Classic Stage names Jill Rafson new Producing Artistic Director

Jill Rafson will replace John Doyle at Classic Stage starting in June.



https://t.co/SiNAKI3TV9

Jill has done great artistic work at Roundabout and is a very smart person (she basically ran their whole Off-Bway & Underground operation while Todd focused on Bway). CSC seems to have a cash problem (before and during the Doyle administration), so navigating donors and perhaps engaging in enhancement agreements will be paramount to the organization's survival. She may have been attractive to them as someone whose credentials don't command a megasalary and may be more pliable when reporting to the board. We'll see...

It seems clear that they need to evolve into producing newer plays and musicals, too (see above: cash problem), which she addresses a bit in that A.T. interview but acknowledges that the mission is still revivals and works inspired by the "classics." Otherwise they may have an Encores-style identity crisis.

Updated On: 4/14/22 at 03:32 PM

Does CSC have the greatest leadership turnover of any Off-Bway theatre in the modern era? I don't necessarily view that as a bad thing (in an world where the leaders of Broadway's nonprofits seem like they'll never leave), but is interesting to note and could be one of the factors of the identity crisis and the Board micromanagement. Per Wikipedia, 6 people will have held that title in 30 years:

• Christopher Martin, 1967–1987
• Carey Perloff, 1987–1992
• David Esbjornson, 1992–1998
• Barry Edelstein, 1998–2003
• Brian Kulick, 2003–2016
• John Doyle, 2016–2022
• Jill Rafson, 2022–

Updated On: 4/14/22 at 04:42 PM

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Does CSC have the greatest leadership turnover of any Off-Bway theatre in the modern era? I don't necessarily view that as a bad thing (in an world where the leaders of Broadway's nonprofits seem like they'll never leave), but is interesting to note and could be one of the factors of the identity crisis and the Board micromanagement. Per Wikipedia, 6 people will have held that title in 30 years:

• Christopher Martin, 1967–1987
• Carey Perloff, 1987–1992
• David Esbjornson, 1992–1998
• Barry Edelstein, 1998–2003
• Brian Kulick, 2003–2016
• John Doyle, 2016–2022
• Jill Rafson, 2022–

"Sniveling - There is nothing like people who don't know the details so they make things up or start rumors. There probably are different reasons why these ADs left the CSC when they did.

A Director said: "Sniveling - There is nothing like people who don't know the details so they make things up or start rumors. There probably are different reasons why these ADs left the CSC when they did."









What rumors? I'm referencing the publicly-available information and suggesting inferences based on it. An innocent thing to do in a forum like this when a major nonprofit announces a new leader. Any facts and insider info would be most welcome if you'd like to provide them.

A Director said: "HogansHero said:And I should add that I had not read the interview when I reacted."

Why am I not surprised?"

I don't know what that means. I would point out that my reaction had nothing to do with the interview or, more generally, what Rafson had to say in it. I would also point out that the article you linked below had already been linked in the OP. Finally, I would point out that you seem particularly petulant tonight, suggesting to me at least that you have some dog in this race that you are not disclosing. Maybe you are one of those rudderless board members?