MINNEAPOLIS: The Guthrie Theater has named Trisha Kirk their new managing director. Kirk has served as the theatre’s interim managing director since last September.
“Throughout her tenure with the Guthrie, Trish has received promotion after promotion and has excelled in every role she has taken on,” artistic director Joseph Haj said in a statement. “I am excited for our continued partnership and for what will be possible at the Guthrie under her leadership.”
Kirk has been a member of the Guthrie team since 1985 and has held various positions, including season ticket manager, box office manager, and marketing manager, and, later, director of marketing. In 2016, she began overseeing the theatre’s communications and front-of-house departments, and joined the senior management team in 2019. Kirk is a lifelong Twin Cities resident and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota.
“To say I’m honored and excited to fill this role would be an understatement,” Kirk said in a release. “I’m incredibly proud to have spent nearly my entire career at the Guthrie working alongside an unbelievably talented and dedicated staff, committed volunteers, and the smartest and most supportive audiences in the country. I look forward to working even more closely with Joe and hope that my history and experience with the organization can help us continue to serve our audiences and community in meaningful ways.”
In addition to Kirk’s promotion, the Guthrie also named Krista Matthews to be their new director of development. Matthews, who began her role last month, previously served as the chief development officer for Planned Parenthood North Central States. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School.
The Guthrie Theater is dedicated to producing a mix of classic and contemporary plays and cultivating the next generation of theatre artists. It is home to three state-of-the-art stages and serves the people of Minnesota as a vital cultural resource. As of 2022, the theatre had a budget of approximately $29.5 million.
