WASHINGTON, D.C.: Mosaic Theater Company of D.C. announced today that Reginald L. Douglas will be its new artistic director, after an extensive nationwide search conducted by Arts Consulting Group. He comes to Mosaic after serving as the associate artistic director of D.C.’s Studio Theatre, and prior to that as artistic producer at City Theatre in Pittsburgh. Douglas succeeds Mosaic founder Ari Roth, who stepped down under pressure from the board and other stakeholders in the fall of 2020.
“I am proud to call Washington, D.C., my home and deepen my commitment to this dynamic arts community by working with this great organization as we create our next chapters together,” Douglas said in a statement. “Building upon Mosaic’s foundation of community-centered, cross-cultural theatre, I look forward to working with our board and staff to make Mosaic a company that celebrates the rich diversity of thought, creativity, and communities that call D.C. and the DMV home. Together we will produce plays and programs, made for and with our community, that ignite thoughtful conversation, center artists and audiences of all backgrounds and neighborhoods, and value empathy, collaboration, and joy as vital to our success. I could not be more inspired and ready to begin this exciting work, using our theatre to reflect the world not just as it is but as it could be.”
Douglas is a director and producer, nationally recognized for his work in new-play development and reinvestigating the classics. Throughout his career, he has made theatre that aims to catalyze conversation, social change, and community-building. Douglas has facilitated partnerships with local and national community leaders, universities, and organizations, implemented a discount ticket program for D.C. residents in collaboration with the D.C. Public Library, commissioned artists of color to creatively reflect and respond to the Black Lives Matter movement, and developed and led fellowships and training programs for emerging arts leaders at Studio and at City Theatre.
“On behalf of the board of directors, we are delighted that Reginald L. Douglas has been chosen to lead Mosaic as its artistic director,” said board president Cathy Solomon in a statement. “His fervent love for the theatre, combined with his undeniable talent and passion for conversation-sparking work, and dedication to telling urgent and exciting stories, inject new energy to our space. We firmly believe that he is the right person at the right time for Mosaic. I can’t wait to see what he has in store.”
Douglas has developed, dramaturged, and produced over 75 plays, musicals, and multimedia projects, including collaborations with such writers as Martyna Majok, Isaac Gomez, Stephen Belber, Kimberly Belflower, Sharon Washington, and Lauren Yee, and acclaimed directors such as Chay Yew, Sheryl Kaller, Marti Lyons, Jade King Carroll, and Adrienne Campbell-Holt. Douglas currently serves on the executive committee of the board of directors of the National New Play Network and on the faculty of his alma mater, Georgetown University, where he will soon direct students in a production of Lynn Nottage’s Sweat. A member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Douglas was the recipient of the National Theatre Conference’s 2020 Emerging Professional Award.
Mosaic Theater Company of D.C. is committed to making transformational, socially relevant art, producing plays by authors on the front lines of conflict zones, and building a fusion community to address some of the most pressing issues of our times.
