WARWICK, R.I.: The board of directors of the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre has hired Jason Cabral to be the theatre’s new executive director. Cabral comes to the Gamm with a background of having been raised in the region, as well as leadership experience driving fundraising campaigns and operations at nonprofits nationwide, including prominent performing arts organizations in New York City and Los Angeles. With a start date of Aug. 21, Cabral will work alongside the theatre’s artistic director, Tony Estrella. He succeeds Amy Gravell, who served as the Gamm’s managing director for four years.
“Returning to the theatre in a region where my passion for the art form began is both humbling and exciting,” Cabral said in a statement. “Growing up in nearby Fall River and attending college in Providence, I have a firsthand understanding of this state’s unique cultural landscape, and I look forward to cultivating an audience that mirrors its beauty and diversity.”
Before returning to New England in 2021, Cabral held senior fundraising roles at the Public Theater and Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, and most recently at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles. At these organizations, he played a pivotal role in building systems that prioritized patron engagement, helped steer strategic planning, and improved internal productivity and collaboration. In recent years, he has helped spearhead strategic initiatives with large nonprofit organizations including the ASPCA, and both the NAACP and Habitat for Humanity International as a senior consultant for CCS Fundraising. Cabral holds an MFA in acting from Wayne State University and a BA in theatre performance from Rhode Island College. Prior to working as an administrator, Cabral was an actor and teaching artist.
Cabral joins the Gamm at a time of ongoing recovery in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as great potential. The theatre is facing the same recognized economic challenges as all nonprofit regional theatres across the country. At the same time, the Gamm is seeing a positive trend with subscription sales as compared to last season, and the theatre’s education department has fully resumed collaborations with public and private K-12 schools, with new partnerships presenting an opportunity for growth.
Estrella said he is encouraged by indicators of growth and looks forward to working with Cabral to continue that trend.
“It’s no secret that the theatre industry is at a critical juncture right now,” Estrella said in a statement. “We are running at full speed artistically but still working furiously to draw audiences back up to pre-pandemic levels and beyond. Jason’s fresh energy, intelligence, and vision are exactly what we need to invigorate our next phase. I’m excited to introduce an accomplished new leader to the Rhode Island arts community.”
Founded in 1984, the Gamm Theatre aims to tell stories that entertain, provoke, and engage seriously with the most important issues of our time. The Gamm is a regionally recognized, award-winning theatre and a proud member of New England Area Theatre (NEAT), a bargaining unit of the Actors’ Equity Association. As of 2022, the theatre’s budget was close to $2.5 million.
