Christopher Ashley Will Take Over as Roundabout Theatre Company Artistic Director

BroadwayWorld has just learned that Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley, 17-year Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse, will be the new Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Company, to begin his tenure in July 2026 with the 2027-28 season.

Scott Ellis, current Interim Artistic Director, longtime Associate Artistic Director and dear friend to the late Todd Haimes, will continue in his Interim Artistic Director role for the 2025-26 season. Ellis will collaborate with Ashley for the 2026-27 season while Ashley honors his previous commitments at La Jolla Playhouse.

Christopher Ashley said “I am honored and exhilarated to step into the role of Artistic Director at Roundabout Theater Company. Under Todd Haimes’ leadership, Roundabout has become a home for an extraordinary array of artists, working in five beautiful theaters on and off Broadway. I look forward to collaborating with Scott Ellis on programming the 2026-27 season and joining Sydney Beers, Chris Nave and the superb staff full time in July 2026. As we navigate this moment of immense change in the American theater, I hope that Roundabout can be a town square, where urgent questions can be investigated, the joy of live theater can be shared, and we can together find community and hope.”

Selecting leadership for the organization is one of the most crucial charges of Roundabout’s Board of Directors. The yearlong international search, conducted by the board in collaboration with Management Consultants for the Arts, had the goal of finding a passionate new Roundabout leader to build on and develop what Haimes created. The intention was to identifysomeone to help chart Roundabout’s ongoing course as a theater company, as an arts and culture leader in New York and as a vital member of the New York City community.

The Roundabout search committee included Board of Directors: Kitty Patterson Kempner, Thomas E. Tuft, Lawrence Kaplen, Stephanie Kramer, Johannes Worsoe, LaChanze and Mary C. Solomon. Christopher has a remarkable history of premiering new works at La Jolla Playhouse— including The Outsiders and Here There are Blueberries, both seen in New York this past year, and works from such artists as Tina Landau, Lisa Sanaye Dring, Joe Iconis, Sonya Tayeh, Anna Deveare Smith, Kimber Lee, and Charlayne Woodard; directing such international hit musicals as Come From Away; and creating space for new immersive and site-specific experiences at the Playhouse through the Without Walls (WOW) program he launched in 2011.

Kitty Patterson Kempner, Board of Directors Chair said: “As our country’s largest and most influential not-for-profit theatre company, we understand how important this decision is to the cultural landscape of New York City and to the future of theatre. On behalf of our Board of Directors, we are proud of the thoughtful process we took to name Christopher as our incoming Artistic Director. Christopher impressed us with his appreciation for Roundabout’s history and for our potential as a theatrical community with many unique voices —and as a national theatre for America. He also leads with kindness and compassion, two qualities Todd treasured most. As a long-time leader of La Jolla Playhouse, he is also well suited to lead our complex network of off-stage activities including Education, Workforce Development, and industry innovation.”

In collaboration with Christopher Ashley, Scott Ellis, Sydney Beers and Chris Nave, the Board’s next step is to find a Managing Director to work with Ashley to lead Roundabout forward in these ever-changing, ever-challenging times.

“Our gratitude to Scott Ellis, who immediately stepped in after Todd passed, whose first Roundabout production was She Loves Me in 1993, over 30 years ago, is infinite,” said Kitty Patterson Kempner. “Our confidence in Christopher Ashley is boundless. And we extend our deep gratitude to the entire Roundabout staff for the commitment and care they have demonstrated during this difficult time.”

Ellis will continue his leadership responsibilities alongside Executive Producer Sydney Beers, Chief Advancement Officer Chris Nave, as well as Chief Administrative Officer Steven Showalter and the artistic staff including Director of Artistic Producing Nicole Tingir MacMillan and Director of Play Development Abigail Katz.

Bio:

Tony Award-winner Christopher Ashley has served as La Jolla Playhouse’s Rich Family Artistic Director since 2007. Select directing credits during his tenure include the world premieresof Come From Away, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, Babbitt, Memphis, as well as His Girl Friday, Glengarry Glen Ross, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Freaky Friday and Xanadu. He also spearheaded the Playhouse’s Without Walls (WOW) initiative, featuring a yearly free immersive and site-specific Festival. He founded the DNA New Work Series, the Resident Theatre program and the BIPOC Directing Fellowship. During his tenure the Playhouse has presented the LatinX New Play Festival, moved to a paid internship program, and initiated the Accountability and Inclusion Alliance, a staff-led group whose mission is to create impactful solutions for a safe, equitable, and anti-racist community.

During his tenure, 20 La Jolla Playhouse shows moved to Broadway. Some of Ashley’s Broadway directing credits include Come From Away (Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Diana, Memphis (Tony Award nomination), Xanadu, Leap of Faith (Drama Desk Award nomination), Escape to Margaritaville, All Shook Up and The Rocky Horror Show (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations). He also helmed productions of Come From Away in London (Olivier Award nomination), Toronto, Australia and on national tour.

Additional New York stage credits include Blown Sideways Through Life, Jeffrey (Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards), The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla (Lucille Lortel Award nomination), Regrets Only, Wonder of the World, Communicating Doors, Bunny Bunny, The Night Hank Williams Died and Fires in the Mirror (Lucille Lortel Award), among others. Ashley recently directed Come From Away for AppleTV+ and Diana: The Musical for Netflix.

Other screen credits include the feature films Jeffrey and Lucky Stiff, and the American Playhouse production of Blown Sideways Through Life for PBS.

Ashley is the recipient of the Princess Grace Award, the Drama League Director Fellowship and an NEA/TCG Director Fellowship. He was recently announced as the upcoming recipient of the SDCF “Mr. Abbott” Award.

Photo Credit: Emilio Madrid