League of Resident Theatres Reveals New Board of Directors

The League of Resident Theatres (LORT) has elected a new slate of Officers to the Board of Directors, effective May 3, 2024. 

Debby Buchholz, Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse, is President of the Board, while Maggie Boland, Managing Director of Signature Theatre, and Rebecca Hopkins, Managing Director of Florida Studio Theatre, are Vice Presidents of the Board. Brandon Kahn, General Manager of Alley Theatre, and Suzanne Sweeney, Managing Director of Indiana Repertory Theatre, serve as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.

“It is truly an honor to lead this phenomenal association of preeminent not-for-profit theaters from across the country at this important moment for the American theater,” said President of the Board Debby Buchholz. “I look forward to working with my fellow LORT managers and our labor partners to continue and build upon the positive working relationships that we have developed together over the past many years.”

The full LORT Board of Directors, as of May 25, 2024, consists of: Jennifer Bielstein, Executive Director of American Conservatory Theater; Maggie Boland, Managing Director of Signature Theatre; Diana Brown, General Manager of Guthrie Theater; Debby Buchholz, Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse; John Collins, Managing Director of Goodman Theatre; Kelvin Dinkins, Jr., Executive Director of American Repertory Theater; Rebecca Hopkins, Managing Director of Florida Studio Theatre; Kit Ingui, Managing Director of Long Wharf Theatre; Brandon Kahn, General Manager of Alley Theatre; James McNeel, Managing Director of City Theatre Company; Janet Mullet, Managing Director of Northlight Theatre; Jessica Niebanck, General Manager of Lincoln Center Theater; Tom Parrish, Managing Director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre; Mike Schleifer, Managing Director of Alliance Theatre; Florie Seery, Managing Director of Yale Repertory Theatre; Timothy J. Shields, Managing Director of The Old Globe; Adam Siegel, Managing Director of Lincoln Center Theater; Jenny Slattery, Associate Producer of Pasadena Playhouse; Nausica Stergiou, General Manager of Center Theatre Group; and Suzanne Sweeney, Managing Director of Indiana Repertory Theatre.

Biographies

Debby Buchholz, Managing Director of La Jolla Playhouse, joined the Playhouse in 2002, serving first as General Manager before becoming Managing Director. Debby is the President of the League of Resident Theaters (LORT). She is a recipient of a San Diego Women Who Mean Business Award from The San Diego Business Journal. Prior to joining La Jolla Playhouse, Debby served as Counsel to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. She was a faculty member of the Smithsonian Institution’s program on Legal Problems of Museum Administration. Prior to The Kennedy Center, she served as a corporate attorney in New York City and Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of UC San Diego and Harvard Law School. 

Maggie Boland has led tremendous organizational growth since joining Signature in 2008, more than doubling Signature’s annual revenue, increasing the annual audience by 50,000 people and expanding the full-time staff by 76%. Under her leadership, Signature generates more than $15 million in annual economic activity and employs more than 400 individuals each year, making it one of Arlington’s most important small businesses and Virginia’s largest non-profit professional theater. Throughout her tenure, Signature has solidified its reputation as a world-class home for musicals and new work, nurturing the careers of emerging and established composers and playwrights. The Theatre was honored with the Regional Theatre Tony Award® in 2009. Prior to joining Signature, Boland spent 10 years at Arena Stage in increasingly senior positions, beginning as the Marketing Director and later assuming oversight of the Annual Fund and $125 million Next Stage Campaign as the Director of External Affairs. Her experience also includes six years in fundraising with Roundabout Theatre Company. Boland was a 2016 recipient of the Washington Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business award. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Theatre Washington. 

Rebecca Hopkins originally came to Florida Studio Theatre in 1998 and has served as Managing Director since 2003. Under her leadership FST has grown from 2-theatres to a 5 theatre campus reaching over 225,000 attendees a year. She is the former President of the National New Play Network and a former board member of Theatre Communications Group. She is a member of the Executive Committee for the Sarasota Cultural Alliance. She has served as grant panelist for both the Florida Department of Cultural Affairs and the NEA. Ms. Hopkins has been actively involved in the development of FST’s Cabaret productions since her arrival in 1998. She has been the Lead Developer of more than 20 musical reviews including for Up On The Roof, Yesterday, The ‘70s: More Than A Decade, and has been the head writer on all six editions of Laughing Matters. In addition, she is the Founder and Producer of FST Improv and the Sarasota Improv Festival. In 2012, the Arts & Cultural Alliance awarded Ms. Hopkins the Cultural Champion Award in recognition of her many years of accomplishment and growth with Florida Studio Theatre. In 2016, Ms. Hopkins received the Luminaire Award, honoring excellence in creativity, philanthropy, advocacy, and all elements that are keys to future growth of the arts in Sarasota.

Brandon Kahn joined Alley Theatre in 2018 as General Manager where he works closely with the Artistic Director and Managing Director in handling the day-to-day operations of the Theatre. During his time at the Alley, Brandon has focused on improving operational systems to enhance the workplace environment for all of those involved. Brandon came to the role from Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, where he served over six seasons as Producing Manager, Associate Line Producer, and Resident Production Stage Manager. During his time at Williamstown, three productions moved to major New York City not-for-profits, including Martyna Majok’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Cost of Living, and two productions transitioned to Broadway. Prior to Williamstown, Brandon worked as a freelance stage manager for ten years where he worked on five Broadway shows, six Off-Broadway shows and many regional productions. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Management and Producing from Columbia University. Additionally, Brandon has lectured at Columbia University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Brandon has served on multiple committees for the League of Resident Theatres, including planning multiple conferences and serving as a mentor in the LORT EDI Mentorship Program. Recently, he completed the Business/Civic Leadership Forum with the Center of Houston’s Future. His wife Jennifer is Founder of SCENERY BAGS and they have two boys, Hudson and Judah.

Suzanne Sweeney is a 26-year veteran of the Indiana Repertory Theatre, where she oversees all administrative functions. During her tenure, the IRT has secured a long-term lease for the building with the City of Indianapolis, renovated the Upperstage Lobby and restrooms, and raised over $26 million in two capital campaigns. Suzanne has been a regular panelist for Shakespeare in American Communities in cooperation with Arts Midwest. She was the treasurer of Irish Fest for nine years, a member of the board of directors and treasurer of Early Learning Indiana for three years, and is a past treasurer of Indy Fringe.Suzanne is a graduate of the College of William & Mary and has an MBA from Indiana University. She has worked in finance in Washington DC, Texas, Germany, Hawaii, and New Zealand.

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