MTC's Lisa McNulty Named New Producing Artistic Director of Women's Project Theater

Women's Project Theater today announced the appointment of Lisa McNulty to become the Off-Broadway theatre's new Producing Artistic Director. Ms. McNulty, who has been Artistic Line Producer at Manhattan Theatre Club since 2006, will assume her new position as of August 11, 2014.

Lisa McNulty is currently the artistic line producer of Manhattan Theatre Club where she has worked on more than 30 productions both on and off Broadway during her eight seasons at MTC, including work by Lynn Nottage, Sarah Treem, Harvey Fierstein, Liz Flahive, David Lindsey Abaire, Molly Smith Metzler, Tarell Alvin McCraney, David Ives, Nell Benjamin, and Lynn Redgrave among many others. Lisa has a long history with Women's Project Theater. She was originally hired by the company's founder, Julia Miles, as the literary manager from 1997-2000, where she dramaturged work by María Irene Fornés, Julie Hébert and Karen Hartman, and others. She also ran WP's Playwright's Lab and edited several Women's Project Smith & Kraus anthologies. In 2004, she returned to Women's Project Theater as its Associate Artistic Director where she produced work by artists including Diane Paulus, Lisa D'Amour, Leigh Silverman, Katie Pearl, Tanya Barfield, and Rinne Groff. Lisa served as the company's casting director and literary manager and again ran WP's Playwrights Lab. Her independent producing career includes projects with Sarah Ruhl, Davis McCallum, Todd Almond, Lucy Thurber, and Lear Debessonet. Lisa has also served as the Producing Associate at the McCarter Theatre, line producing work by Nilo Cruz, Dael Orlandersmith, Arthur Kopit and Steven Dietz, as well as developing McCarter's commissioned short series featuring new work by Sarah Ruhl, Eric Bogosian, and Adam Rapp, among others.

Interim Executive Producer Jessica R. Jenen, who had stepped in during the transition period after the resignation of Julie Crosby, the theatre's previous Producing Artistic Director, will continue in her current role through September, after which she will join the Board of Directors.

Women's Project Theater Board Co-Chair Arlene Scanlan stated: "We are thrilled to welcome Lisa back to WP. Not only is she a tremendously respected producer on and Off-Broadway, she brings with her a wealth of knowledge about WP institutionally. When she was suggested as a candidate to us by several artistic leaders in the national theater community, we immediately pursued her. She was a strong and logical candidate for the position, and we look forward to working with her to lead WP into its next period of success. The Board of Directors is also thrilled to welcome five new Board members to our fold, who join our current members in their steadfast commitment to the mission of the theatre founded by Julia Miles in 1978, championing work by the tremendously talented women theater artists in our community."

"I couldn't be more honored to be given the opportunity to lead an organization that has been so important to me throughout my career, and to carry on the legacy of strong female leadership that has been such a hallmark of Women's Project Theater throughout its 36 year history," said Lisa McNulty. "I am grateful to the Board for their faith in me. I am so passionate about WP's artistic community, its mission and its legacy-I can't wait to come back to an organization that feels like home, and to move forward in a fresh spirit of adventure."

Women's Project Theater accomplishes its mission through two fundamental programs: the Main Stage series, which annually features three off-Broadway productions written and directed by extraordinary women theater artists, and the WP Lab, a two-year mentorship and new play development program for women playwrights, directors, and producers.

Women's Project Theater has also announced the participants in its upcoming 2014-2016 Lab program. They are:

Playwrights: Sarah Burgess, Monet Hurst-Mendoza, Martyna Majok, Sharyn Rothstein, Riti Sachdeva

Directors: Adrienne Campbell-Holt, Lee Sunday Evans, Sarah Krohn, Danya Taymor, Tamilla Woodard

Producers: Rachel Karpf Reidy, Pearl Kermani, Kristen Luciani, Liz Olson, Rachel Sussman

Women's Project Theater also announces five new members of their Board of Directors: Sandy Ashendorf, Onute Miller, Atoosa Rubenstein, Jenna Segal and Robin Zarel. The award-winning Women's Project Theater is the nation's oldest and largest company dedicated to producing and promoting plays written and directed by women, who receive only 20% of the professional opportunities nationwide. Now in its 36th year, Women's Project Theater has produced and/or developed over 600 main stage productions and developmental projects, and published 11 anthologies of plays by women.

Women's Project Theater was founded in 1978 by Julia Miles to address the significant under-representation of women theater artists and has since built a tremendous legacy. Although even today women lack parity in pay and opportunity, the artists who have broken through the glass ceiling have first crossed the threshold at Women's Project Theater, including Eve Ensler, Lynn Nottage, Maria Irene Fornes, Katori Hall, Pam MacKinnon, Leigh Silverman and Anna Deavere Smith, among the many.

Photo by Joan Marcus