic line producer at Manhattan Theatre Club since 2006, was named to succeed Crosby.
Todd Olson has stepped down from the artistic directorship of American Stage Theatre Company in St. Petersburg, Fla., a position he held since 2003. Olson left to become the executive director of Columbia Festival of the Arts in Maryland.
Brett Smock is the new producing artistic director of Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival and Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in Auburn, N.Y. He takes over for Ed Sayles, who retired after 33 years. Smock first began working with the Playhouse 22 years ago, as a dancer in the 1992–93 season.
Grant Turner has joined Portland Shakespeare Project in Oregon as its co-artistic director. He will be leading the company with founding artistic director Michael Mendelson. Turner was previously the artistic director of Northwest Classical Theatre Company in Portland, which he founded in 1998.
Bristol Riverside Theatre in Pennsylvania has appointed Jameson Gilpatrick as its managing director. Gilpatrick comes from Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Conn., where he served as general manager. He takes over for Amy Kaissar, who left to pursue commercial producing opportunities.
Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas, Tex., has a new managing director: longtime company member and development director Tim Johnson. He first joined the Kitchen Dog company in 1997.
