OSF names new executive director
ASHLAND, Ore. – The Oregon Shakespeare Festival announced its next executive director. KOBI
David Schmitz will be the fourth executive director in the festival’s history, following Paul Christy, who served as acting executive director since early last year.
Over the past decade, Schmitz has worked his way up for the past 15 years to become executive director of the Steppenwolf Theatre before getting his new job in Ashland.
According to OSF, Schmitz will help provide shared leadership with current Artistic Director Nataki Garrett.
“David’s reputation and accomplishments working with theatre makers, artists, patrons, and partners in the arts, combined with an extraordinary sense for community building, precede him,” said Nataki Garrett, OSF artistic director. “I’m grateful for the breadth of experience he brings to OSF through a variety of pivotal leadership roles critical to ensuring the future of this organization for many years to come, including our current top priority to return transformative theatre to our stages in 2021.”
OSF said Schmitz’s experience in acting, designing, and directing gives him a unique perspective into the artistic world.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, OSF canceled all 2020 performances. It hopes to pick off where the theatre company left off in 2021.
