Placement Announcements

The Field Names Christopher Bloodworth as Executive Director 

Formerly a National Director of the Entertainment Community Fund, Bloodworth joins the national organization dedicated to holistically supporting multidisciplinary artists.

New York, NY, March 2, 2023 - After an inclusive nationwide search by ALJP Consulting, arts service organization The Field has announced Christopher Bloodworth will be joining as the new Executive Director, effective March 2023. Christopher, an accomplished leader in the performing arts and entertainment spaces, will succeed Jamaine Smith, who assumed the role of Interim Executive Director in May 2022 following Jennifer Cook, who stepped down after 16 years heading the organization. Christopher was most recently a National Director at Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund).

Jamaine will work in tandem with The Field Staff and Board of Directors to welcome and onboard Christopher as the incoming Executive Director. Board Co-Chairs, Michael Wellington and Alice de Callatay, commented: “We are so grateful to Jamaine for his steady, compassionate leadership during this extended period of transition and really proud of our dedicated, hard-working staff. And we are incredibly delighted to welcome Christopher to our Field family.”

Noted Christopher, “I feel fortunate to have been granted the extraordinary opportunity to lead The Field, an organization that has devoted itself to ensuring artists thrive in all areas of their lives. I look forward to working with the board, staff, and artist community to develop creative ways to mitigate the unique challenges 21st century artists face.”   

Christopher D. Bloodworth is an avid arts advocate who has spent the past nine years helping performing arts and entertainment professionals define, refine, and expand the possibilities of an arts career.  During his time as the National Director of The Career Center at Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund), Christopher launched The Creative Entrepreneur Project, The Arts Worker Resource Center, and integrated Career Transition For Dancers into The Fund. Under his leadership, tailored programs for dancers, comedians, musicians, stagehands, stage managers, live performers and more were designed and implemented. An artist in his own right, Christopher is a singer, writer, professional photographer, former podcast host and avid interior design enthusiast. Christopher has held leadership positions at Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services of Brooklyn and Queens, and the pension and annuity giant TIAA. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Social Work. Until recently, he served on the boards of the New York City Education & Training Coalition and the International Organization for the Transition of Professional Dancers.

Erica Lauren Ortiz, Principal at ALJP Consulting, said of the placement, “Christopher’s dynamic combined experience in arts administration and social work make him uniquely suited to lead The Field, supporting artists in a comprehensive way. We are thrilled to connect him with this wonderful organization.” The search was led by Board Co-Chair Michael Wellington, along with a dedicated group of staff, board and artists with support from ALJP.

Said Wellington of working with ALJP, “The team at ALJP was chosen due to their exceptional reputation in equity and inclusion and their shared values with our organization, and ultimately proved successful in sourcing a wide and diverse range of incredibly talented candidates - we are truly appreciative to have had a wealth of choices."

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The Field - Founded in 1986, The Field has stewarded $45 million and given more than 200,000 artists the services, guidance and resources they need to bring their bold artistic visions to life. Noted for  excellent service delivery and human touch, the Field’s work has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Rockefeller Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and more. Artists who have grown from Field support include Kyle Abraham, Young Jean Lee, Kaneza Schaal, Geoff Sobelle, Momenta Quartet, Michelle Dorrance, Okwui Okpokwasili, and hundreds of others.

thefield.org

Congratulations to Christopher and everyone at The Field on this exciting new chapter!

Rattlestick Theater names Will Davis as Artistic Director

The groundbreaking appointment of the transgender multi-disciplinary artist at the Off-Broadway nonprofit is part of a wave of significant leadership transitions in the American theater landscape.

New York, NY, February 27, 2023 - After an inclusive nationwide search led by ALJP Consulting and a dedicated group of board, staff, and affiliated artists, Off-Broadway’s Rattlestick Theater has named Will Davis, a director, choreographer, and producer of new work as Artistic Director. Davis will succeed Daniella Topol, who served as Artistic Director since 2016. 

Speaking about his announcement, Davis said, "I'm delighted to lead Rattlestick and look forward to working with the board and staff to launch the exciting next chapter for this remarkable theater. I'm grateful to Daniella Topol for her years of excellent leadership and for the opportunity to carry her work forward.”

Board Chair and Chair of the search committee, Jeff Thamkittikasem, said of Davis’ placement: “Will is just an amazing artist with a beautiful eye, and we’re so excited for that aesthetic to be used for developing the culture of Rattlestick.”

Will Davis currently is an Associate Professor of Directing in the John Wells Directing Program at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama. He also serves as a member of the board of directors of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), and Breaking the Binary Festival's advisory council. Prior to joining Rattlestick Theater, he also served as Artistic Director of the American Theatre Company in Chicago from 2016-2018, making history as the first transgender person to lead a major nonprofit institution without a defined LGBTQ mission.

Jocelyn Prince, owner and Principal of ALJP, said of the search, “Will is a transformative leader in the American theater. We are thrilled to have facilitated this historic appointment.” The search committee included Jeff Thamkittkasem, Ray Brunt, Faith Caitlin, Yue Liu, Jolene Noelle, Dael Orlandersmith and Cori Thomas, and was supported by ALJP consultants. Jocelyn Prince led the search process, supported by Francesca Fernandez McKenzie, and Erica Lauren Ortiz. Over 100 candidates nationwide applied for the role, and the inclusive process incorporated feedback from numerous affiliated Rattlestick groups and public presentations from the final candidates to the Rattlestick community in January.

Davis will assume the role full-time on May 1, 2023, after working over the next few months alongside Daniella Topol. The appointment comes at an exciting time for the theater company, with a $4-million renovation project scheduled to begin this year. 

Will Davis is excited to get to work at the theater, sharing, “Rattlestick has long been known for inventive and ambitious new work and it will continue to be a theater focused on the future of the form. Rattlestick is also a community-centered civic space, and I look forward to deepening our invitation to artists and community members who are looking for a place to call home. It’s thrilling to return to the downtown theater landscape where I began my career and I cannot wait to get started."

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Will Davis (he/him/his) is a transgender director and choreographer focused on physically adventurous new work for the stage. Davis is the first transgender person to lead a major nonprofit institution without a defined LGBTQ mission. Off-Broadway credits include: Road Show (Encores! Off-Center); India Pale Ale (MTC); Bobbie Clearly (Roundabout Underground); Charm (MCC); CALIFORNIA (Clubbed Thumb); Men on Boats (Clubbed Thumb and Playwrights Horizons—Lucille Lortel nomination); and Duat (Soho Rep).  Regional credits include: As You Like It (La Jolla Playhouse) The Swindlers (Baltimore Center Stage);  Everybody (Shakespeare Theater Company); A Doll’s House, Part 2 (Long Wharf Theatre); Colossal (Olney Theatre Center and Mixed Blood Theater—Helen Hayes award for best direction); and multiple productions for ATC in Chicago where Davis also served as artistic director. Davis is a member of the TCG board of directors, and the Breaking the Binary Festival's advisory council. He is an alum of the Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, the NYTW 2050 Directing Fellowship, the Brooklyn Art Exchange’s Artist in Residence program, and the Princeton Arts Fellowship. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Directing in the John Wells Directing Program at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.

Rattlestick Theater - Founded in 1994 by David van Asselt and Gary Bonasorte, Rattlestick Theater has been steadfast in producing diverse, challenging, and provocative plays while fostering the future voices of the American theater. Now in its 29th year, the company is focused on energetic theater that responds to the complexities of our culture in conversation with community partners. From its historic West Village theater, Rattlestick has produced the first plays and early works of some of today’s leading voices, including Martyna Majok (Ironbound), Diana Oh (mylingerieplay), and Heidi Schreck (There Are No More Big Secrets), and recently won an Obie for Arturo Luis Soria’s Ni Mi Madre. They are proud to make Rattlestick a place where some of our nation’s most celebrated playwrights feel safe to test their boldest ideas, including Dael Orlandersmith (Until the Flood), José Rivera (Massacre, Sing to Your Children), and Sam Hunter (Lewiston/Clarkston, nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play and the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play). Rattlestick provides fellowships to writers through the Van Lier Playwrights Program, the Terrence McNally Incubator Program, the Mellon Foundation’s Playwright-in-Residence Program, and has commissioned new work from numerous writers including Cusi Cram, Mahira Kakkar, Basil Kreimendahl, Dael Orlandersmith, Stacey Rose, Arturo Luis Soria, Cori Thomas, Liba Vaynberg, and Rhiana Yazzie. Rattlestick is also dedicated to supporting immigrant artists through the Global Gab and Global Forms Programs.

https://www.rattlestick.org/

December 7, 2022

 After an inclusive national search led by ALJP Consulting, Baltimore Center Stage has selected Adam J. Frank as the new Managing Director.  

"I am thrilled and honored to be joining Baltimore Center Stage...BCS is an institution that creates beauty and belonging, making great theater that builds bridges and community in powerfully innovative ways. I could not be more excited to join Stephanie and the extraordinary BCS staff and board as we nurture and grow that mission to be more equitable, sustainable, and accessible. Baltimore has been warm and welcoming to me and my family, and we can't wait to explore the city and put down roots." - Adam Frank

“Adam is a brilliant choice for this moment in BCS’s evolution. His experience in supporting new work and community-engaged programming is matched only by his incredible vision for what a theater can be going forward. I’m feeling like the luckiest Artistic Director to get to work in partnership with him.” - Stephanie Ybarra, Artistic Director

Adam J. Frank is an arts manager and theater-maker dedicated to live performance as a way to build community in the digital age. Mr. Frank has produced new theater and served in general management, marketing, and artistic capacities at theaters and festivals on both coasts of the United States. His past experience includes positions at Waterwell, The Public Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the Los Angeles Music Center, and Yale Repertory Theatre, where he was most recently Associate Managing Director. Frank holds an MFA in Theater Management from Yale School of Drama and an MBA from Yale School of Management. While at Yale, he led the Nonprofit Board Fellowship program, which trains management students to become effective community leaders, and published a case study on marketing strategy at the Humana Festival of New American Plays. Prior to his graduate studies, Adam served as Marketing Manager of The Public Theater, where he led campaigns for The Public’s downtown season, the Under the Radar Festival, and Free Shakespeare in the Park.

Congratulations to Adam and everyone at Baltimore Center Stage on this exciting new chapter!

Visit centerstage.org to learn more about Baltimore Center Stage. 

Hiring Announcement: centerstage.org/adam-frank-md

October 28, 2022

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, Steppenwolf Theatre Company has selected PennyMaria Jackson as the new Director of Marketing and Communications.  

“I am honored to join Steppenwolf Theater Company during this significant and historic transition. This institution, which is firmly rooted in ensemble, is intentionally working to deepen and grow its community through programming that centers the global majority. As Steppenwolf redefines what it means to be a cultural institution, I endeavor to lead audience development programs, community engagement initiatives, and more. Joining this progressive company – under the exceptional and driven guidance of Brooke Flanagan, as well as Glenn Davis’ and Audrey Francis’ expansive, artistic vision – is an exciting new chapter.” -PennyMaria Jackson

PennyMaria Jackson is a dedicated arts professional, advocate, and enthusiast with 15 years of arts management experience. She has worked with renowned arts companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Apollo Theater, Harlem Stage, and various cultural organizations. Her multifaceted experience encompasses marketing, communications, community engagement, audience development, patron activations, live stream productions, augmented and virtual reality, and cultural and corporate partnerships. PennyMaria has managed projects with funders and corporations including The Wallace Foundation, Coca-Cola, and HBO, among others. Her community work in Harlem, NY has secured funding for artists negatively impacted by gentrification and increased accessibility to the arts through affordable ticket programs. In addition to her new role as Director of Marketing and Communications at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, she currently serves as a thought-partner to arts organizations invested in change including Kyoung’s Pacific Beat (a peacemaking theater company), the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP), and The Movement Theatre Company (TMTC). Born in Miami, Florida, and raised by a family of Bahamian immigrants, PennyMaria's interest in the arts and community was nurtured at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Liberty City. After studying Theatre and Journalism in undergraduate school, she earned an M.A. degree in Arts Journalism from Syracuse University. Utilizing the power of the arts as a driving force, PennyMaria is committed to bridging the gap between cultures for decades to come.

Congratulations to PennyMaria and everyone at Steppenwolf Theatre Company on this new hire!  

Visit steppenwolf.org to learn more about Steppenwolf Theatre Company. 

September 6, 2022

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, Alumni Theater Company has selected Bridgette Perdue as the new Executive Director.  

 "We have spent the past 6 months on an intensive search process led by ALJP Consulting out of Atlanta. Informed by a thorough analysis of ATC’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals for the future, built on input gathered from more than 100 stakeholders across our community, we put together a strong vision for our future, and a profile of the ideal next leader to get us there.

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We had promising applicants from across the country, but one person stood out as the clear best choice for ATC. In fact, one interviewer from ALJP said that this interview was one of the best she ever had in all the job searches she has conducted!" -Alumni Theater Company       

Bridgette Perdue graduated from Point Park University in 2006 with a dual degree in Music Theater Arts and Business Management in the Arts. For over 15 years, as a Musician, Teaching Artist and Consultant, she has served her community by fostering the artistic gifts of children across the city. As a Project Manager for several arts initiatives, she has designed curriculum, trained talent, allocated funding, and galvanized her network in support of delivering impactful art. Known for her charismatic leadership and collaborative approach, she has cultivated long standing relationships with arts and nonprofit organizations alike, including the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Staycee Pearl dance project, Pittsburgh Playwrights, Bricolage, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Propel Charter Schools, Gwen’s Girls, and the Suzuki Music Institute.

Congratulations to Bridgette and everyone at Alumni Theater Company on this news!  

Learn more about Alumni Theater Company and read their announcement here.   

May 25, 2022

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, New York Theatre Workshop has selected Patricia McGregor (she/her/hers) as the theater's new Director of Development.  

“I’m thrilled and honored to be named the new Artistic Director of New York Theatre Workshop. The extraordinary staff, artists and audiences of the Workshop have long inspired me. The need for the arts to combat social isolation, and revive the body politic towards a more just world is acute. NYTW’s dedication to dynamic work that deepens empathy and sparks wonder is vital. I look forward to centering accessibility, visibility and innovation so that more people are welcomed into this transformative community. From the hands of my magnificent friend Jim Nicola, a mighty baton has been passed. I take this task seriously and with great joy in my heart. I am ready to run my leg of the race.” - Patricia McGregor

Congratulations to Patricia and everyone at NYTW on this thrilling appointment!  

PATRICIA MCGREGOR (SHE/HER/HERS) Born in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, McGregor is a director and writer working in theatre, film, dance and music. McGregor has twice been profiled by The New York Times for her direction of world premieres. She was inaugural Artist in Residence for Adam Driver’s Arts in the Armed Forces and is an Old Globe Resident Artist. Her productions include Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole (co-writer and director; Geffen Playhouse, People’s Light); Sisters in Law(Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts); Shakespeare: Call and Response, Krapp’s Last Tape, What You Are, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Measure for Measure(The Old Globe); Skeleton Crew (Geffen Playhouse); Good Grief (Center Theatre Group); Hamlet (The Public Theater); Place (Brooklyn Academy of Music); The Parchman Hour(Guthrie Theater); Ugly Lies the Bone (Roundabout Theatre Company); brownsville song(Lincoln Center Theater); Indomitable: James Brown (Apollo Theater); Holding It Down (The Metropolitan Museum of Art); A Raisin in the Sun, The Winter’s Tale, and Spunk (California Shakespeare Theater); Adoration of the Old Woman (INTAR Theatre); Blood Dazzler (Harlem Stage); Four Electric Ghosts (The Kitchen); and the world premiere of Hurt Village (Signature Theatre Company).

McGregor served as director for HBO’s emerging writer’s showcase, and as tour consultant to Raphael Saadiq and J. Cole. She was Associate Director of Fela! on Broadway and for many years she has directed The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway. She co-founded Angela’s Pulse with her sister, choreographer, and organizer Paloma McGregor. McGregor attended SMU where she was a Presidential Scholar and the Yale School of Drama, where she was a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow and Artistic Director of Yale Cabaret.

Learn more about New York Theatre Workshop here.   

March 16, 2022

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has selected Lee Ramsey (she/her/hers) as the theater's new Director of Development.  

“It was a pleasure to work with ALJP Consulting during this hiring process,” shared Ramsey. “Al, Michael, and the incredible team were a great resource in understanding the priorities of Orpheus in seeking to fill this role and were so supportive as I sought to learn more about how I might fit in with this team.”  

Congratulations to Lee and everyone at Orpheus on this exciting new chapter!  

LEE RAMSEY (SHE/HER/HERS) joins Orpheus Chamber Orchestra from Music@Menlo in California's Bay Area. A lifelong lover of music, Lee began her career in arts administration at age 19. She has worked in development for a variety of arts organizations, including the Museum of Arts and Design, Experiential Orchestra, and Music@Menlo, and also the National MS Society, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation, and St. Mary's College of Maryland. Lee has a passion for community engagement and early access to arts education and is thrilled to be joining an organization with such a strong emphasis in both of those areas.  

ORPHEUS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA is a radical experiment in musical democracy, proving for fifty years what happens when exceptional artists gather with total trust in each other and faith in the creative process. Orpheus began in 1972 when cellist Julian Fifer assembled a group of New York freelancers in their early twenties to play orchestral repertoire as if it were chamber music. In that age of co-ops and communes, the idealistic Orpheans snubbed the “corporate” path of symphony orchestras and learned how to play, plan and promote concerts as a true collective, with leadership roles rotating from the very first performance.   It’s one thing for the four players of a string quartet to lean in to the group sound and react spontaneously, but with 20 or 30 musicians together, the complexities and payoffs get magnified exponentially. Within its first decade, Orpheus made Carnegie Hall its home and became a global sensation through its tours Europe and Asia. Its catalog of recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, Nonesuch and other labels grew to include more that 70 albums that still stand as benchmarks of the chamber orchestra repertoire, including Haydn symphonies, Mozart concertos, and twentieth-century gems by Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Ravel and Bartók.   The sound of Orpheus is defined by its relationships, and guest artists have always been crucial partners in the process. Orpheus brings the best out of its collaborators, and those bonds deepen over time, as heard in the long arc of music-making with soloists such as Richard Goode and Branford Marsalis, and in the commitment to welcoming next-generation artists including Nobuyuki Tsujii and Tine Thing Helseth. Breaking down the barriers of classical repertoire, partnerships with Brad Mehldau, Wayne Shorter, Ravi Shankar and many others from the sphere of jazz and beyond have redefined what a chamber orchestra can do. Relationships with composers and dozens of commissions have been another crucial way that Orpheus stretches itself, including a role for Jessie Montgomery as the orchestra’s first ever Artistic Partner. Having proven the power of direct communication and open-mindedness within the ensemble, the only relationship Orpheus has never had any use for is one with a conductor.  At home in New York and in the many concert halls it visits in the U.S. and beyond, Orpheus begins its next fifty years with a renewed commitment to enriching and reflecting the surrounding community. It will continue its groundbreaking work with those living with Alzheimer’s Disease through Orpheus Reflections, and the Orpheus Academy as well as the Orpheus Leadership Institute spread the positive lessons of trust and democracy to young musicians and those in positions of power. Each year, Access Orpheus reaches nearly 2000 public school students in all five boroughs of New York City, bringing music into their communities and welcoming them to Carnegie Hall. Always evolving as artists and leaders, the Orpheus musicians carry their legacy forward, counting on their shared artistry and mutual respect to make music and effect change.   

Learn more about Orpheus Chamber Orchestra here.   

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.  

March 17, 2022

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, East West Players has selected Sunshine Lampitoc Smith (She/Her/Hers) as the theater's new Chief Operating Officer.

"Going through the hiring process with ALJP was so refreshing. Everyone I spoke with on the team was transparent and very supportive. I felt like I was treated as a whole individual and not just a candidate,” shared Lampitoc Smith. “I am thrilled to be returning to Los Angeles—where my theater career began in earnest—and am ecstatic to be at East West Players. With its longstanding history as a pioneering theater of color, EWP is a prominent part of my personal origin story in the theater. It is mind-blowing that I am now a part of the team that will build EWP's future. " 

Congratulations to Sunshine and everyone at East West Players! 

SUNSHINE LAMPITOC SMITH (SHE/HER/HERS) is a theater manager and producer with particular interests in amplifying and supporting marginalized artists and developing new works. She began her career in the Los Angeles 99-seat theater scene as a stage manager and producer with the Lodestone Theatre Ensemble. Since then, she has had the pleasure of being a part of the staff at renowned companies such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Signature Theatre Company (NYC). Most recently, Sunshine resided in the San Francisco Bay Area and worked as the marketing & communications officer for Theatre Bay Area, the region’s arts service organization.  She remains an active company member with the Bay Area-based Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company, where she served as the group’s general manager. Sunshine earned her MFA in Theatre Management & Producing at Columbia University’s School of the Arts and is also a graduate of Occidental College.  

EAST WEST PLAYERS Founded in 1965, East West Players is committed to raising the visibility of the Asian American experience by presenting inventive world-class theatrical productions, developing artists of color, and providing impactful youth education programs. EWP’s vision is to inspire and advocate for a world free of racism and discrimination through transformative artistic works.

Learn more about East West Players here.

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.  

March 8, 2022

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, Aurora Theatre Company has selected Francesca Gabourel (She/Her/Hers) as the theater's new Managing Director.   

Congratulations to Francesca and everyone at Aurora Theatre Company!  

FRANCESCA GABOUREL (SHE/HER/HERS) has over a decade of experience working for cultural and performing arts organizations with a strong focus on community engagement. Most recently, she served as the Events Audience Manager at KQED. In this role, she helped to launch KQED's new events program, KQED Live, and establish the guest experience at their renovated headquarters. In addition, she has held positions at significant art nonprofits throughout the Bay Area, including ODC, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and The Crucible. Gabourel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and Arts Administration from Simmons University in Boston, MA. 

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY inspires new audiences and longtime theatre lovers alike with the visceral power of live theatre. Aurora Theatre Company’s venues, the most intimate professional stages in the Bay Area, highlight great acting, nuanced language, and an immediacy that makes for exhilarating theatre. By telling profoundly relevant stories, Aurora Theatre Company is building a new culture of theatregoing in the Bay Area and contributing to a revitalization of theatre nationwide, challenging all of us to think deeper, laugh louder, and engage more purposefully and profoundly with our neighbors and our world.  

Learn more about Aurora Theatre Company here.

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.  

March 1, 2022

After a national search led by ALJP Consulting, American Repertory Theater at Harvard University (A.R.T.) has selected Kelvin Dinkins Jr., (He/Him/His) as the theater's new Executive Director. He will begin co-Leadership of A.R.T. alongside Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus on June 1, 2022.

This inclusive search process, led and managed by ALJP Principal Al Heartley, placed mindful and human-centered practices at the forefront. Dinkins shared, “I was thrilled to work with Al and this incredible team through such a robust and impactful search process. I could truly feel the support, encouragement and care that is demonstrated in ALJP's unique approach to the executive search process.” 

Congratulations to Kelvin and everyone at A.R.T. on this exciting new chapter! 

KELVIN DINKINS, JR., (HE/HIM/HIS) is a nationally recognized leader in American theater and a pioneering voice advocating for transformational culture change in theater leadership, management, and the industry at large. He is currently the General Manager of Yale Repertory Theater and Assistant Dean and Acting Chair of Theater Management at David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. Dinkins serves on the Board of Directors for the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and the Board of Trustees of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), Yale Cabaret, and the Princeton University Triangle Club. He is also the Co-Chair of the LORT Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee where he has developed initiatives to center collective action and raise the racial and gender representation in executive leadership in LORT theaters.  

THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER at HARVARD UNIVERSITY (A.R.T.) is a leading force in the American theater, producing groundbreaking work that is driven by risk-taking and passionate inquiry. A.R.T. was founded in 1980 by Robert Brustein, who served as Artistic Director until 2002, when he was succeeded by Robert Woodruff. Diane Paulus began her tenure as Artistic Director in 2008. Under the leadership of Paulus as the Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director, A.R.T. seeks to expand the boundaries of theater by programming transformative theatrical experiences, always including the audience as a central partner. A.R.T. is committed to a long-term process of centering anti-racism in its practice, policies, culture, pedagogy, governance and organizational structure.  Learn more about A.R.T. here. 

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.  

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, Philadelphia Theatre Company has selected Jessica Ragusa as the theatre's new Director of Development. 

JESSICA RAGUSA has worked on media campaigns and research for cultural organizations such as the American Museum of Natural History, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Folger Shakespeare Library and Theatre. She has also worked on lifestyle and legacy brands such as Soul Cycle, S’well Bottle, MassMutual and the Financial Times. A lifelong arts enthusiast, prior to her agency work, Jessica studied urban planning and infrastructure design at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London and Art History at the University of Pennsylvania. She has also held positions at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New Museum of Contemporary Art, the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts (Penn Live Arts), and Brant Publications (Art in America & Interview magazines).

PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY is a leading regional theatre company that produces, develops, and presents entertaining and imaginative contemporary theatre focused on the American experience. PTC balances its Philadelphia roots with a national point of view that combines a taste for adventure with a dedication to new American plays and musicals. Founded in 1974, Philadelphia Theatre Company has presented 201 world and Philadelphia premieres. During the 2020-21 Season, Philadelphia Theatre Company commissioned its first show under Producing Artistic Director Paige Price’s leadership: a new musical from Max Vernon and Erin Courtney called The Tattooed Lady. Planned for its mainstage world premiere production in the fall of 2022, The Tattooed Lady,developed with and directed by director Ellie Heyman, will have a developmental reading in New York City in the fall of 2021. We seek to develop an audience of open-minded theatregoers across cultural, ethnic, and social lines by producing drama that is at once challenging, entertaining and imaginatively staged. You can learn more about Philadelphia Theatre Company here.

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.  

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, Philadelphia Theatre Company has selected Nathan Schultz as the theatre's new Director of Development. 

NATHAN SCHULTZ is a fundraising professional with nearly twenty years of experience in nonprofits and a decade of experience in fundraising for Philadelphia’s arts institutions. After an early career in program management for social service-oriented nonprofits, Nathan has held development positions at Opera Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Museum of Art overseeing foundation, corporation, and individual giving programs during major campaigns. Nathan holds an MPA from Kent State University and in his personal life enjoys advocating for the role of public libraries as a driver for equity and positive community outcomes through his service as Board President of the Cheltenham Township Library System.

PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY is a leading regional theatre company that produces, develops, and presents entertaining and imaginative contemporary theatre focused on the American experience. PTC balances its Philadelphia roots with a national point of view that combines a taste for adventure with a dedication to new American plays and musicals. Founded in 1974, Philadelphia Theatre Company has presented 201 world and Philadelphia premieres. During the 2020-21 Season, Philadelphia Theatre Company commissioned its first show under Producing Artistic Director Paige Price’s leadership: a new musical from Max Vernon and Erin Courtney called The Tattooed Lady. Planned for its mainstage world premiere production in the fall of 2022, The Tattooed Lady,developed with and directed by director Ellie Heyman, will have a developmental reading in New York City in the fall of 2021. We seek to develop an audience of open-minded theatregoers across cultural, ethnic, and social lines by producing drama that is at once challenging, entertaining and imaginatively staged. You can learn more about Philadelphia Theatre Company here.

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.  

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company has selected Marti Lyons as the theatre's new Artistic Director. 

Marti Lyons brings a wealth of artistic, administrative, and teaching experience that will help propel Remy Bumppo forward as we plan our return to in-person programming. Marti’s respected artistry combined with her warmth and passion for collaboration and commitment to multitudes of perspectives will be key for our continued growth. She has a deep respect for our history of ideas, language and ensemble process and will use that to deepen our connections to our present audience and engage with new ones. 

“I join Remy Bumppo in a transformative moment in the company, in the country and in the world. As we transform, we honor the work that has come before while striving to ever better ourselves…” – Marti Lyons

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company expands and enriches our community’s view of the world, and our own, by producing both the great plays of the past and the important plays of today. Since1996, the founders’ vision was to utilize the talents of Chicago’s top-notch professional theatre artists in meaningful plays that stimulated the minds of audience members. As an ensemble-driven theater company, we author a more humane culture as we listen to, and seek to understand, the voices, the ideas, and the stories of one another. Our critically and publicly respected reputation is built on our consistent, high-quality presentations of the works of seminal playwrights, staged intimately and with the focus on expressing complex ideas in a clear, entertaining and moving manner. You can learn more about Remy Bumppo Theatre Company here. 

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.  

After a national and inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, Trinity Repertory Company has selected Jennifer McClendon as the new Producing Director. Ms. McClendon joins Trinity Rep from Lifeline Theatre Company in Chicago, IL where she had been the Production Manager since 2016. Throughout the search, she distinguished herself as a strategic thinker, an empathetic collaborator, and a strong leader in production management. 

Jennifer brings an inclusive and people-focused vision of production management to Trinity Rep whose mission is to reinvent the public square with dramatic art that stimulates, educates and engages its diverse community in a continuing dialogue. We are thrilled to have facilitated this process and look forward to the partnership between Jennifer and the Trinity Rep team.

In preparation for the return to live, in-person productions, Trinity Rep has restructured and reorganized its staffing, including making three new hires to its senior management team. The organization will also be hiring dozens of new employees for all departments in the coming months. Adjustments to the organizational structure are among many changes that Trinity Rep is making as part of its commitment to becoming an anti-racist organization. This work is being done at every level of the organization, including by the Board of Trustees, and in every department. Additional changes include a review of all policies and practices, mandatory training, and re-allocation of resources. More information about Trinity Rep’s anti-racism commitment can be found at www.trinityrep.com/antiracism.

ABOUT JENNIFER MCCLENDON

Jennifer is a native Chicago theatre artist who received her BFA in Stage Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A former Steppenwolf Multicultural Fellow and Production Management Apprentice, Jennifer has worked as a freelance Production Manager and Stage Manager in Chicago, IL since 2012. She has worked with companies such as Steppenwolf, Remy Bumppo, The Hypocrites, Prologue Theatre Company, and Definition Theatre. She served as the resident Production Manager for Lifeline Theatre Company from 2016 through 2021, leading six productions a season, an annual storytelling festival, and various company events prior to the pandemic. Jennifer is both grateful and overjoyed to join the Trinity Rep family. She is excited for this new chapter and is ready to grow even further with this foundational theatre as it embarks on returning to live performances.  

ABOUT TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY

Rhode Island’s Tony Award-winning theater, Trinity Rep has created unparalleled professional theater for and with its community since its founding in 1963. Trinity Rep strives to facilitate human connection and has been a driving force behind the creativity that fuels and defines the region for more than 50 years. Trinity Rep is committed to reinventing the public square and inspiring dialogue by creating emotionally- stimulating live productions that range from classical to contemporary and innovative education programs for all ages and abilities. Its annual production of A Christmas Carol has brought families together for over 40 years and made memories for over a million audience members. 

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.  

After an inclusive search led by ALJP Consulting, Marin Theatre Company has selected Meredith Suttles as the theater's new Managing Director. Ms. Suttles has had a long and distinguished career in senior management in performing arts organizations, including TheatreWorks USA, Soho Repertory Theatre, Theatre Communications Group, New  York City Opera, and The Public Theater.  

MEREDITH SUTTLES is a fundraising and development professional with an extensive combined 10+ year’s background in creative and performing arts in the areas of development, management, strategic planning, fundraising, and performance. Previous roles include Director of Development at TheaterWorksUSA and Soho Rep., Institutional Giving Officer at Theatre Communications Group (TCG), and Director of Institutional Giving for the New York City Opera. Meredith is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and former EmcArts: Arts Leaders as Cultural Innovators (ALACI) Fellow. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a Steering Committee Member of the Black Theatre Commons and currently serves on the Board of Directors of viBe Theater Experience. As a visionary leader known for her ability to win community support, develop key coalitions and build strong relationships with a shared sense of purpose, she is passionate about devising meaningful ways to address and further the goals of organizations within the nonprofit arts and culture sector.

Ms. Suttles brings her extensive experience in management, fundraising, and strategic planning to Marin Theatre Company,  the 54-year-old theatre whose mission is to engage theatre artists and community through  challenging plays and quality education programs that inspire, educate and encourage  empathy. MTC is the American playwrights’ home for the development, production and  promotion of new plays that tell the stories important to our time. 

MARIN THEATRE COMPANY is the Bay Area’s premier mid-sized theatre and the leading professional theatre in the North Bay. We are committed to the development and production  of new plays, with a comprehensive New Play Program that includes productions of world premieres, two nationally recognized annual playwriting awards and readings and workshops by the nation’s best emerging and established playwrights. Our education programs serve more than 4,500 students from over 40 Bay Area schools each year. MTC strives to create intimate, powerful and emotional experiences that engage audiences to discuss new ideas and adopt a broader point of view. MTC celebrates the intellectual curiosity of our community, and we believe that theatre is an important tool to help build empathy. MTC was founded in 1966 and  is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.  

Adrales ushers in a new era of amplifying unique voices for The Lark

ALJP Consulting congratulates May Adrales on her new position as Artistic Director of the The Lark in New York City. After a rigorous and inspiring search process led by ALJP, Adrales stood out amongst the candidates as a visionary and leader in the industry, who will usher in a new generation of diverse and powerful playwrights that amplify the voices and stories of our global community. 

MAY ADRALES is a director, teacher and artistic leader. She served as Associate Artistic Director of Milwaukee Rep until 2020, as Director of On- Site Programming at the Lark Play Development Center from 2008-2010, and as Artistic Associate at The Public Theater from 2006-2009. She helmed the world premiere of  Lortel Award and Obie Award-Winning production VIETGONE at Manhattan Theatre Club/ South Coast Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Rep. Other selected productions:  LUCE (LCT3), SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER (Second Stage Theatre),  EDITH CAN SHOOT THINGS AND HIT THEM (Actors Theater of Louisville), THE WAY THE MOUNTAIN MOVED (OSF),  POOR YELLA REDNECKS (South Coast Rep), and MARY (The Goodman Theatre). Adrales is the recipient of the TCG Alan Schneider Directing Award; League of Professional Women Josephine Abady Award; Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation’s inaugural Denham Fellowship and the Paul Green Emerging Directing award.  She is a recipient of a TCG New Generations grant.  She has been awarded directing fellowships at New York Theater Workshop; Women's Project; SoHo Rep; and The Drama League.  She has directed and taught at NYU, Juilliard, American Conservatory Theater, American Repertory Theater, Fordham University and Bard College. She has served on faculty at Yale School of Drama;  Einhorn School of Performing Arts at Primary Stages and Brown/Trinity MFA program. Adrales is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama. 

THE LARK is an OBIE-winning, international theater laboratory, based in New York City, dedicated to amplifying the voices of playwrights by providing transformative support within a global community. They provide writers with funding, space, collaborators, audiences, professional connections, and the freedom to design and drive their own creative processes. The Lark believes that playwrights are society’s truth tellers, and that their work strengthens our collective capacity to understand our world and imagine its future.

Executive Director of The Lark, Stacy Waring, says of ALJP: “ALJP understands the nuance of the change that is needed in our industry right now. This moment is not about diversifying, it is about equity. ALJP can not only elucidate that difference but can meet an organization where they are and help them make changes in ways that are sustainable and meaningful to the entire organization. Leadership change is not just about change at the top, it is about change from within. It is a perspective, an understanding of what it means to truly be inclusive. ALJP has a non prescriptive approach that allows you to clarify your intentions and discover the blind spots that you didn't know were there. You come away from the experience feeling enriched as a human being with a sharper analysis of what it means to be an equitable organization.”

Learn more about ALJP Consulting here.