NAMT Announces Depature of Executive Director Kathy Evans

Marilynn Sheldon, Managing Director Emerita of The 5th Avenue Theatre (WA) and President of National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today that NAMT's Executive Director Kathy Evans will be leaving NAMT in mid-June. Kathy is forming a not-for-profit in New York's Hudson Valley called the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, to provide musical theatre writing teams with working residencies. A search committee has been formed and the search for a new Executive Director will begin this week.

Marilynn stated, "We are sorry to see Kathy go, after nearly nine years with the National Alliance for Musical Theatre. She has made a great impact on the organization, including growing membership to 150 organizations, leaving us in strong financial shape, and creating the National Fund for New Musicals, which has provided over 30 grants totaling $150,000 to our membership, to support their work with writers in the creation, development, and production of new musicals. The Board voted last week to make Kathy an Honorary Board Member, so that we will have her expertise with the organization for four more years."

NAMT Executive Director Kathy Evans stated, "I am so sad to leave this wonderful organization but know that I will always stay involved. I am honored to be asked to join the Board of Directors and look forward to contributing in new ways. I found my love for new work here at NAMT, and now want to take that passion and help writers in the process of creating new musicals. I will be forever grateful to have been entrusted by the Board with a leadership role in advocating for this art form that I love."

Founded in 1985 and based in New York City, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), is a national service organization dedicated exclusively to musical theatre, with a focus on nurturing the creation, development, and production of new musicals. NAMT's 150 members, located throughout 35 states and abroad, are some of the leading producers of musical theatre, and include theatres, developmental organizations, universities, and individual producers. NAMT fulfills its mission through its New Works Programs, highlighted by the Festival of New Musicals celebrating its 23rd anniversary this year, which was integral to launching The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Ordinary Days, and Vanities. NAMT's other new works programs include New Works Summits and the National Fund for New Musicals, which awards grants to theatres to support their work with writers as they develop and produce new musicals. Major funding for NAMT is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, Stacey Mindich Productions, and The Shubert Foundation. For more information, visit www.namt.org