Shakespeare Theatre Company
Executive Director
Organization
Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) reinvents the classics, audaciously. Based in Washington D.C., STC strives to create joy, surprise, illumination, and empathy. With Shakespeare as its house dramatist, STC believes that storytelling changes lives.
Founded in 1985 by Michael Kahn, STC became famous for its exhilarating and intellectually rigorous work. Simon Godwin, Associate Director at the Royal National Theatre (UK) and former Associate Director of London’s Royal Court Theatre and Bristol Old Vic, became its second Artistic Director in 2019. Godwin has since propelled STC into the headlines. His direction last year of King Lear, starring Patrick Page in the title role, was received with wild critical acclaim and sold out after three extensions; his 2020 film of Romeo & Juliet, with Jessie Buckley and Josh O’Connor, was hailed by the New York Times as “cut in half and twice as good”. Every ticket for STC’s April 2024 run of his co-produced Macbeth (starring the incomparable Ralph Fiennes) sold out immediately.
Alongside works by Shakespeare, STC has hosted sold-out presentations of The Jungle and Here There Are Blueberries and its 2023/2024 season has included co-productions of Evita, and a new production of The Lehman Trilogy. The 2024/2025 season will be announced shortly with a similar mix of Shakespeare, other classics and related programming, and several high profile cast names. Godwin has renewed his contract as Artistic Director through 2028 and is seeking a partner to help grow this internationally relevant, classical theatre with sky high ambitions.
STC produces across two stages in the Penn Quarter neighborhood. The Klein Theatre is housed in a historic building with a seating capacity of 450, offering an intimate atmosphere and a close connection between the performers and audience. The 775-seat Sidney Harman Hall, with its epic stage, allows for elaborate sets and grand productions. STC’s offices and costume shop are located on Capitol Hill, and its scene and prop shop are in Brookland, near Catholic University. Currently, with support from the District of Columbia, the Cafritz Foundation, and Erkiletian Development, STC is exploring possibilities for a mixed-use real estate project called The Bard, as well as other alternatives for added and consolidated administrative, production, rehearsal space, and artist housing.
STC complements and supports its mainstage productions with a commitment to education, learning, and community engagement. Through its extensive educational programs, including workshops, residencies, in-classroom teaching artists, and matinee performances, the company makes Shakespeare accessible and relevant to students and young audiences. STC offers classes and camps for all ages and is expanding on both the content and the distribution of the successful on-line learning programs it developed through the pandemic. The STC Academy, a joint venture between STC and George Washington University, offers participants a transformative one-year MFA in Classical Acting, where they gain a deep understanding of Shakespeare’s plays and their relevance to contemporary society. Students at the STC Academy understudy STC main stage productions.
STC is committed to building an inclusive organization that reflects the diversity of its community. Approximately half of its staff are members of the company’s EDI committee, and they participate in monthly open forum discussions where new EDI and anti-racist policies are developed. These policies aim to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive atmosphere. More information on STC’s EDI initiatives and anti-racism action plan can be viewed at: http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/about/equity-diversity-inclusion/.
STC is governed by a 35-member board of directors, led since 2022 by Chair Anita Antenucci. The staff includes 97 full time employees and over 200 part time and seasonal employees. STC is financially stable, experiencing year-over-year growth in subscriptions and other earned revenue streams, and has maintained meaningful cash reserves and capacity to service its outside debt. Its subscription numbers have surpassed pre-pandemic levels by nearly 40%, and this year the company has recorded its highest-ever ticket revenue. For the fiscal year ending 2023, the total operating revenue was $16.4 million, with approximately $8.5 million from contributions and grants and the remaining $7.9 million from ticket sales, education programs, investments, and other earned income. Expenses were $16.8 million. For the fiscal year 2024, annual revenues are projected to be $17.8 million.
Community
Washington D.C. is the nation’s capital and center of political culture. A global city with more than 190 embassies, it is also the headquarters of the World Bank and home to many nonprofit organizations. D.C.’s reputation as a welcoming city is evident in the diversity of its communities and the progressive local policies and services that support the quality of life and inclusive participation of its 670,000 residents. The downtown arts community draws from a Greater Washington D.C. population of roughly 5.5 million and a thriving technology industry, recently boosted by the establishment of Amazon’s HQ2 and supported throughout economic cycles by the substantial private sector support to the Federal government.
Washington D.C. is robustly supported by actively engaged individual artists, locally significant arts organizations, and cultural institutions of national and world-wide repute. Free and family-friendly programming is available year-round at the 17 Smithsonian Museums and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ensuring access for all to the transformational power of the arts. STC is one of several acclaimed theatres in Washington D.C., alongside Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth, the National Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, and GALA Hispanic Theatre, which produce world-class shows that range from new and experimental works to Broadway-bound musicals.
The demographic makeup of the city is approximately 46.2% White, 45% African American, 11.7% Latinx or Hispanic, 4.7% Asian, and 13.5% foreign-born residents.
Sources: washington.org; census.gov; eventsdc.com
Position Summary
Reporting to the board of directors as a co-leader alongside the Artistic Director, the Executive Director will be responsible for the business operations of the organization, and the leader of its financial and strategic planning for its evolving business model. This will include overseeing all aspects of STC’s administrative operations, including financial management, labor relations, facilities management and construction, community engagement, and contributed and earned revenue streams. Serving as an engaging community ambassador, they will develop influential connections throughout Washington D.C., as well as nationally and internationally. The Executive Director will build authentic relationships with staff at all organizational levels, as well as with the board, artists, and donors, by being a visible presence in the office and community. A fearless champion of EDI, they will be committed to making STC inclusive for people of all backgrounds and create an organizational culture of respect, teamwork, and accountability.
Roles and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Financial Oversight
- Collaborate as a dedicated partner to the Artistic Director, jointly advancing the theatre’s programming and long-term strategic direction, artistic vision, and organizational goals.
- Demonstrate exceptional fiscal and business acumen, overseeing budgets, controlling expenditures, and developing short- and long-term forecasts, ensuring STC operates at the highest level of financial accountability.
- Monitor and report financial performance to the board, providing clear financial analysis and scenario plans to underpin data-driven financial decisions that support sustainability and growth.
- Champion and implement organizational EDI and anti-racism initiatives in all aspects of artistic and administrative decisions.
- Identify potential artistic collaborators, domestically and internationally, partnering with the Artistic Director to curate an exciting and diverse season in alignment with the organization’s mission.
Organizational Excellence and Board Governance
- Foster a healthy and cohesive working culture that removes silos and supports creative and collaborative work while holding departments accountable to their financial and other goals.
- Engage regularly with all staff, addressing complex issues honestly, directly, and without fear of conflict, including issues around pay equity, EDI, and anti-racism.
- Guide the marketing department to ensure imaginative communication and creative ticket pricing strategies.
- Oversee the management of STC’s two theatres, guiding building renovations when necessary, establishing innovative uses of the spaces, increasing rental opportunities, and executing the real estate project, The Bard.
- Assist in growing, diversifying, and supporting the board of directors, leveraging their expertise, networks, and resources to support the organization’s mission and goals.
- Provide regular updates, reports, and strategic guidance to the board, while ensuring the organization operates in accordance with its legal, governance, and compliance requirements.
External Relations and Revenue Enhancement
- Serve as a visible community leader and public spokesperson, fostering strong relationships with all audiences including funders and potential supporters, politicians, government officials, other arts organizations and businesses, raising STC’s profile and advocating for the importance of the arts.
- Support ongoing labor relations and negotiate contracts with unions, including Actors’ Equity Association, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, United Scenic Artists, League of Resident Theatres, American Federation of Musicians, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.
- Prioritize the work of the learning department, increasing staff and broadening educational and community programs, camps, classes, and on-line learning offerings to generate additional earned revenue.
- Support new audience engagement initiatives designed to expand the theatre’s reach and deepen the experience of new and existing theatregoers.
- Actively engage in fundraising efforts, supporting the development department to increase both annual giving and strategic contributed revenue through comprehensive fundraising campaigns and galas, and cultivating relationships with individual donors, corporations, foundations, and other funders.
- Participate in industry conferences and theatre organizations to represent STC, staying informed of and offering leadership on current trends and best practices.
Traits and Characteristics
The Executive Director will be a visionary and strategic leader and manager, with a collaborative approach to establishing goals and solving problems. As a business savvy professional, they will possess financial and business management skills to envision alternative business models and financing models for STC, its facilities, and its organizational objectives. A clear and transparent communicator with an approachable demeanor, they will be people-centered, responsive to the needs of others, and foster close working relationships. As a confident networker, the Executive Director will be adept at cultivating and maintaining a wide range of partnerships that bring value to the organization.
Other key competencies include:
- Leadership and Teamwork – The ability to organize and influence people to believe in a vision while creating a sense of purpose and direction, and to cooperate with others to meet objectives.
- Time and Priority Management – The capacity to prioritize and complete tasks to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
- Personal Accountability and Flexibility – The dexterity to be answerable for personal actions, readily modifying, responding, and adapting to change with minimal resistance.
- Decision Making and Customer Focus – The acumen to analyze all aspects of a situation to make consistently sound and timely decisions, as well as anticipating, meeting and /or exceeding customer needs, wants, and expectations.
Qualifications
No specific educational prerequisites are required, although an advanced degree in arts administration, theatre management, business, or a related field is strongly preferred. The ideal candidate will demonstrate proven arts leadership with exceptional business and financial acumen, preferably in theatre. Candidates should have a track record of fundraising and establishing strategic partnerships, a commitment to arts education and community engagement, and an ability to quickly form relationships and exert influence on a wide variety of stakeholders. Experience with facilities management is beneficial. A deep passion for Shakespeare and classical theatre is expected.
Compensation and Benefits
STC provides an equitable and competitive compensation package in keeping with comparable theatres and commensurate with the candidate’s experience, with an estimated base salary in the range of $250,000 to $325,000. Benefits include paid vacation, sick leave, personal days, and holidays; health coverage, including dental and vision; a Flexible Spending Account (FSA); voluntary life insurance; and a 403(b)-retirement plan with a match after two years of service.
Applications and Inquiries
To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/opensearches. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:
Geoff Chang, Vice President
501 West Broadway, Suite A-582
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 218
Email STC@ArtsConsulting.com
Shakespeare Theatre Company recognizes the value of a workforce made up of highly skilled people from a variety of backgrounds. Diversity enriches our work environment and our stage productions. It invigorates the services we provide to the community. Therefore, Shakespeare Theatre Company strives to increase accessibility for all segments of the community, both to join the organization and to grow professionally within.
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