CHICAGO: BoHo Theatre has named Sana Selemon to be the company’s new executive director. Selemon joined the company in 2019 and has performed in the company’s productions of 110 in the Shade  and Big Fish. Her responsibilities will include leading sustainable structural growth and fundraising to ensure a healthy and stable future for the company, which has postponed its 2020 live programming because of COVID-19.

“I cannot express how excited I am to have Sana as part of the leadership team at BoHo,” said director Stephen Schellhardt in a statement. “She believes in our mission, encompasses our core values, and has a clear vision for BoHo’s future. She brings both a passion for the arts and a strong sense of how to build caring, compassionate organizational structure. I am very much looking forward to collaborating with her on all of our upcoming projects.”

Selemon is an actor, dialect coach, and teaching artist from Columbus, Ohio. Raised by Ethiopian immigrants, she was taught to be empathetic, imaginative, and endlessly curious, all traits that led her to the theatre. She attended Ohio University and graduated with a BFA in Acting and minor in sociolinguistics, which has fueled her passion for accents and the world of language. Now based in Chicago, Sana has worked with BoHo Theatre, Pegasus Theatre, American Blues Theatre, Definition Theatre, Lifeline Theatre, Pride Films and Plays, First Floor Theater, and is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA.

Selemon is currently curating BoHo’s upcoming online cabaret “The Pursuit of Happiness: A BoHo Exploration of Freedom.” This virtual event will showcase individual relationships that BIPOC artists have with the idea of freedom.

“I also bring my personal and professional experiences as a Black woman in the industry, this in a time where that perspective is deeply needed in leadership,” said Selemon in a statement. “I firmly believe in the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight against injustice across America. I was raised to give back to my community and I can think of no better way than to combine my love of theatre and BoHo with the opportunity to bring equitable change to Chicago storefront theatre.”