Evan Cabnet Appointed Artistic Director of Second Stage

The Board of Trustees of Second Stage Theater have announced that Evan Cabnet, currently Artistic Director of Lincoln Center Theater’s LCT3, will be Second Stage Theater’s new Artistic Director. Mr. Cabnet will join the organization in September 2024 and will officially launch his first season of programming in Fall 2025. Founder and current Artistic Director Carole Rothman will continue in her position through August 2024. Interim Artistic Director Bennett Leak will oversee the Company’s upcoming 46th season.

“I am excited and humbled to bring my passion for developing, nurturing, and championing new work to Second Stage, one of New York's most vital and influential homes for contemporary theater,” said Evan Cabnet. “As my mentor Andre Bishop says, we are living in a golden age of American playwriting, and Second Stage’s incredible history, and the home Carole Rothman has created for artists, sits firmly at the center of this inspiring and culturally rich moment. I hope to honor her legacy as one of the truly great leaders of the American theater, and am looking forward to helping write the next chapter for such an extraordinary organization.”

“In taking on the search for a new Artistic Director, our 13-member committee went into the process understanding one certainty. We would never replace Carole Rothman,” said Kevin Brockman (Head of the Artistic Director Search Committee and Board Co-Chair) and Terry Lindsay (Board Co-Chair). “How can you replace a founding artistic director who had spent 45 years building a powerhouse theatrical institution? Instead, we focused our efforts on identifying the most talented, forward-thinking, creative mind who Is as passionate about our mission and as dedicated to championing new theatrical voices as we were. We wanted someone to shape and inspire our next 45 years of growth and success. And through a very exacting and arduous process, where we met and had in-depth discussions with dozens of potential candidates, our efforts quickly coalesced behind one person…Evan Cabnet.”

“From the start, Evan stood out amongst his peers,” said Brockman and Lindsay. “He has a vast knowledge of and appreciation for American Playwrights, and has spent his career championing new voices, giving opportunities to those who might not otherwise have their works showcased. He is one of the smartest and most ethical people in our community, and is beloved and admired by everyone with whom he’s worked. Just as important is his commitment to and belief in an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace, both in front of and behind the footlights. It’s simply part of his DNA. Collaboration is key with Evan, but he’s not shy about stating opinions and is comfortable in the knowledge that the buck ultimately stops at his desk. We honestly don’t know how we got this lucky, but we’ll certainly take it. Evan is the future of Second Stage, and we can’t wait to see where he leads us.”

About Evan Cabnet

Evan Cabnet is a theater director and writer. Since 2016, he has served as the Artistic Director of LCT3, Lincoln Center Theater’s home for new artists and audiences. During his tenure, LCT3 produced twenty productions, including Antoinette Nwandu’s PASS OVER (Lortel Award, Best Play), which transferred to Broadway and had the distinction of being the first play to open after the pandemic. Other productions that premiered under his leadership include Jackie Sibblies Drury’s MARYS SEACOLE (Obie Award for play, direction, and performance), Aya Ogawa’s THE NOSEBLEED (Obie Award, writing and direction), Bryna Turner’s AT THE WEDDING and BULL IN A CHINA SHOP, Miranda Rose Hall’s PLOT POINTS IN OUR SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT, and the original musicals IN THE GREEN (written and composed by Grace McLean) and THE KEEP GOING SONGS (written, composed, and starring The Bengsons). Plays commissioned, developed, and produced under Cabnet’s leadership have gone on to be seen on stages through regional theaters, at universities, and in London.

For over twenty years, Cabnet has worked as a director on and off Broadway, regionally and internationally. He has collaborated with such writers as Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (GLORIA, Vineyard Theatre and Goodman Theatre productions), Stephen Sondheim (DO I HEAR A WALTZ? Encores!), Helen Edmundson (THERESE RAQUIN, Roundabout/Studio 54 starring Keira Knightley and Judith Light), Donald Margulies (THE MODEL APARTMENT, Primary Stages), David West Read (THE PERFORMERS, Longacre Theater, THE DREAM OF THE BURNING BOY, Roundabout Underground), Kenneth Lin (WARRIOR CLASS, Second Stage Uptown), Christopher Shinn (TEDDY FERRARA, Goodman Theatre), Theresa Rebeck (POOR BEHAVIOR, Primary Stages), Bekah Brunstetter (OOHRAH, Atlantic), and Liz Meriwether (THE MISTAKES MADELINE MADE, Naked Angels, OLIVER PARKER, Cherry Lane). He is a former Artistic Associate at the Roundabout Theatre Company, a founding member of the Ars Nova Writers Group, and a former Resident Artist with Richard Foreman’s Ontological-Hysteric Theater. He is a trustee of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and has guest lectured about developing new work at Juilliard, NYU, Yale, Columbia, and Northwestern. His first book, DIRECTING NEW PLAYS, is being published by Methuen Drama/Bloomsbury Press and will be available October 2024.

Second Stage Artists On Evan Cabnet

“I think the audiences and creatives who make up the communities of Broadway, off-Broadway, and American theater at large have so much to celebrate in Evan's appointment as the new leader of Second Stage. Carole Rothman has done a legendary job building up Second Stage as a real temple for the art of contemporary American playwriting and I cannot imagine a more exciting and worthy successor than Evan. I don't know another man - let alone leader - as passionate, knowledgeable, ethical, insightful and kind as Evan, especially when it comes to advocating for the theater - and the many different kinds of folks who make it!” - Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, whose play APPROPRIATE was produced at Second Stage’s Hayes Theater last fall and recently won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play

“45 years ago Carole Rothman founded a theater devoted to new American works of theater, giving countless theater artists (including myself) their first big break. It’s thrilling, then, to know that that tradition of risk-taking and dedication to daring art will be carried on by the brilliant Evan Cabnet, who has made a career of finding new voices and giving them the space and attention they deserve.” - Playwright Rajiv Joseph, whose plays ALL THIS INTIMACY, ANIMALS OUT OF PAPER, GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES and LETTERS OF SURESH were produced by Second Stage Theater

“Carole Rothman built Second Stage around the vital mission of producing living American writers, and in her 45 year tenure, she’s built it into a pillar of the American theatrical landscape. I’m thrilled to see Evan Cabnet appointed to lead Second Stage’s next chapter. As the Artistic Director of LCT3 and as a director, Evan has been a steadfast advocate for his fellow artists. He shepherds artistic work with insight, generosity of spirit, and integrity, and I can’t wait to see what unfolds at Second Stage under his leadership.” - Director Lila Neugebauer, who staged the Second Stage productions of Tracy Letts’ MARY PAGE MARLOWE and the Tony Award-winning production of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ APPROPRIATE

“Evan Cabnet has built a stellar track record of championing artists and leading with grace and vision. I am thrilled that he will be bringing his great talents to Second Stage, building upon Carole Rothman's profound commitment to artistic excellence and guiding this vital and essential theatre into its next chapter.” - Playwright Bess Wohl, whose plays AMERICAN HERO, MAKE BELIEVE, GRAND HORIZONS, and CAMP SIEGFRIED were all produced by Second Stage Theater