ATLANTA: After a multi-month, country-wide search, Dad’s Garage Theatre has announced Stacey Sharer as its new managing director. 

“We had so many wonderful candidates, and the search committee was really taken with Stacey’s operations experience,” said board member and chair of the search committee Cicely Garret in a statement. “We’ve experienced growth and changes over the past few years, and Stacey’s expertise will be put to good use.”

 Sharer is currently executive director of Break Away in Atlanta, a national nonprofit that creates alternative breaks to engage college students in civic participation. Previously, she worked as an administrator for an improv theatre in New Orleans.

 “We’re thrilled to have found someone who has led a nonprofit organization and has a true passion for improvisation,” said incoming board chair Karl Briem in a statement.

Sharer will be starting in the role August 2nd, overlapping with outgoing managing director Lara Smith to ensure a smooth transition. Smith, whose final day at Dad’s Garage is Aug. 13, served as managing director since 2012. She notably oversaw the fundraising, location search, purchase, and renovation of a church in the Old Fourth Ward–now the permanent home of Dad’s Garage–after the theatre lost its longtime leased location. 

“This is my dream job. I’m so impressed with where the organization is and cannot wait to be part of the team that leads it to even greater heights,” said Sharer in a statement.

Founded in 1995, Dad’s Garage is an award-winning nonprofit theatre company specializing in presenting improvisational theatre.