After more than five years of extraordinary leadership, Co-Executive Director Risa Shoup will step down from their role on March 6th to become the first-ever Chief Operating Officer of the American LGBTQ+ Museum. Risa has guided A.R.T./New York through a period of profound challenge and transformation with care, vision, and deep commitment to our staff, members, and the broader theatre community. We are immensely grateful for their leadership and proud of all we have built together.

In Risa’s words:

“I am proud to spend my working hours advancing the goal of queer liberation. I will remain an enthusiastic audience member in New York City theatres of all sizes and disciplines, and I will never stop cheering on A.R.T./New York or feeling tremendous pride in what we have created together.”

Looking ahead, A.R.T./New York enters this next chapter from a place of strength and stability. Talia Corren will assume the role of sole Executive Director, building on years of thoughtful, collaborative leadership and a deep commitment to the organization’s mission, staff, and community. Under Talia’s leadership, we are also elevating three exceptional team members—Daniella Benavides (Director of People + Culture, Alex Etling (Director of Facilities), and Danielle King (Director of Program Strategy + Impact)—reflecting both their individual contributions and our investment in distributed, forward-looking leadership. Together, this leadership structure positions A.R.T./New York to continue evolving in service to the New York City theatre community while sustaining the values of collaboration, care, and creative resilience that define our work.

From Talia:

“A.R.T./New York is the organization it is today thanks to Risa’s care, dedication, and commitment to serving our members, staff, and community. In a field where opportunities for growth from within don’t come often enough, I am thrilled to be investing in Daniella, Alex, Danielle, and other members of the team whose roles are expanding to meet this moment. A service organization’s greatest value is in our relationships, and I feel honored to have such wonderful coconspirators on staff, on the board, and across our network of partners and supporters.”

We remain deeply grateful to the many artists, members, partners, and supporters who make this work possible and look forward to the future ahead.

 If you have questions, please reach out to Talia at [email protected].

 Please join us in celebrating Risa — and in supporting A.R.T./New York as we step into this next chapter together. You can make a gift in Risa’s honor HERE!