MALVERN, PA.: People’s Light has promoted director of finance and operations Erica Ezold to managing director. Ezold will enter her new role as of May 1, and will focus her attention on the theatre’s systems, infrastructure, revenue generation, and growth capacity. Longtime managing director Grace Grillet retired from the role in 2013.
“Erica has the talent, knowledge, patience, and passion to help steer our organization through this
daunting time,” said producing artistic director Zak Berkman in a statement. “I’m excited for her to take on this new role and to work closely together to serve the distinctive and diverse communities in our region. People’s Light will become an even greater hub for live performance and storytelling thanks to her leadership.”
A native of the Philadelphia suburbs, Ezold is passionate about producing and managing new theatrical work. She moved to New York City for college, and earned a BFA from New York University and an MBA from Baruch College. Ezold spent the following five years producing independently and serving as the management associate at New York City Ballet before transitioning to commercial theatre management. She worked on several productions between 2007 and 2014, including The Two Character Play (associate general manager, Off-Broadway, 2013), West Side Story (associate company manager, Broadway, 2009), August: Osage County (assistant company manager, Broadway, 2008), and Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell (company manager, Off-Broadway, 2007).
Ezold returned to the Philadelphia region in 2014 after accepting the role of general manager at Pig Iron Theatre Company. There, she supported the company’s innovative theatre makers as well as the next generation of devisers attending Pig Iron’s Master’s program. In 2018, Ezold joined People’s Light as director of finance and was promoted to director of finance and operations in 2020. In addition to her work at People’s Light, Ezold teaches theatre management as an adjunct faculty member at University of the Arts and serves as a member of the Forum of Executive Women in Philadelphia.
“It’s been my honor to support the mission of People’s Light to create opportunities for our diverse
communities to celebrate their shared humanity over the last four years,” said Ezold in a statement. “I am thrilled at the opportunity to continue this necessary work in my new role. I look forward to collaborating with our producing artistic director Zak Berkman, as well as our tremendous staff and board, to deepening my relationships in the community, and to supporting the spark that is People’s Light.”
Founded in 1974, People’s Light is known for its resident company of artists, wide array of productions, and innovative work with young people. People’s Light is a civic and cultural center that invites and creates opportunities for diverse communities to celebrate our shared humanity. As of 2023, the theatre had a budget of approximately $7.2 million.
