Alley Theatre Artistic Director's Severance Raises Questions Regarding the Nature of His Retirement

As previously reported, former artistic director of The Alley Theatre, Gregory Boyd, recently announced his retirement. He had been with the company since 1989 and his final day was on Thursday, January 11.

In a statement from the Alley, it says that Boyd had originally planned to make this announcement in the fall of 2017, but he instead chose to stay to help with Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. However, questions have been raised about the validity of the fact that Boyd chose to retire, following the announcement that he will receive a severance package of more than $383,000, according to the Houston Chronicle.

More than 20 employees of the Alley reported abusive behavior from Boyd, particularly toward young actresses. Boyd then announced his retirement abruptly and did not comment on the allegations.

However, when asked about the nature of Boyd's leaving, Nancy Sims with Pierpont Communications, a public relations firm hired by the Alley, said that Boyd had "negotiated his retirement."

Neither Sims nor the Alley have made comments about the allegations against Boyd.

Under the lead of Boyd, The Alley Theatre won a Special Tony Award, as well as produced over 100 premiere of new works, including the Broadway musical Jekyll and Hyde.

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