ANNOUNCING TWO RIVER'S NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: JUSTIN WALDMAN
Two River Theater celebrates the announcement of Justin Waldman as new Artistic Director.
Waldman began his tenure on November 1, 2022, and assumed responsibility for Two River Theater’s 2022/2023 season put together in the transition by outgoing Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst. Waldman will take full responsibility for curating programming for Two River beginning in Fall 2023.
Justin Waldman is a theatrical producer and director who has brought over 250 productions to life during his over 20-year career. As Associate Artistic Director at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, CA, one of America’s flagship regional theatres, he has developed new musicals and plays, American and world classics, holiday programming, and overseen one of the country’s preeminent Shakespeare festivals.
I am honored to carry on the legacy of Two River Theater as Artistic Director… Two River has the unrivaled ability to highlight beauty, expand community, and bring us all together with considered intention. To be its steward for a time thrills me and is a responsibility I hold with the utmost care.
—JUSTIN WALDMAN
FROM THE BOARD
“We are delighted to welcome Justin aboard. Justin is a consummate artist, a bold producer and a passionate leader of non-profit regional theater. He deeply believes in the value of further developing Two River’s relationships with its community partners, and is also firmly committed to catching the baton John Dias has passed, expanding Two River’s impact beyond its stages in order to reach a larger, even more inclusive audience.”
—EDWARD J. MCKENNA JR., BOARD PRESIDENT
ABOUT JUSTIN
Photo by Rich Soublet II
Justin Waldman (he/him/his) is a theatrical producer and director who has brought over 250 productions to life during his over 20-year career. As Associate Artistic Director at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, CA, one of America’s flagship regional theatres, he has developed new musicals and plays, American and world classics, holiday programming, and overseen one of the country’s preeminent Shakespeare festivals. During his tenure, the Globe has transferred five productions to Broadway, including A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Tony Award for Best Musical), Bright Star (Tony Nomination for Best Musical) and the upcoming Almost Famous, had six productions remounted in venerable New York theatres including Lincoln Center Theater and Roundabout Theatre Company, and presented 35 world premiere productions. Justin was instrumental in the creation of the Old Globe’s Social Justice Roadmap, which charts a path toward making the Globe a more just, equitable, representative, accessible, and anti-racist institution.
At Williamstown Theatre Festival, where, as Artistic Associate, he led the Literary Department and new play development initiatives for three seasons, six of the 11 new plays produced were subsequently presented at New York theatres including Lincoln Center Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons, The Culture Project, and more. Other prior staff positions include Artistic Associate of the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, MA and Producing Artistic Director of Next Stages, which he founded. Justin is a graduate of Tufts University.
ABOUT THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR SEARCH
To conduct the search for a new Artistic Director, Two River Theater engaged Management Consultants for the Arts (MCA). From a field of many applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences, the committee narrowed down the search to five extremely qualified candidates. Each candidate participated in zoom interviews and full-day in-person meetings, during which the Two River staff was encouraged to meet and ask questions with the potential candidates. The above-mentioned process took 9 months and Two River Theater is proud to have come to a final decision on hiring a new Artistic Director as of November, 2022. After a thorough selection process led by our search committee, our Board of Directors and the independent search firm Management Consultants for the Arts (MCA), Two River Theater is thrilled to announce Justin Waldman as our new Artistic Director.