Jesse Green Hired as Co-Chief Theater Critic for The New York Times

The New York Times today announced that Jesse Green has been named co-chief theater critic.

Previously, Mr. Green was the theater critic for New York magazine, where he had also been a contributing editor writing long-form features since 2008.

Below, read the memo sent to staff by culture editor Danielle Mattoon:

"I am delighted to announce that Jesse Green will become co-chief theater critic for The New York Times, joining Ben Brantley in a powerful partnership that will deliver the most authoritative, thoughtful and pointed insights about Broadway, Off Broadway and theater around the country and the globe.

"Jesse is a wonderfully gifted thinker and writer who contributed memorably to The Times for years before becoming one of the leading critical voices at New York magazine. Incisive, deeply knowledgeable, warm and funny, Jesse's criticism conveys an infectious love of the theater that grabs readers whether they are regular theater goers or keep track from afar.

"In addition to maintaining a regular reviewing schedule at New York, Jesse has seized opportunities to connect theater to cultural moments beyond the stage. In recent months Jesse wrote brilliantly about Donald Trump's depiction of theater as a safe space and deconstructed why a great stage show like 'Hairspray' fell flat on TV; he cleverly analyzed songs cut from 'Hamilton' and other shows; and he beautifully eulogized Edward Albee and explored his legacy. He is also an accomplished and versatile feature writer, delivering memorable profiles of theater luminaries such as Mike Nichols, Tony Kushner, Arthur Laurents and Audra McDonald, while also writing movingly about everyday people, from the first immigrant to pass through Ellis Island to the parents of young transgender children, and the unexpected journeys they embark on.

"'Jesse has one of the warmest, savviest and most individual voices in theater writing, steeped in both deep knowledge and equal affection for his subject,' says Ben Brantley. 'I look forward to sharing a beat with him, and to engaging in dialogue with someone as in love with the theater as I am.'

"As co-chief critic, Jesse will work closely with and alongside Ben, who is among the most singular and influential voices writing about theater today and thus needs little introduction. For years, Ben's reviews have anchored The New York Times's theater coverage, delivering assessments that travel around the world. He has championed such artists as Tarell Alvin McCraney, Martin McDonagh, Conor McPherson, Suzan-Lori Parks and Simon Stephens, not to mention the experimentalists Richard Maxwell and Elevator Repair Service. He was instrumental in leading a critical reassessment of Edward Albee. And he has long been - and will continue to be - our eyes and ears in London, delivering early word on productions that might travel beyond the West End. Ben is the editor of two books - 'Broadway Musicals: From the Pages of the New York Times,' and 'The New York Times Book of Broadway: On the Aisle for the Unforgettable Plays of the Last Century' - and received the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism. (So closely watched are his opinions, that they are the subject of a website, DidHeLikeIt.com, in which a "Ben-O-meter" translates his current reviews.)

"'I'm delighted to join The Times's culture department, and especially to share the huge job of covering theater in New York and beyond with Ben,' Jesse said. 'I've read and admired his reviews for years, appreciating the vast knowledge he brings so lightly to the task. That we are so different in our taste and style feels like a bonus. It'll be fun when we agree - and even more fun when we don't.'

"With the addition of Jesse to the already formidable theater team led by theater editor Scott Heller, The Times continues its commitment to cultural criticism. In the last two years alone, the voices of Amanda Hess, Margaret Lyons, Wesley Morris, James Poniewozik and Jennifer Senior have joined The Times's already unbeatable roster of full-time critics, which now counts 21 in total. Meanwhile, we continue to seek out new voices to bring into the fold, and hope to make further additions to our critical ranks this year.

"Now for a little more background on Jesse: From 2013 to 2017 he was the theater critic for New York magazine, where he had also been a contributing editor, writing long-form features, since 2008. Before that he wrote about theater and culture for the Arts & Leisure section of The Times while covering broader subjects for the Times Magazine. Articles he has written for these and many other publications have been recognized with nominations and prizes from the National Magazine Awards and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

"Entertainment Weekly called Jesse's novel 'O Beautiful' (Ballantine/Random House) 'one of the best first novels of the year' in 1990. He is also the author of 'The Velveteen Father: An Unexpected Journey to Parenthood,' a memoir published by Villard/Random House in 1999 that was named one of the best nonfiction books of the year by The Los Angeles Times Book Review and won the Lambda Literary Award for biography/autobiography in 2000. His short fiction and essays have appeared in many journals and collections. He is currently working on 'Shy,' a book about Mary Rodgers Guettel, a pioneering musical theater composer (Farrar, Straus & Giroux).

"Before turning to writing, Jesse worked in the theater as a gopher, a copyist, and a musical coordinator on Broadway shows. With the novelist Meg Wolitzer, he has also written cryptic crosswords and other puzzles for several publications. He is a graduate of Yale College, with a degree in English and Theater.

"He starts on May 1. Please join me in welcoming him to the staff.

"Danielle Mattoon"