Leadership Transition: 2025-26

Dear Friends and Acting Company Community, 

Four years ago, I was honored to be named Artistic Director of The Acting Company. The late John Houseman was instrumental in my pursuit of Professional Theatre Training and my subsequent career, so it was a particularly sweet and meaningful opportunity to lead this company into its next fifty years. During my tenure our company emerged from the pandemic and returned to national touring, bringing innovative classical work and the premieres of newly commissioned American plays in vibrant productions to often underserved populations and communities throughout the country. Producing national tours amidst a radically changing American theatrical landscape has not been easy but it remains worthwhile, deeply fulfilling and necessary. During my time as Artistic Director, The Acting Company has produced and presented world premiere adaptations by female identifying playwrights, Lisa Peterson (ODYSSEY) and Kirsten Childs (THE THREE MUSKETEERS). We continue that tradition this season with Nikki Massoud's adaptation of GREAT EXPECTATIONS, touring alongside A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. In 2025 we were honored to produce the first national tour of Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's TWO TRAINS RUNNING presented in rep with the Christina Anderson adaptation of THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, produced in association with Play On Shakespeare. This repertory was launched with a new partner, Rubicon Theatre Company. This tour closed with a three week run in the subscription season at American Conservatory Theatre. Subscribers at ACT heralded the return of rep work to their stages.

We will return to Rubicon again this year. In addition to our national tour, I'm equally proud of our robust and dynamic series of readings highlighting great playwrights, lesser-known works ripe for reinvestigation, a new musical work. These readings have featured great actors like John Douglas Thompson, David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Dakin Matthews alongside actors featured in our company over many years; resulting in classic plays seen and heard in new ways for today's audiences. 

We have increased funding support while remaining dedicated to diversity, gender parity, and equity in our work and hiring practices even as these fundamental principles of inclusion have come under fire. The past four years work has increased and expanded our artistic collaborations with both new and venerable national partners. The Acting Company continues to cultivate and nurture artists who we believe will be the next generation of great actors, playwrights, directors and designers. 

I am very proud of the work we have done together. I believe in The Acting Company's dedication to emerging artists. We remain committed to making classics in new ways commissioning and producing new plays that may become the classics of the next generation.

Now it is time for new Artistic leadership. Effective Sept 1, 2025 I will step down as the Artistic Director of The Acting Company, making way for new Artistic leadership, I will transition into a new role for The Acting Company as Director of Special Projects where I hope to continue making a substantive contribution to TAC. I move into this role with gratitude to our Board Chair Earl Weiner, the entire Board of Directors and the Administrative and Artistic staff of The Acting Company who are doing mighty, and extraordinary work. I particularly want to thank Devin Brain. Without his leadership and artistry, none of my work would have been possible. In the hands of these colleagues, the future of The Acting Company and the American theatre is indeed bright. There is reason for hope and celebration even amidst the hard work and need for innovation on the horizon. Please join me in thanking them and in celebrating The Acting Company and its future!

Peace.

With Gratitude,

Kent Gash

Director of Special Projects

 

Incoming Producing Artistic Director:

Devin Brain

Devin Brain will succeed Kent as Producing Artistic Director.  Devin has been part of the Executive Leadership team over the last three years, serving as the Producing Director alongside Kent Gash as Artistic Director and Erik Schroeder as Managing Director.  He began his time with The Acting Company as a staff director on the 2012 National Tour of As You Like It and Of Mice and Men.  Since then he has directed several national tours, including Macbeth, Julius Caesar (also Off-Broadway at The New Victory), and The Comedy of Errors; as well as serving as line producer and associate artistic director, before he joined the Executive leadership team as Producing Director.

 

“The Acting Company has been my artistic home for more than a decade, just as it has been the artistic home for hundreds of artists before me,” Brain said. “This is a company whose legacy is impossible to overstate, so I am both honored and excited to lead it into the future.  I am stepping into big shoes...Kent Gash, Ian Belknap, Michael Kahn, Zelda Fichandler, James Bundy, and, of course, the inimitable Margot Harley, but I believe that this company remains as vital to the industry today as when it was formed around the first class to graduate from the Juilliard Drama Division.”

Erik Schroeder, Managing Director of The Acting Company during the last four seasons, has recently announced his decision to step down from that role. He has described major accomplishments of the Company during his tenure in his gracious letter below. We thank him for his contributions as Managing Director and wish him every success in his future endeavors.

“After four seasons with The Acting Company I have decided to step down from my post as Managing Director. It has been my privilege to lead this storied New York institution, sustaining its legacy and forging a path for the future of its important mission and programs.

I am proud of what I accomplished in collaboration with the staff and board in my time at the Company. Especially a post-pandemic return to large-scale production, in three national tours that brought William Shakespeare, Alexandre Dumas, Homer, August Wilson, and dozens of artists to nearly fifty communities, changing the lives of tens of thousands of audience members and students.

 

We raised millions of dollars to support local and national programs from generous donors and institutions, and through three high profile galas, including the blowout 50th anniversary celebration. We produced numerous one-night-only performances, workshops and star-studded benefit readings, employing hundreds of artists. The Company also brought dozens of teaching artists into schools locally in New York and across the US, and commissioned and developed new plays. I found great satisfaction in forging new partnerships and piloting new producing, touring and funding models to ensure The Acting Company will thrive for years to come.

I want to express my gratitude to Margot Harley, Earl Weiner, Tim Saunders, Lori-Ann Wynter, and all current and former board members with whom I collaborated. I am grateful to have worked with Kent Gash in his time as Artistic Director, and I wish Devin Brain much success in his new capacity as Producing Artistic Director. I am confident that he and the staff supporting the Company's mission and vision will knock it out of the park as they prepare to bring another exceptional repertory across the country.

Gratefully,

Erik Schroeder”