Tony Award-winning producer Ellen Richard, who began her career as a stagehand and scenic design assistant, will join Laguna Playhouse as its interim executive director later this month, the board announced this week.
A national search for an executive director began last year to identify a successor to Karen Wood, who held the job for eight years.
“In the midst of our search we encountered this wonderful opportunity to engage Ellen while we continue to seek appropriate long-term leadership,” Joe Hanauer and Paul Singarella, co-chairs of the Playhouse board, said in a statement. “To have found someone with the extraordinary qualifications that Ellen has is thrilling.”
Richard, a recipient of six Tony Awards as producer at New York’s Roundabout Theatre Company, also supervised construction for theaters in New York and San Francisco, an undertaking the Playhouse is considering, says a statement.
Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham described Richard as “a rock-star in our field,” who will help guide the 95-year-old theater during its leadership transition.
For the last five years, Richard worked as executive director of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. During her tenure, she helped raise $34 million to buy and renovate the Strand Theater, which opened last May, and expanded the company’s educational efforts.
She was also executive director for five years of The Second Stage Theatre in New York and over 22 years helped turnaround the Roundabout Theater Company, one of the country’s most successful theater companies.
Great to follow your career. We will miss you in San Francisco!!